I won re-election tonite...

hey du'ers

i won re-election to a seat on the newburyport school committee tonite here in Massachusetts...

i'm a genetic democrat, current greenie; i have been a strong advocate for kids and have pissed off two consecutive mayors by demanding accountability, transparency and true democratic process in the management of the schools- what i've considered a principle-based approach.

i also ran a way-out-of-the box campaign- we gave our money this year to disaster relief, so i refused to spend any on a campaign, and anyone who wanted to donate was directed to katrina relief agancies. i did no signs, flyers; i challenged my opponent to a Lincoln-Douglas unmoderated debate (she refused), something incumbents are not supposed to do; i wrote one op ed piece entitled five reasons not to vote for me...

i beat her by 177 votes out of 5000 cast; i ran 30 votes behind her in the most conservative wards in the city and ran 175 ahead in the most progressive wards. apparently, according to feedback i got, in those most conservative wards, "someone" deliberately misrepresented my position on locating a new school on that side of town.

the message? you can run on principles, you can get outside of the box in a small town and run on a principles-based platform that enables people to look beyond specific issues and at the kind of leadership and advocacy they can expect. to draw well from the most conservative and progressive parts of the city, and win re-election at the same time a decidedly more conservative mayor and city council were elected sends a good message to folks, i think. a green, earring-wearing, truth-speaker to power, advocate, willing to mix-it-up kinda guy with the willingness to protect access to decision-making, keep administrators honest and accountable can get elected...

whew.

it ain't the meat, folks, it's the motion.

whalerider

politics on a dime.

:hi:

:patriot:

was just up your way visiting my sister in Peabody.

the West Coast to follow our children.

Good for you, WhaleRider -- Have a great term on the school committee and appreciate all your efforts to gain this position without spending a fortune!

In peace,

Radio_Lady in Oregon
(former employee of WEEI Radio, and WMEX Radio, Boston, MA many years ago)

I grew up on that station... and Juicy Brucey Bradley of WBZ. WEEI was just down the street from my house on the Revere Beach Parkway-- but maybe it was WHDH.

:toast:

Congratulations! One of our own, holding your own! PROUD of you, we are.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/chinamart.htm

I congratulate your constituents, and of course, you.

:loveya:

Way to go! :thumbsup:

Now start peddling the movie rights.

Seriously.

depends on which side of the aisle you're on, I suppose

whalerider

Your constituents are damn smart- and damn lucky to have you on board!

:toast:

:kick:

That's the way to do it!!! We here love you and support you!:toast: :party: :bounce:

:toast:

One of my Dem. county commissioners ran with NO budget except a small amount from his own pocket and he won...twice!

You rock whalerider! :patriot; :) :hug: :) :patriot: :)

I always thought I might vote for somebody who said "I don't know what the hell I'm going to do when I get there, but I promise I'll tell you exactly what is going on!!" Alot to be said for a strong advocate.

:toast:

way to go! I'm amped up!

:applause:

as a school administrator myself, who thinks outside the bun (sorry, too many commercials I guess) I think we need more folks that question the lock step approach that this repub admin. wants to force down our throats.
If you ever want to discuss an issue or need back up info, sources, etc. give me a jingle. I have an Ed. S. in educational leadership and have been an unconventional principal for 14 years.

i absolutely will.

whalerider

"Unconventionally Principled for 14 Years."

:)

:hi:

:toast:

A blizzard starts with a single snowflake ....... and I feel a Democratic blizzard a-brewin'

Keep going. I figure you wont lose your spine. Congrats!

:toast: :woohoo:

I love your posts!

means a great deal to me...

whalerider

ps: if i can do it, y'all can, too.

start local.

I am very happy for you. We are proud to have you as a DUer.:grouphug:

:toast:

:yourock:

Thank you!

:hug:

I understand not wanting to raise money, though you evidently had done that, but why not advertise once you had the money? Done correctly advertising provides an important function by informing the electorate. I am glad you won, but think even your conservative constituents deserved to vote based on the truth and not some rumor.

first, i didn't raise money and i didn't spend money i didn't raise. locally, i have never seen advertising done correctly; it is costly; the local paper has a circulation of less than 3,000, which is exactly 500 votes more than i received.

i don't believe you can really explain a nuanced position in an ad.
our school committee meetings are televised; the entire community has a chance, if they are interested, to watch what we do and how we do it (several years ago, when we had a very nasty city council, the residents of a local senior housing project used to watch the meetings on cable tv in the lounge- they called it the "gong show")

about 20% of the people in the city have kids in the schools.

i am biased against advertising,because in the end, it isn't really about truth, it is about selling something. i've always thought democracy can do better than that; i've favored spending limits on campaigns, encouraged more participation in the process of governing, fought for more grassroots campaigns where candidates meet in the community in variety of settings where they face each other and constituents in dialogue.

i think the truth is something you need to seek if you are interested in it. i don't ever espect to open a newspaper and get the truth, and especially don't from an ad.

i guess i just got tired of waiting for the rest of the crowd to trust the process, and got off at an earlier exit. it worked for me this time. maybe it won't next time. but i'd rrather go down trusting the voters than trying to shill them.

whalerider

Govt-access tv is an embarrassment because the meetings look like a really bad sitcom. Our board members and commissioners are in dire need of adult supervision.

or PM it to me or whatever. Sounds like a great read!

I agree with you regarding ads. They're all about selling something. Give me the honest truth and you'll get my vote. Plain and simple. Unfortunately, others don't always see it that way and often get sucked in by glossy ads and/or the mud-slinging that is all too prevalent in politics these days. The fact that you directed potential donors to Katrina relief organizations speaks volumes. Someone that stands on their principles is always a winner in my book. Why do you think Wellstone was so popular not just in MN but across the nation? He stuck by his principles regardless of the consequences. Wellstone did MN proud and I can tell you will indeed do your constituents proud as well. Kudos!

~~~~~ ~~~~~

:yourock:

get your ass to work! :) :thumbsup:

:applause:

:patriot:

:toast:

Good points too. Keep it up!

We're nearly neighbors. :hi:

What a powerful, uplifting message: you CAN keep your principles and win against the greedy liars. The children under the care of your committee are fortunate not only in the decisions you will make on their behalf but also in the example you will set to them and to everyone who knows your work and history.

One by one, till the ripples grow to a mighty cleansing wave.

congrats! you deserved it. serve well!

(Not whale-breath, mind you... I've smelled that and it's not nice.)

like 200 pounds of cuisinarted herring...

whalerider

Congratulations :toast:


:kick: :kick: :kick:

Congrats! You're an inspiration. Thanks for posting! -JJ




Shameless plug: http://jaundicejames.blogspot.com/

it`s good to know that an honest person wins

:toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party:

and :kick:

Hekate

Keep fightin' the good fight!!! :bounce:

You rock! :bounce: :thumbsup: :dem: :loveya: :headbang: :yourock:

That is terrific news...tear it up now in your new job!

What's next? City council? Mayor? State Senate?
Keep up the good work!
:bounce:

Wow, ethics! Who woulda thunk that could work?! ;)

And that is a helluva motto: Politics on a Dime

THAT is inspiring!

HEY! DLC!! ARE YOU LISTENING!??

:bounce: :kick: :bounce: :kick:

Job well done! :thumbsup:

Politics can be brutal, but we need good people like you out there!

:toast:

And I do believe that this is a time when people are beginning to see through deception - we need action. And kudos to you for giving your campaign money to Katrina relief - that was an amazing sacrifice! The people of your town are very lucky to have you!

such good news, way to go!.:hi:

:bounce: :patriot:

K&R!

:sarcasm:

Congrats!

:woohoo:

Glad to hear the Newburyport is principled.

thousands more just like you!

:toast:

:headbang:

:headbang:

:headbang:

You should contact Wellstone Action and let them know how you did it!

www.wellstoneaction.com

newburyport is a great town and deserves MORE people like you!

:toast:

bravo

Recommended with a :kick:

:yourock: :yourock:

WAY TO GO!

And Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!

:bounce:

You say you're a Green. Did you have a Democratic challenger? Or just a Republican?

for city offices, no party affiliation is listed.

i think my opponent was a dem. she also refused to debate me, managed the campaign of one of the mayoral candidates, and ran to create an 'automatic' mayoral majority on school committee issues. this particular group of dems doesn't care that much for public process, engaging the community in decision-making in a meaningful way, they seem to know what is best for everyone, and they have really exploited the difference between the working class of the city and the wealthy- siding with the wealthy.

sounds like a party that's lost direction and been in power too long.


in this city, i think you can run on principles, which don't often have much to do with parties these days.

so i guess i beat a democrat- one of her workers, a friend of mine, when a third person asked why she was had bothered to run for the seat when i had proven to be a strong advocate for the kids responded, "who filed papers first?'

a real compelling reason to run- because the seat was open. more shameful because it came from a democrat.

i'm a genetic democrat. the first campaign i participated in was 1964, handing out leaflets for an anti-war democratic candidate for congress. at some point, i'll probably go back to it. but locally, it doesn't matter. on principles, i've been more of a democrat than any elected democrat in this city in years- tranparent and inclusive public governing, creative vision, a willingness to speak truth to power and to for advocate a school system that works for all kids.

whoa. i guess i still sound like a democrat, no?

whalerider

I also admire the way you ran your campaign, giving your campaign money to disaster relief was most gracious, best of luck to you in the future.:)

It's satisfiying to see someone win while keeping their principles.

:thumbsup:

Congratulations!

:thumbsup:

Myself and one or two others posted on our election-night losses. Nice to hear a success story, too.

:applause:

Congrats!! :toast:

Love it. Congratulations!

That's wonderful.

:yourock:

:toast:

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

Congratulations from ManchVegas!

For those from outside of New England, Newburyport is one of those towns that is an architecture buffs dream. If you love georgian and federalist style, this is the place!

Your value to your community, it's children and the legacy of democracy?

Priceless

:patriot:

The Force is with you!

on a shoestring budget. Congratulations, Whalerider!:bounce:

:toast: :thumbsup: