Comment Archives: Stories: Elections
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
whathaveyoudoneformelately2012,
I think that Foster, Jacobs, Reckhow, and Wilson make for a talented, experienced and balanced slate, and importantly, one not owned lock, stock and barrel by the 751 developers.
I'd be interested in learning what candidates YOU support.
Re: “Daniel T. Barker”
Please take note of Mr. Barkers answers. He is open and honest. He is running against Judge Anna E. Worley and although he has not been a Judge before, he is married and has children unlike Judge Worley. I would trust this man with my case just on his merits and answers before going into Judge Worley's courtroom. Judge Worley has had 4 years to show the people of Wake County what she is all about. The time for change is now. People who know and have dealt with Judge Worley know a time for change has come. We need Mr. Barker and NOT Judge Worley for 4 more years. Please get out and vote.. and vote for Mr. Barker.
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
Oh no! He called me a douchebag, whatever shall I do?
When you cannot prove your point, resort to the ad-hominem attack. Congrats on that RaleighRob, right out of the liberal playbook.
See Bob, guys like RaleighRob cannot think for themselves, and therefore you must report the facts correctly, otherwise he is doomed.
Help RaleighRob Bob, you are his only hope!
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
Since there apparently has already been some comments by self-righteous douchebags, I'd like to weigh in as someone who likes and appreciates the in-depth analysis and endorsements for the primaries. Thank you, Indy. Fine job in my point of view. You get a lot of crap from mouth-breathers, but you deserve praise for the hard work you do. Thank you.
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
I see Bob, you fixed it in the article, and now want to give us your expert opinion on Mr. Roche. I am no huge fan of the man, but if you cannot remember what district he ran in nor who his opponent was, then you probably should not fancy yourself an expert on him now.
Why weigh in on the Republican races at all. You don't know them, follow them, or are open to the ideas they present. Stick to what you know and let people wanting to learn about their races go to people who actually follow them instead of sticking to buzz words and platitudes to describe them, it is shameful to the craft you claim to practice. I am sure Rob Christensen gets his directives from his former reporter turned NC Democratic operative friend Ben Niolet, who then trickles it down to you. Same soup, just reheated.
You are all for justice for people, jumping to conclusions many times (Duke Lacrosse?) yet there is no article about the alleged victim of sexual harassment at NC Democratic headquarters. Shoot, Rob sat on the story for months.
Be a leader, change the discourse, or quit reporting on the other side. You do no work there, and you know it.
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
What a surprise ...Indy picked all progressives ...WOW this shocking
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
I applaud Fred's personal accomplishments. Those accomplishments, however, speak nothing of his ability to serve in a policy-making capacity for Durham County. Has he had any experience managing budgets as large as the county's budget? What is his expertise on tax policy? What knowledge does he have on bonds? What personnel management experience does he have? I'm tired of electing folks to office just because they are "good" people. Good intentions don't necessarily lead to good results...
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
To the commenter asking what Fred Foster and Will Wilson have done: they've done a lot.
Fred is a long-time Durham activist. He is currently president of the Durham NAACP. He was an SEIU union organizer, and an active member of Durham CAN. An Air Force vet, Fred was Commander of American Legion Post #175. He was also the PResident of the Old Farm Neighborhood Association.
Will is a biology professor at Duke. Long active in environmental affairs and progressive politics, Will served on Durham Open Space and Trails Commission, the Farmland Preservation Board, and on the People's Alliance's coordinating committee.
When you call Fred and Will "pawns," you say a lot more about yourself than you do about these outstanding candidates.
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
No correction I see, par for the course. I read your words back then and did not need a history lesson. You need that, not me.
Why the change of heart on Starkweather?
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
Instant: Thanks for writing. Frank Roche did run against B.J. Lawson in 2010 in the 4th District. We rated him then, as we said in our 2012 assessment, as about average for a Republican right-winger: "The only viable alternative to Lawson is Frank Roche, a former Wall Street currency trader who is between engagements, as they say, and taking a shot at politics. Roche is smart enough to pick Lawson's Libertarian views apart but not smart enough to avoid saying things like "We rule the world" about America's military. He's Mr. Tough Talker. Talk like his could get the country in real trouble."
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
Good grief, who wrote this tripe? As usual, your credibility is shot as your research is bunk. I invite you to go back and check out the Republican Primary for David Price's District in 2010 (4 if I recall correctly). Frank Roche ran against BJ Lawson in that primary, NOT Renee Ellmers. It was two years ago, in your area of news coverage. Tell your editor to lay off the bong.
The other interesting endorsement involves Jeffery Starkweather, a man you now endorse. Despite pointing out that Deb McManus is MORE than qualified for the job, you choose to endorse the man. So much for that war on women, eh? I guess this is the Independent's declaration of war.
Just a few years ago, 2008 to be exact, you said this about Mr. Starkweather :
While we agree with Starkweather on most policy questions—and applaud his organizing—we cannot support his candidacy. As the primary force behind the Chatham Coalition, Starkweather has become a lightning rod for divisiveness, engendering a political backlash to the coalition's agenda. Additionally, his tendency to embrace complex processes over efficient outcomes and to browbeat those who don't share his views detract from his potential to govern.
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/orange-an…
What changed? We are talking about a man who has found himself in trouble with the Bar Association (some fighter, more like quitter), ran a newspaper into the dirt, and has fed his ego by running for office a few times. Newsflash, people still cannot stand the man. Ego, arrogance, and bullspit are the only qualities he carries.
Congrats on producing another hypocritical and factually incorrect voter guide. My hamster thanks you for his new lining for his cage. LOL @ the Indy. No wonder it is free.
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
what exactly have fred foster and will wilson done, besides being seen/pawns of the people's alliance, to merit election to the durham county board of commissioners? specific example are welcomed.
Re: “2012 Primary Voting Guide”
Today is the beginning of early voting and Over the past thirty years, I have served the people of North Carolina as a soldier and served in Iraq. I also volunteered and went to New Orleans in support of Katrina. I have had a number of jobs in state government, but only one career – public service.
With that core value at heart, I am running for the Democratic House District 39 so that I c...an continue advocating on behalf of the public interest, continue fighting for change, and continue making North Carolina a better state.
As your state representative, I will help strengthen our public schools by recruiting and retaining the best teachers possible, expanding access to quality pre-Kindergarten programs, and addressing the achievement gap. I will expand access to affordable health care to ensure that all children and seniors have health insurance. I will also work with the rest of the Wake County delegation to deal with the challenges resulting from Wake County’s explosive growth by improving our public transportation system and tackling our water shortages and create economic opportunities to protect people from exploitation by powerful interests.
I want you to know how passionate I am about the issues that matter to North Carolinians. And I will get up every morning and work as hard as I did to win this race and take that passion to the floor of the North Carolina House of Representative.
But I’ve learned that winning depends on more than just hard work: It depends on people like you. I respectfully ask for your support and would be honored to partner with you on the issues we care about. More important than winning, however, is governing. I want to be your Representative in the North Carolina House and one that you will be proud to have helped elect.
I hope I can count on you to join me in this campaign for change. And if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (919)247-5152. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Don Mial
Re: “2012 Primary Voting Guide”
If you're voting the Indy Endorsement on County Commissioner, you should really check out John Owens for your fifth vote. John is easily the most progressive candidate, he's running the strongest challenger campaign, and he represents an important shift away from the status quo.
The website is chock full of policy ideas and issue commentary, check it out: www.TeamOwens.com
The Duke Democrats endorsed John saying:
"We believe John Owens is the single strongest candidate; among the fourteen candidates, we appreciate that at forums and in questionnaires, he is rarely evasive, and speaks directly and honestly without obfuscating his beliefs or his intentions. This quality is uncommon in any politician—and is sorely needed given the lack of transparency in Durham government. Some participants in Durham politics accuse Durham’s “progressive left” of being out-of-touch with the needs of low-income Durham residents—Owens’ life-story and background speak directly to his understanding of the role in government in helping to support citizens in their pathway out of poverty."
Rev Carl Kenney (who also used to write for the Indy) enthusiastically endorsed John on his popular blog, the Rev-Elution.
He wrote:
This kid has the stuff. I call him kid out of respect for what he brings, youthfulness, a fresh approach, an amazing understanding of the issues and a departure from business as usual in Durham [...]
Those in office may be a bit out of touch, and we need some new blood running the show. [...] The Rev-elution can see past the birth certificate. He’s among the best ”
We posted this on the other thread, but it bears repeating:
Please use your fifth vote for John Owens... and vote AGAINST Amendment 1!
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
If you're voting the Indy Endorsement on County Commissioner, you should really check out John Owens for your fifth vote. John is easily the most progressive candidate, he's running the strongest challenger campaign, and he represents an important shift away from the status quo.
The website is chock full of policy ideas and issue commentary, check it out: www.TeamOwens.com
The Duke Democrats endorsed John saying:
"We believe John Owens is the single strongest candidate; among the fourteen candidates, we appreciate that at forums and in questionnaires, he is rarely evasive, and speaks directly and honestly without obfuscating his beliefs or his intentions. This quality is uncommon in any politician—and is sorely needed given the lack of transparency in Durham government. Some participants in Durham politics accuse Durham’s “progressive left” of being out-of-touch with the needs of low-income Durham residents—Owens’ life-story and background speak directly to his understanding of the role in government in helping to support citizens in their pathway out of poverty."
Rev Carl Kenney (who also used to write for the Indy) enthusiastically endorsed John on his popular blog, the Rev-Elution.
He wrote:
This kid has the stuff. I call him kid out of respect for what he brings, youthfulness, a fresh approach, an amazing understanding of the issues and a departure from business as usual in Durham [...]
Those in office may be a bit out of touch, and we need some new blood running the show. [...] The Rev-elution can see past the birth certificate. He’s among the best ”
Please use your fifth vote for John Owens... and vote AGAINST Amendment 1!
Re: “2012 Primary Voting Guide”
how about a box listing the early voting sites in Wake/Durham/Orange rather than force your readers to search the web for the info?
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
Just in the nick of time Indy. I was conflicted over the Worley seat in the Wake 10 Judicial District, and information was getting hard to come by. Since I wanted to be first in line to vote AGAINST the amendment (I almost made it... I was #3) I was almost considering taking a pass on that race. Thanks for filling the information void at the last second. (Think you could do this a little earlier next time??)
Re: “Walter Smith”
Would you know by any chance how many acers per cow you have to have in SC?
Re: “2012 Primary Endorsements”
The Indy & People's Alliance agree on the four best candidates for Durham County Commission, along with nearly all of our other candidates. Let's get out and vote for these good people and Against the Amendment! Lorisa Seibel
Re: “Tony Gurley”
Gurley's a tool. He probably didn't want people to remember this question from The Indy questionnaire in 2010:
Q: Do you support equal rights for gay and straight citizens, including equal protection from workplace discrimination and equal marriage rights?
A: Government at any level must not discriminate against an individual on the basis of sexual orientation. Additionally, the workplace should also be free of discrimination. Churches should be free to worship as a congregation without Government interference.
And put it beside this answer from another questionnaire in 2012:
Q: Do you support the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage in North Carolina as between one man and one woman?
A: I support the constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. As a current Wake County commissioner, I recently voted in favor or a resolution that adds an amendment to our constitution protecting marriage. Marriage offers stability, basic balance and meaning to relationships across the board. Children from a traditional marriage are seven times less likely to live in poverty, six times less likely to commit suicide and less than half as likely to commit a crime. Marriage also promotes a stable economy, providing children who will eventually be employed as well as lowering welfare costs. The facts and statistics don’t lie: traditional marriage benefits the couple and their children, our economy and our society.
Typical.