Forum Post: This Election is Not Just for POTUS: Down Ballot Voting Info 4 U
Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 19, 2012, 2:22 a.m. EST by WSmith
(2698)
from Cornelius, OR
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
I'm Ballot...a non-partisan dog. In politics, "down ballot" refers to ALL candidates underneath the Pres and VP. Don't know who's on your ballot? Don't stress! That's why I built this site.
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Voter 411 Voting Guide: http://www.vote411.org/ballot#.UIDh8mfWrU5
Don't be this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc6S1tq9O4U
Some down-ballot candidates are funny: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-october-11-2012/you-magnificent-bastards---down-ballot-notables
Disappointed? Help out: http://politic365.com/2012/06/21/have-president-obamas-back-vote-down-ballot-for-congress/
Proof : republiclan voting machine fraud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T32eRtxEiRw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDbnzpXvTkQ
WTFU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDTT1yRNsFE&feature=player_embedded
P & A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fojrlX6rmmM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://occupywallst.org/forum/florida-proposed-constitutional-amendments-this-is/
Very enlightening material, everybody should be exposed to these truths.
Are there any people from Gulf States on this thing? Alabama?... Do they get the internet down there?
10 Under-the-Radar Congressional Races to Watch
There are plenty of Democrats out there running on actual progressive issues, yet going all but unnoticed nationally. Here are a few worth watching.
September 11, 2012 |
President Obama is riding high on a post-Democratic National Convention bounce in the polls, and high-profile candidates like Elizabeth Warren made an impact with speeches drawing a clear line between them and the Republicans.
There's still a long way to go before the elections, though, and while the glitz and glamour happened at Bank of America stadium, there were plenty of Democrats not invited to speak but doing their best to win office and help push Congress in a genuinely progressive direction. They might not be getting attention, but several of them are in winnable races against truly regressive—or just plain weird—Republicans.
Here are ten Congressional races, flying under the radar, where you just might see an upset.
1.) CA-25: Democrat Lee Rogers vs Republican Buck McKeon
Buck McKeon is a trifecta of loathsome: a Republican in a district that Obama won in 2008 who got preferential treatment from housing-bubble blowers Countrywide, and who, as the Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, refused to hold hearings on sexual assault at the Air Force's training facility at Lackland. He was also one of the forces behind California's anti-gay Proposition 8, and is the co-chair of the House drone caucus (for real).
So why aren't we hearing more about his opponent, surgeon Lee Rogers? As could be expected, Rogers is running heavy on health care, leaning on his experience with the system—he says that 75 percent of his patients (he's a podiatrist) are on Medicare--and calling for improvements to the Affordable Care Act. He's called for keeping drug addicts out of prison, getting out of Afghanistan, and investing in infrastructure. As Blue America's Howie Klein notes, McKeon hasn't had real competition in a while, so this race could get interesting.
2.) NY-23: Democrat Nate Shinagawa vs Republican Tom Reed
Nate Shinagawa is running as both the Democratic and Working Families Party candidate in upstate New York's 23rd district against Republican Tom Reed. He is one of the youngest candidates for Congress this year (just 28 years old) and a former student labor activist. He's already spent six years in the Tompkins County legislature, and has been an outspoken critic of fracking -- a practice his opponent is all for—which New York Governor Cuomo would like to open up in his district.
In addition to welcoming fracking in his backyard, Reed was one of the GOP members of Congress on an infamous trip to Israel, where in addition to enjoying the hospitality of AIPAC's nonprofit offshoot the American Israel Education Foundation, at least one legislator copped to going skinny-dipping in the Sea of Galilee. (Reed says that he and his wife were “appropriately clothed.”) He's been cited as a possible future GOP “star” from New York, and he's a big fan of Paul Ryan and his (wildly unpopular, especially in New York) budget.
3.) PA-16: Democrat Aryanna Strader vs Republican Joe Pitts
Joe Pitts's name is familiar to anyone who cares about reproductive justice—along with Democrat Bart Stupak, the Pennsylvania Republican was the author of the infamous Stupak-Pitts amendment to the health care reform bill—a sneak attack on abortion rights that would've restricted access to abortion coverage in private health insurance plans.
Pitts should be a huge target for Democrats, but despite a leftward trend in his district and a bit of redistricting that might make it even more likely to swing Democratic, they're not pushing very hard. But Aryanna Strader is. She's a 29-year-old veteran, a mom, and a small business owner, and she leaves no question where she stands on reproductive freedoms—she argues that Pitts “started the war on women's health.”
There are two independents running in the 16th as well—Jim Bednarski, a former Republican who apparently wants to win the seat without fundraising, and John A. Murphy, who called Strader the Democrats' Sarah Palin. Pitts is smoking his competition when it comes to fundraising, though—which might make one wonder about the Democrats' commitment to electing pro-choice politicians, since there's plenty of money being funneled into other Pennsylvania races, including Mark Critz's race at the other end of Pennsylvania -- despite his support for Pitts' H.R. 358, dubbed the “Let Women Die Act” because it would, well, let women die if their doctors were opposed to abortion.
4.) MI-11: Democrat Syed Taj vs Republican Kerry Bentivolio
5.) WV-01: Democrat Sue Thorn vs Republican David McKinley
6.) WI-01: Democrat Rob Zerban vs Republican Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan's busy running for Veep, of course—but just in case, he's also running for reelection in his House district. And Rob Zerban would like to take that job from him as well. Zerban's probably the first serious challenge Ryan has faced in Wisconsin since his election; he's raised over $1.4 million for his race so far, and points out that Obama carried the district in 2008 (and still would have even after redistricting). He told AlterNet's Joshua Holland:
I’ve lived my version of the American dream. I was only able to do that because our government was there when I needed help. I realize that being a successful small business owner -- someone who employed 45 people, providing excellent wages and benefits -- I realize that this isn’t something I accomplished all on my own. Our government helped me get an education on Pell Grants and loans, I was able to go on and start these small businesses. I want to make sure economic opportunity exists for everybody in this country, not just the wealthy and the well-connected.
Zerban's wife is a teacher and they were both part of the Capitol protests against Scott Walker's anti-union bill. He endorses a “Medicare for All” single-payer system, noting that people don't start small businesses, in part, because of the sky-high costs of health insurance.
Ryan's selection to the presidential ticket may have helped put other Congressional races in play for the Democrats—it'd be pretty funny if he managed to lose his own, too.
7.) NC-10: Democrat Patsy Keever vs Republican Patrick McHenry
8.) CA-39: Democrat Jay Chen vs Republican Ed Royce
9.) PA-03: Democrat Missa Eaton vs Republican Mike Kelly
10.) TX-16: Democrat Beto O'Rourke vs Republican Barbara Carrasco
(CONTINUED:)
http://www.alternet.org/10-under-radar-congressional-races-watch?paging=off
Replace pro 1% conservatives w/ pro 99% progressives, and protest for change that benefits the 99%.
Vote progressive all the way down the ballot!
All progressives is a beautiful goal. But a Republicon majority and/or a Romney-Ryan WH are real hellish nightmares, that will last at least 8 years and waste another decade cleaning up.
Let's do/vote what ever it takes to keep the nightmare at bay. And keep adding progressives.
We agree. I see dems as much closer to progressives.
I mean the congressional progressive caucus has NO REPUBS and like 99% dems.
I just avoid the parties specifically whenever I can.
In other words vote Red!
Red? Is red progressive?