Miklb's Mindless Ramblings

I live in and vote in FL-13. Just today, I received an “Appeal” e-mail from Joe Trippi to support Jan Schneider. I have supported Jan in the past two election cycles and will continue to do so, without reservation.

Trippi wrote “..Jan Schneider because she is the best person for Florida’s 13th and she has the best chance to win in November. She’s right on the issues we all care about. She’s got the political savvy to get the job done for the people in her district..” I can ‘second that’!

Further, I have seen Jan ‘in-action’ since 2002 and for whatever it’s worth, she is THE lady to replace Katherine Harris as well as erase all trace of KH’s destructive, legacy.

Of all the public ‘candidate forums’ I’ve been attending in FL-13, Jan is the only one consistently the only candidate who answered every single question directly and concisely. The quality of her answers indicate to me that she has a highly competent an in-depth understanding. SImply stated, there’s no “dancing-around” or evasiveness with Jan. If you do not want her answer, do not ask her the question. SHe is a straight-shooter.

 — Following quoted from an article about Jan Schneider: — 

Jan Schneider (FL-13) - (Katherine Harris’ 2004 opponent) is a straight-shooting Yale-educated lawyer with a Ph.D. in political science from Yale. Schneider has three decades of experience as a practicing lawyer, educator and author. She also has a 30-year history of fighting for public interest causes, particularly in the areas of environmental protection, women’s rights, the arts and public housing. Among other things, Schneider is the author of two books and dozens of articles on environmental protection, and she currently provides pro bono legal services to residents of Sarasota public housing projects.

Jan has the name recognition, qualifications and strength on the issues. In 2004 her grassroots campaign held incumbent Congresswoman Katherine Harris to the smallest margin in any Congressional race in entire State of Florida. Despite being outspent by millions of dollars, we captured 45% of the vote — in the midst of a Republican landslide and in a district with an overwhelming Republican majority (52% Republican to 32% Democratic to 16% other registration). In 2006, the only way a Democrat can win here is on the issues - and we must take back our country.

http:www.VoteJan.com

Thanks for the additional info. There still isn’t much discussion here in Tampa regarding the Congressional seat Jim Davis is vacating for his run for Governor, though I believe Kathy Castor is running for that seat, and would make a good replacement.

Hi,

I am a volunteer working with Jan Schneider here in Sarasota. Her website is www.VoteJan.com

Did you see her last night on the Colbert Report? She was great. Take a look at the segment titled Florida Politics . Jan is great, especially when she tells Colbert that Capitalism is a great economic system but not a good system of government. Colbert replies that he thinks that we should get what we pay for. He then puts up a satirical chart measuring a candidates character according to the money they can bring in. Unfortunately far too many in politics today seem to adhere to that philosophy.

Jan is really an amazing person. She won the Democratic Primaries in 2002 and 2004 and ran twice against Harris. Unfortunately the powers that be in the Democratic Party decided that Katherine Harris’ $3.5 Million warchest was not worth going up against. Even though they used Harris as a fund raising tool, very little of that money made its way down here to Florida. Even so, Jan did better against Katherine than any other candidate, Democrat or Republican, who was running against an incumbant. We can thank Jan that the Republicans are treating Harris like she has the plague today. Twice Jan came within 5% of winning the seat. If only the powers that be in the Democratic Party had thrown her some support, Jan might be in the House today and many bills that the Republicans won by one vote would have been Democratic victories.

Jan can really use your support, so please go to www.VoteJan.com and click on “Contribute”. Even a $5 donation will make a difference.

Thanks,

Steve

P.S. I got to sit in on the taping. Stephen Colbert is even nicer in person than his TV persona. And, we really could not see any of the graphics from the remote site in Tampa.

CQPolitics.com Confirms:
Jennings also has the open support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)

DCCC’s interference and meddling in local district primary-election processes is both unconscionable and indefensible.

It creates dissent and divides our forces at precisely the moment when we all must share unity-of-purpose… which is to turn this district blue with the most electable, true Democrat and not a former Republican turned latter-day-Dem who can self-finance… and who is already being referred to as “Katherine Harris Lite”.

The DCCC and its agents are undermining Schneider’s true grassroots candidacy which would represent - fairly - all the people in FL-13.

She is eminently qualified, has proven her worth, ‘earned her stripes’ in 2004, has the best name-recognition, strong local support, is a life-long campaigner for progressive causes (..formerly known as Democratic causes..).

This Rahm Emanuel-sanctioned scheme denies FL-13 voters their right to freely determine their own primary-election matters.

Among hundreds of FL-13 voters (ask one) who’ve cared enough to attend mutliple public forums since - January 1st - wherein thoughtful, pertinent yet unscripted questions were posed to both candidates, there is but a single consensus. Jan Schneider truly knows what she’s talking about… in-depth.

She has a subtsantive, rock-solid and savvy understanding of the key issues that effect us all. Why don’t you ask her a pertinent question… go ahead… seek her out at a public forum… go ahead… do it!

But I have to fore-warn you. Jan is only 5’2” tall, has brown eyes and a fairly high-pitched voice (some describe it a “squeaky” voice).

In this regard, she is reminiscent of Eleanor Roosevelt who, likewise, couldn’t do much about her height, eye color or squeaky voice either. But for our FL-13 voters who fancy themselves with an I.Q. above room-temperature… surely, it is the quality, substance, principles and values of one’s mind… what one stands-for.. says and writes that truly count… not sound-effects. After-all, this is neither an “American Idol” competition nor a fashion & hair-styling show.

The world’s pre-eminent theoretical phycisist, Steven Hawking, has no voice at all. He communicates via a synthesized language-computer.

By contrast, Christine Jennings… (with a typical voice) regularly skirts-around answers to basic questions and repeatedly refers to the only (substantive) experience she’s had in life… that of a successful banker. Further, she would portend to spread that experience all too thinly… stretching-it-out… as if it is somehow connected to other issues related to her candidacy… which, in my view, it does not.

Additionally, her campaign website’s content is superficially simple. It grossly under-estimates the intelligence of our typical District 13 voter. Why is that?

It is because her website accurately represents her to the public. It is an honest portrayal of the shallowness of Jennings -on the issues- and as a candidate. Hurry-up though… visit it now…. before her highly-paid consultants read this piece and attempt a quick ‘white-wash’ job: http://www.christinejenningsforcongress.com

I will give Jennings this… she probably knows more about banking than Jan Schneider does. As far as I am aware, Jennings also seems a nice person.

At one venue, Jennings was asked a routine campaign question… to which she had no answer… but responded by saying that (if elected) she would “…hire smart people…” to handle such issues. This leads me to the question… “hey, are we voting for an employment coordinator or our Congressperson?”… Such is the management style Jennings would bring… for our benefit?

Oh yeh… the other thing Jennings beats-to-death… is that her origins are humble and her family members were Democrats. I ask.. so what? That describes many folks in FL-13 today, but clearly is no qualification for the U.S. Congress. Is it? ‘Cause if that was so important to her, why was she a registered Republican down here for all those years? Huh?

Jennings desrcibes herself as a “Moderate”. What the heck does that mean? Can you tell me what a “moderate” is and what it stands-for? Better yet, can Jennings provide us a cogent answer? I seriously doubt it. Why don’t you go to the next public forum and ask her to describe/define just what a moderate is. It’s my guess you’ll be in for a surprise at her attempted answer… if she has one, that is.

According to Jennings, Schneider is “.. too far left..”. What the heck does that mean? “Left” where… how… on what issues… specifically….? Huh? Why don’t you ask Jennings that at the next public forum?

Jennings and her supporters believe that by labeling her as a “moderate” they’ll increase the number of cross-over Republican votes to turn FL-13 blue. I say, Horse-Pucky! That’s self-delusional. It’s nothing short of strategic political suicide. Republican-Lite just doesn’t work.

As the details of upcoming public candidate forums surface, I will try to post them here. Also, please watch the newspapers for such notices.

This election is not about money… it is all about the issues, plain and simple… the issues and you.

Jennings is a candidate that may appear to have form, but as a real Democratic congressional candidate, she scores way too low on substance.

No matter how much money she has… It won’t buy my vote.

I applaud everyone for their passion. I’ve still to hear any discussion regarding our pending race. Please keep your positive comments coming, and if anyone has more info on our race here in Tampa, please share.

Okay, I’ll offer the contrary position. I don’t want Jan to be our nominee again, and I think she’d get creamed in the General election.

Let’s get some stuff straight. I have volunteered for Jennings, and will do so again. The activists here are far from united behind Schneider — in fact, many of us local Democrats are beside ourselves at the possibility of having Jan run again. Jan has never been a unifying figure or a great Democratic icon locally — she made a nearly negligible gain in primary voters in 2004 over her 2002 total. She wasn’t the strongest candidate in 2002, but won a plurality in a heavily divided field where two candidates split the African American vote. Her nomination in 2004 was almost a direct result of her having been the nominee in 2002, plus the dramatic turn of events that knocked CJ Czaia (now the head of the Manatee DEC) out of the running.

Jennings is personally rich, but she’s far from a self-funding candidate. Over $539,000 of her donations have been from individuals (about 89%), and most of those have been from within the district (compare that to Schneider’s donors, who are largely out-of-district and out-of-state). Even more interestingly, Schneider has already self-funded almost $10,000 more than Jennings ($30,000 and change versus $20,000 and change). http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=FL13&Cycle=2006

Jennings is a longtime resident of the Manasota area, so why would anyone expect that she wouldn’t be a good candidate for the district? Just because Emanuel, Pelosi, Hoyer, Kerry, Boxer and other prominent leaders have donated to her doesn’t mean that the national leadership is trying to foist a worse candidate on the district (in fact, that would be pretty counterintuitive). The simple explanation would be that they think Jennings is a better candidate. And I would think that, as often as people backing Schneider are complaining that Jennings gets contributions from national party leaders, Schneider’s camp would be urging her to return that contribution she got from Harry Reid, or reimburse Hillary for last cycle’s contributions. It’s pretty hypocritical to chastise some Democratic leaders for contributing to Schneider’s opponents when she solicits that same support from others. (As to the Trippi endorsement, I would hope that he endorsed her, seeing as how she’s already paying him as a consultant).

Most importantly, I’ve met and spoken fairly extensively with every Dem candidate from this district going back to last cycle (and about half the candidates from 2002). I’m not impressed by Schneider, as a candidate or as a political theorist. I think Jennings is a much better fit for the 13th district, and will be more effective in negotiating legislation that will benefit my community.

I’m backing Jennings unapologetically. I do have to admire, though, the campaign tactic of appearing embattled that Schneider is attempting. It’s too bad that it’s fiction.