A friend of mine voted early and sends the following report.
Since you gave me some advice, I’ll tell you how I voted. Just a little FYI. When it’s relevant, I’ll tell you why I made the choice I did. Generally, I don’t vote for Republicans. Also, when I’m trying to make a decision on the more obscure races, I go to each candidate’s web site. I’m looking for education, experience and positions. If they don’t have a web site, it means they’re not mounting a serious campaign, and I disregard them. I made two exceptions to the no-web-site rule though, Marcelle and Alfone.
- Governor–Campbell. I like him because he wants to make taxation of the oil and gas industry the cornerstone of the state’s revenue, and I like that. Admittedly, I don’t know a damn thing he stands for otherwise.
- Lt. Gov.–Landrieu. I think he’s done a good job with film and tourism in the state, which is his main job.
- Sec. State–Wooley
- Att.Gen–Caldwell. The only non-Republican alternative to Foti. I’d actually vote for a Republican to oust Foti, after his attempted prosecution of the hospital staff. If I had to do that, I’d run home, take a “Silkwood” shower, and cry myself to sleep.
- Com. of Ag.–Odom
- Com. of Ins.–Crowley
- BESE Dist 2–Marcelle. I found out the incumbent has been sued by the government for corrupt election practices.
- Sen. 5th Dis.–Gray. A local girl with a BA from Standford and a JD from Tulane, so she’s smart.
- Rep. 91st Dis.–Alfone. “Toke up, bro. . .” Sure, I’d give him a try.
- Judge, Crim, Sec A–Wainwright. Though I hate Nader, I am completely sympathetic to most of the Green party’s concerns. And certainly, on the local level, I’d welcome a successful alternative party. Actually, I’d welcome a successful alternative party on the national level, too, but you’ve got to crawl before you can walk. Hence, my vote.
- Council at Large–Suber. If MosDef says he’s the man, HE’S THE MAN! I liked his positions on his site.
- Judge, Mun–Davillier
- For all the amendments.
I only shared this, because I remember your telling me my choices in the last election had influenced you. (And look at how much good it did.)
Interestingly, my friend ended up voting for all three of the candidates endorsed by the Green Party of Louisiana: Suber, Wainwright and Alfone. Wainwright’s the only registered Green, so he’s the only one who will actually have the word “Green” by his name on the ballot. You can meet all three of these candidates tomorrow night.
Reminder: The election’s on Saturday, October 20th. You can vote early at the registrar of voters office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Oct. 13.
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Please don’t throw away your vote on Gary Wainwright. He has a reputation for being a total asshole. Among other things, he said in open court that a sexual assault victim had “vaginal fleas.” Political party affiliation is important in many instances, but it is completely meaningless in the context of a criminal courtroom. Judges can’t introduce a philosophy that is contrary to the law, and they can’t change the law. What we need is someone who knows the law and has the administrative smarts and work ethic to run a courtroom. We don’t need a blowhard on the bench. I am voting for Laurie White.
This isn’t a bad set of choices… a few exceptions, Dangerblond’s included.
I have the opposite of your friend’s feelings about Nader (with whom I am often in sympathy) and the Green Party (of whom I am often suspicious).
Also this statement just flies in the face of logic “…BA from Standford and a JD from Tulane, so she’s smart.” No it just means she’s ambitious… and probably a few worse things.
The “sexy” races here for most of us are the Governor and At-Large slots. I’m voting for both of the candidates listed here.
As the mystery voter here, I want to point out a few other things about Campbell. He projects taxing oil and gas will produce revenue that exceeds our current budget by over a billion. Every year, he intends to use $1 billion of that to restore the coast and use the remaining excess on schools and infrastructure. This new tax will allow him to do away with income and corporate taxes, which he thinks will spur the state’s economy. I’m in favor of all of that.
In general, I agree with Jeffrey that two degrees from expensive private universities does not necessarily make someone smart–look at Bush. But name a politician who isn’t ambitious. Nonetheless, her education was something that distinguished her from an otherwise indistinguishable field, based on my web site survey.
May Nader rot in his own narcissistic hell.
Also, if dangerblond is correct about Wainwright, I’d like to thank the Green Party for screwing me once again.
Suber, as I was reminded, was the guy that was counterprotesting the protestors at the Shavers/Hill march, claiming that the only reason people were out there was because a white woman got shot.
Also, check out his website. Great ideas that will cost several billion dollars to fund. He has no grasp on reality.
Suber’s real policy is “Keeping the “ghetto” in New Orleans”. Some people waited all their lives to escape the projects and Malcolm wants to throw them back in. Keeping the poor people locked in housing projects and making sure they can’t get jobs so they have to rely on a government check. Making sure that the ineptly run housing projects continue to destroy the surrounding neighborhoods and all the neighborhoods between them. Even if you agree with raising the minimum wage, $16 an hour is going to shut down most every business in town. It is clearly whackjob thinking. The last thing this city needs is that throwback thinking. He’s down there with Dyan French, and Jackie Clarkson as the last folks we need on the city council.
Green Party judge? Pass… with crime at the levels we have in New Orleans I want someone who is serious about Law and Order. Sure it is all very nice to talk about de-criminalizing marijuana but do we really want another Charles Elloie?
For governor right now I’m Anybody But Jindal- Louisiana doesn’t need someone who let’s his rightwing ideology get in the way of pragmatic and pressing needs.
I strongly disagree with your choice of Marcelle over Givens for BESE. Marcelle is pro school vouchers and increasing charters, privatizing public education. But if you can get Xy, who is in the education trenches, to support Marcelle over Givens, I’ll let you vote your way without guilt.
Suber is a mess. Take a look at his answers to the League of Women Voters’ questions http://www.lwvno.org/f2007op-council-at-large.html:
To the question regarding abandoned properties, Suber replied, “The city should first of all eliminate all bighted (sic) city property. We can’t expect a clean up of our residents (sic) homes and businesses when we haven’t done it. Then I would increase the fines on blighted property and calls (sic) for a real program to acquire/fix-up/or demolish blighted property.”
Yeah, right. Get back to me when you can find the Spell Check.
He also wants to set up some sort of “litter court.”
The kicker is his agenda for the federal government: “I would also call for a massive- federally funded public works program to rebuild our infrastructure.”
Call all you want, pal, but so what. I call for all chumps to stop running for political office. Let’s see what happens …
I’d like to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity to feel lousy about my votes. I promise–I’ll never vote again.
Actually, the responses to this blog have revealed a lot of information I would have found useful. So, B, maybe you could do a post like this before every election and provide a space for people’s accumulated knowledge to be revealed.
Also, in my defense, a certain someone turned me on to Suber. I’m not naming names, but his first initial is B.
Dangerblond, did you hear Wainwright say this first hand??? I saw a woman run out and give him a hug when he was campaigning, and his answers to the lwvno questions seemed legitimate to me.
I do agree that party affiliation is meaningless in the courtroom (as well as most places), however I’ll go and hear what Wainwright has to say first hand.
I find this kind of discussion fascinating, and am always grateful to hear others’ opinions about and insights into these local races. It also acts as a mild ameliorant to the existential hopelessness I feel about my choices as a voter. Any time the corporate-owned establishment daily and the ostensibly indie alterna-weekly endorse the same republican gubenatorial candidate, you know you’re living in… uh… mid-oklahoma… no, wait… well, somewhere messed up, that’s for sure…
I was told about Wainwright’s in-court behavior by a prosecutor who has witnessed him in action many times. I have been asking around about all the judge candidates. When you ask ANY of the professionals who are involved with the criminal justice system about Wainwright, you get a major eye-roll. This is both defense attorneys and prosecutors, and I mean to a person. I didn’t know anything about him, so I was like, “well, what do you mean, ‘he’s an asshole’?” Many people who have to deal with him don’t want to be specific or take the chance of being quoted by a blond with a blog, but I was given this story as an example of assholery because it’s part of a public record. I believe it qualifies. I was just as surprised as you. You can go ahead and vote for him if you want, but he is the least qualified person running for judge in this race. People I respect who work in the criminal justice system tell me that the two best candidates are Laurie White and Joseph Rome. I spoke up here because I dread the thought of good, well-meaning people voting for Wainwright when I know that Laurie White is the person who best represents their values.
Anonymous, Suber was a good vote even if someone found some typos. I heard him speak yesterday and he was well spoken and not a sell-out. If you don’t agree with his platform, that’s another matter. Here’s an article in The Nation: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071029/reed