Friday, October 26, 2007

LOWV Forum

Went to the League of Women Voters Forum last night at City Hall, as usual its well done and somewhat fast paced.

First up was the Ward races: Everybody was there, Butler and Madigan the incumbents and the open race for Ward 2 and 3.

Then it was the Mayoral Candidates

Finally it was the School Board Race; This provided the most interesting soap opera, Dawn Defreeze state that she was recruited to run for the School board, but since has received a letter indicating that she should withdraw from the race due to her "Evangelical position". Therefore she would not answer any questions.

Now I am putting the quotation marks in due to the fact I do not know if she is referring her position as maybe a minister or perhaps she had a staunch position to education based on faith based reasoning.

More on this later.


Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Michael Yon Meets CSM James Pippin

On several occasions I have linked to Michael Yon to give you a first hand look at what is going in the war. Once again here is another look through the words of Command Sergeant Major James Pippin.

I hear the concern about America’s sons and daughters being killed and I know the media drum rolls the daily death toll. There have been more than 3,000 service members who have died fighting this war. And every one of those deaths is a tragedy. I, myself have lost a close friend. Contrary to the media reports, this war should be gauged by what is at stake if we lose. I believe the stakes of this war are even higher than those we faced together in both World Wars combined. In the words of Darryl Worley, “I say there are some things worth fighting for. Our freedom and the piece of ground we call The United States of America.” Don’t think for a second that terrorists will stop attacking Americans and our way of life just because we pull out of Iraq.


Go read the entire thing.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

NEW MAYOR POLL


Your title
WHICH ONE WOULD YOU VOTE FOR IN THE NOVEMBER 2007 MAYORAL ELECTION?
EDWARD FITZGERALD
THOMAS GEORGE
UNDECIDED








Friday, October 05, 2007

36 Hours

That is how long after the Primary election day ended with Fitzgerald beating the snot out of George and Demro, before the mud started to be slung!

Surprisingly, I had anticipated that Tom George would begin to sling it, but no, Fitzgerald had to go against conventional wisdom and bring out the personal attack.

Fitzgerald called out the Mayor to return a campaign contribution of $4,500.


I'm sure I am not the only person who was disturbed by the Plain Dealer story this morning about the possible sale of Kauffman Park.

Whatever the merits of the plan are, which have continued to remain hidden, the contribution to Mayor George of $4,500 by the developers has cast a pall over the negotiations.

Mayor George, my request is that you return this $4,500 - the largest contribution you have received this year. As an alternative, I am requesting that you use those funds to help refurbish some of the facilities at Kauffman Park.

Only buy doing this can you remove the pall which has been cast over these pending development negotiations.


George then attacked Fitzgerald about the money for the Lakewood Democratic Club!

Ed,

You and your campaign chair have refused numerous attempts to disclose the fund balance in the Lakewood Democratic Club.

Where is the money from the Club?

Why have you refused numerous requests to provide a treasurer's report to Club members?

As the Endorsed Democrat for Mayor and the endorsed candidate of the Lakewood Democratic Club, I demand answers.

Looking forward to a reply.

Mayor Tom George


Perhaps, Fitzgerald watching the various debates about the possible Kauffman Park redevelopment and saw it was stirring up passion with a small segment of the commenters, he felt he needed to step out in front of it.

To me this is a stupid for Fitzgerald to begin his engagement of the Mayor like this; he should be quiet about it right now or hit him about his record!

Fitzgerald had 30 point victory on Tuesday, but he is acting like he is behind!

Not that Ed Fitzgerald would listen to my opinion, but if I were in his camp, I would tell him to shut up and attack on the record, because this pitch in the dirt wins points with NOBODY

To Mayor George, although the question about the money for the Lakewood Democratic Club is valid one, they are weak questions and it shows that he needs to step up and defend his own record and dig up better negative stuff on Fitzgerald.

As far as the contribution of $4,500 from the Glitz, who cares Ed, you have two opportunities in which to make that contribution futile. One is being engaged in Council when anything even remotely to this plan comes in you knock it down. Second, this one is much easier for you right now, shut up and win the damn election, and then you can control the process and make the contribution seem like a donation to a lost cause.

Sometimes Politician just can't help themselves!

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

The Results from the Mayoral Race

Lets just say it wasn't pretty!

Congratulations to Ed Fitzgerald and Tom George!





Lakewood Mayor
65 of 65 precincts reported (may not include all absentee ballots)
RYAN PATRICK DEMRO 1161

EDWARD FITZGERALD 3735

THOMAS J GEORGE 1855

Lakewood Council Ward 02
17 of 17 precincts reported (may not include all absentee ballots)
THOMAS R BULLOCK 909

THOMAS E GALLAGHER 152

DAN SHIELDS 871



Lakewood Council Ward 03
17 of 17 precincts reported (may not include all absentee ballots)
JOSEPH P DANGELO 363

DIANE HOPE HELBIG 205

MICHAEL P SUMMERS 960

COLLEEN M WING 321



When you look at the total votes cast for Mayor its 6751 divide that by the number of precincts 65 and you get 103 votes per precinct. SAD

Lets look at the numbers even further, lets say there is 39,000 registered voters that equates to 600 per precinct. That is 17% percent of the registered voters are casting a ballot.

We must do better as an electorate to get people to the polls!



UPDATE:

Looking at the unofficial results, Fitzgerald did not lose a single precinct, he tied 2 one with George and one with Demro.

The largest turnout or votes cast was 158, the lowest was 18.

Just amazing to me again that people don't care about primaries!

Monday, October 01, 2007

PRIMARY DAY - 2007

Well we are on the eve of the Mayoral Primary!

Thank God!

All the campaign claws are out, Fitzgerald dropped a piece today from Republicans for Fitzgerald. Demro went a little off, which sent Jim O'Bryan of the Lakewood Observer screaming (electronically speaking).

I probably would not have fallen for the bait, but who knows at this point of the race.

Tom George was seen driving around on Saturday, I am told he has only gone door to door on about 30 streets. Roughly speaking that is about 600 houses, not even 10% of the doors were knocked on.

I certainly would love to have been in the strategy session at the George campaign when they came up with his re-election plan. Just left me scratching my head as to his thoughts. Perhaps he felt that he would let Demro and Fitzgerald beat each other up and then he waltzes on the general, with a very heavy cash drawer.
If George does get knocked off tomorrow, I certainly would love to see the faces on certain people over on the Observation deck, they will just about bust a vein in anger.

The one real big question, I have right now is where the hell is Fitzgerald getting the money. His report lacked any major expenditures except for signs and postage and yet he has pumped out mailer upon mailer and drop literature and based on my calculation it has to total $12-15,000 and yet his report says nothing about it.

We shall see this time tomorrow night!