"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Just a Hunch

Candidates for the 23rd Congressional race discussed labor issues in today's Watertown Daily Times, here.

Even before this article ran Conservative candidate Douglas Hoffman was a non-starter with the unions, while Dede Scozzafava was likely their choice due to her close connections and Democratic candidate Bill Owens was being given an obligatory look by the unions. But, Hoffman may have tighten the screws of support with some of the Republican base

Where do they stand after the article? Not much different from the standpoint of the union with the exception that Owens simply looks clueless by the following comments.

"Mr. Owens gave no position but said it's an idea 'that I would have to look at very, very carefully.' ...
"Mr. Owens said he was not familiar with the specific legislation"

If you are chasing core partisan politics and you have a Republican perspective or even a libertarian slant then Hoffman quite possibly would have impressed you with his knowledge and positions on the issues, while Dede Scozzafava would have disappointed you in her positions, especially with the Employee Free Choice Act. If you have a Democratic perspective then you might have leaned away from Owens and toward Scozzafava. Although, a hard core Democrat still has a difficult time pulling a GOP lever.

Winners and Losers in this article;
Winner: Hoffman with GOP base voters.
Neutral: Scozzafava remains neutral, or slight slip from base. 
Loser: Owens for not knowing the issues important to his base and his continuing struggle on issues during interviews.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dede may have lost my vote on her position on the Labor Free Choice Act.

Anonymous said...

Of course, you are a businessman and are threatened by having to give your fair share.

Perro de Presa said...

The National Dem's have given up on this race...Senator Chuck is no dummy and does not suffer from diarrhea of the mouth...

Anonymous said...

we kowtow to business gods, but without labor, nothing is achieved

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Good analysis - pretty much what I was going to post - don't have to now ... just a salute.

In the end, though, what will really matter? Union votes (money) or more critical issues that need resolution?

We shall see.

— dmf

Anonymous said...

The offending part of the labor bill is taking away the secret ballot. I know unions would never pressure workers to sign something.

Anonymous said...

The offending part of the labor bill is taking away the secret ballot. I know unions would never pressure workers to sign something.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

"Scozzafava: Neutral, you say?"

No one can run for Congress and remain neutral on any issue with any credibility.

They may say, "I don't know enough to venture an opinion at this time, but I'll get back to you with one as soon as possible," but neutral?

Ain't happening... IMHO.

— dmf

Anonymous said...

Ha! You are beginning to believe your own disinformation Political IV. Hooray for Bill Owens for not just shooting from the lip but actually saying he wants to study an issue as important as this!

The REAL news here is Dede turning her back on working men, and WOMEN by saying she wouldn't support the Lilly Ledbetter act. I bet if a reporter asked you your position on Ledbetter and Davis Bacon and EFCA you would ask for clarification. Owens clearly supports workers. Dede is business all the way. Look at how she and her brother took Hackett's - a five generation family owned and run business in St. Law. Co. and drove them into the ground. That's how she feels about working men and women. Keep her in Albany where at least she can't do as much damage.
The big league in DC where these important life changing decisions are made is no place for her.
Bill Owens is the person we need to have fighting for us. Owens for Congress .

Anonymous said...

8:48 PM
Nope sorry after reading the article and being a new voter I have to say Hoffman is the man for the job.I have been fighting unions for years and would hate to see them get more power and payoffs.

woodchucksage said...

Come on IV, quit sucking up to Dede and husband Ron. As I said on your blog a while ago, she has no chance of getting big labor support because she is a REPUBLICAN! Union bosses HATE Republicans!!!! Oh they pretend to be unbiased and give the GOP real consideration. But in the long run, it's Jackasses all the way. They can't help themselves, they're cut from the same cloth. And while Hubby Ron's Central Trades office makes it look like Dede will be in the hunt for some endorsements, the Washington-based union fatcats will never support her. SEIU has already said they're backing the Dumocrat candidate who is a registered Indenpendent for God's sake! How F-ed up is that?

No Dede better start mending fences and try to get back on the GOP reservation. Having know-nothing county campaign coordinators like Pattie Ritchie and Wes Stitt in St. Lawrence County won't help her much. Those people don't even know the GOP hierarchy in the Big County, let alone how to run a successful campaign for anything other than County Clerk.

Throw in Hoffman and the idiot Conservatives and it doesn't look good for Dierdre. Hey, how did Hank Ford vote at the Conservative endorsement meeting?? He must have abandoned his patron Dede as Hoffman claims to have received a unanimous endorsement.

Even more bad news for the Assemblywoman.

Anonymous said...

I'm a Democrat, and after reading that article, I can 100% say I will NOT vote for Owens under any circumstances. DeDe is my choice.

Anonymous said...

I'm a Democrat, and after reading that article, I can 100

Ya right oldest blog con there is.A dem would not say that but a Republican would. Not much fools us on this blog. Not a lot of credibility
scurry along now

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Attention GOP: Take heed of this advice from the #1 conservative newspaper (maybe) in the country, certainly in the Wash DC area:

Dump Dede, go with Doug

Ouch...

(That (rag) newspaper is the Rev. Moon's btw, so any weight? I'd hope not much).

~ dmf

Anonymous said...

iv, "rock ribbe3d conservative"? isn't that what you called dede in an earlier post? i like dede, but she's no conservative and can barely be considered a moderate. dede had a chance to reassure skeptical republicans by coming out against the stimulus and efca and she blew it big time.

I have to ask a question, did dede espouse these views during the interview? And if so why did the party nominate her? Or did no one bother to ask about these issues?

It looks like Hoffman could very well get over 20% of the vote costing the gop the seat.

Anonymous said...

"Democratic perspective then you might have leaned away from Owens and toward Scozzafava."

In your wildest dreams! In the last few years you have been way out of touch about what Republicans will do.
What makes you think now that you are an expert on the "Democratic perspective"?

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Some (a few actually) have been calling for the GOP to dump Dede and get behind the "conservative" Hoffman ... that got me to wondering (a dangerous thing aroudn these parts).

Why aren't some DEMS (or others) calling to dump Owens (an INDY) in favor a "real" DEM?

Just to be fair?

~ dmf

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

23rd race:

My Focus Coming into View

Canmandan said...

This Labor "NO" Choice Act has been kicking around since before Obama took office. The intent is clear ...to bolster Union ranks by doing away with the secret ballot. The purpose is intimidate ...it will put workers in a position where they have to look the Union organizers in the eye and say NO with the full realization that if enough workers can be cowed into signing up they can kiss their jobs good bye.

If Owens truly doesn't know enough about this legislation to form an opinion after it has been bouncing around all year then he is not qualified for the office. What is he going to do when his "handlers" stick a 1,00 page bill in his face... say give me a year to make up my mind?

IMO - Owens knows where his bread is buttered and know exactly how he will vote. He is just tap dancing around the issue because he doesn't want to alienate the worker he will be turning his back on and he certainly doesn't want to turn the Union campaign cash spigot off.

Anonymous said...

9:19
you hit the nail on the head.

Danny M. Francis (Eyepublius) said...

Owens probably will win not due to his skills and abilities or views - but because his two opponents who are so bad.

It's a choice now between bad and worse. What a deal.

Live Blogging