tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36053917306610315922024-03-12T21:31:23.364-05:00Operation: Turn DuPage BlueSeth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-80826966453582974232010-08-17T12:38:00.001-05:002010-08-17T12:39:49.975-05:00Hello, we must be going!But some of us will be posting on the new official <a href="http://dupagedems.blogspot.com/">Democratic Party of DuPage County blog</a>, so stop by and visit us there.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-80761849556293858562008-02-22T12:35:00.000-06:002008-02-22T12:35:31.760-06:00York Township Democrats Endorse Peickert/Barton TicketThe <a href="http://www.yorkdemocrats.org/">York Township Democratic Organization</a> voted last night to endorse the ticket of Bob Peickert, Michelle Barton, and Bob Jeffers for DuPage County Democrats Chair, First Vice-Chair, and Treasurer, respectively. The vote was 16-0 in favor of the endorsement, with two abstentions. All currently active officers of the York organization (Chair Bob Wagner, First Vice-Chair Carol Davis, and Treasurer Steve Stawarz) were present and voted in favor of the endorsement, as did former York chair Doug Cole.<br /><br />During the discussion which preceded the vote, YTDO members praised Peickert and Barton for generating unprecedented enthusiasm, willingness to listen to and work with groups outside the party such as the DuPage Ballot Integrity Project, running highly valuable training sessions, and inclusive team-building. Peickert and Barton were also viewed as the more likely slate to be able to contribute towards a movement towards meaningful reform of the state party.<br /><br />York Township includes Oakbrook Terrace; most of Lombard, Oak Brook, and Villa Park; much of Elmhurst; and small portions of Downers Grove, Hinsdale, and Westmont. Out of the nine townships that comprise DuPage County, York had the highest number of Democratic ballots pulled per registered voter in both the 2006 and 2008 primaries.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-16381631049229722232008-02-22T12:14:00.002-06:002008-02-22T12:34:34.782-06:00Crunching NumbersWhile Democrats in all nine DuPage townships are doing good work that deserves to be recognized, let's look at a few different measures to see where Democrats are doing the best:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A: Highest Democratic Ballots Pulled Per Registered Voter</span><br /><br />1. York (25.6%)<br />2. Lisle (24.6%)<br />3. Addison (24.2%)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">B: Lowest Republican Ballots Pulled Per Registered Voter</span><br /><br />Low score wins here, like in golf.<br /><br />1. Bloomingdale (14.8%)<br />2. Addison (16.2%)<br />3. Naperville (16.9%)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">C: Highest Ratio of Democratic to Republican Ballots</span><br /><br />1. Bloomingdale (1.54)<br />2. Addison (1.50)<br />3. Naperville (1.39)Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-57831798733991511122008-02-14T08:34:00.002-06:002008-02-14T08:37:34.611-06:00Shorter Dana PerinoFive billion years from now, the sun will expand into a red giant, wiping out all life on Earth, so <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/13/permanent-redefined/">it can't be said that we have permanent bases anywhere</a>.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-36087007427717392012008-02-06T10:27:00.000-06:002008-02-06T10:56:29.057-06:00Election results, and random thoughts (continued)IL-14 is also a contested race, though it is mostly outside of Dupage. In Dupage alone, Bill Foster is comfortably ahead, and in the district as a whole Foster, barring any recounts, has narrowly edged out last year's nominee John Laesch.<br /><br />Now let's look at our opposition on the Republican side. John McCain takes the Republican Presidential vote in Dupage with 57090 votes out of 107769, and seems poised to win the Republican presidential nomination. As always, with any mention of McCain we should put up this picture:<br /><img src="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/mccain_bush-hug-713122-1.jpg" /><br /><br />In the Senatorial race, physician Steve Sauerberg wins the Republican nomination and the honor of being stomped flat by Dick Durbin in November. Judy Biggert (R-13) defeats challenger Sean O'Kane. Noted milk magnate and homophobe Jim Oberweis wins the nomination in IL-14, and will face Foster in the special election to succeed Dennis Hastert.<br /><br />In the County Board primaries, most of which were contested on the Republican side, inertia prevails, as incumbents defeat challengers. The exception to this is in District Four, where incumbent Thomas F. Bennington is knocked off by Woodridge trustee John Curran. These results are, one would surmise, bad news for County Board chair Schillerstrom, who <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ducountyboard_31jan31,1,6553894.story">backed Bennington</a> as well as a number of challengers.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-17029272374431756492008-02-06T09:25:00.000-06:002008-02-06T11:53:51.614-06:00Election results, and random thoughts(Updated to fix an error: I had inadvertently switched the Green and Republican vote numbers. Wishful thinking on my part, obviously.)<br /><br />Here's the results for the Presidential race:<br /><blockquote><table><tr><td>Clinton</td><td>48499</td></tr><tr><td>Obama</td><td>80690</td></tr><tr><td>other</td><td>2156</td></tr></table></blockquote><br />And in the contested IL-06 Congressional primary:<br /><blockquote><table><tr><td>Jagla</td><td>12178</td></tr><tr><td>Morgenthaler</td><td>42187</td></tr></table></blockquote><br />Who the winners are here are hardly surprising. This is Obama's home state, and he is a popular Senator. Jagla was widely regarded as a longshot against the more experienced and charismatic Morgenthaler. But the real story here is in the magnitude of the numbers. Holy huge turnout, Batman! Let's compare the total number of ballots taken for the past few primaries:<br /><blockquote><table><tr><th>Year</th><th>Democratic<br />Ballots</th><th>Green<br />Ballots</th><th>Republican<br />Ballots</th></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>63951</td><td>n/a</td><td>86993</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>44184</td><td>n/a</td><td>98104</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>131635</td><td>166</td><td>107769</td></tr></table></blockquote><br />While Republican turnout has been steadily increasing over the years, Democratic turnout just took a quantum leap upwards, to the point where more people in Dupage are pulling Democratic ballots than are pulling Republican ones. Is this the year we turn Dupage blue? Stay tuned.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-88252405484787426092008-01-24T15:29:00.000-06:002008-01-24T15:35:58.145-06:00Encouraging numbersThis information comes from Jon at DuPage Democrats HQ, who in turn got it from the election committers. As of closing on January 21, the following numbers of early voting ballots have been cast:<br /><br />Democratic - 2661<br />Republican - 2000<br />Nonpartisan - 33<br />Green - 6<br /><br />There are, of course, a number of possible explanations for this. Maybe Democrats are more likely to vote early. Maybe Republicans are voting absentee, or maybe a substantial number are crossing over because they don't like their party's Presidential choices this year. But it's hard to look at these numbers and not be optimistic about our chances for turning DuPage blue in the fall.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-45827137413873921382007-12-24T09:38:00.000-06:002007-12-24T09:54:41.855-06:00Thank You for Caring, SharingThe joint holiday party with OTDB and the DuPage Democratic Party was a great success, with a good turnout and therefore a sizable donation made to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Thank you to everyone who attended and those who participated in the 50/50 raffle to raise more money for the shelter -- including the winner, Roger Tauchman, who generously donated his share back to the shelter. Anyone wishing to learn more about the shelter or make additional contributions is invited to visit: <a href="http://www.helpaveteran.org/">HelpaVeteran.org</a>.<br /><br />Operation: Turn DuPage Blue also thanks everyone who submitted entries to win a $100 donation to the charity of their choice. The winner was Steve Stawarz and OTDB will make a contribution in his name to DuPage PADS, which works to prevent and eliminate homelessness in the county. Please visit <a href="http://www.dupagepads.org/">DuPagePADS.org </a>if you would like to learn more about this fine organization or make a donation.<br /><br />Thanks again for your generosity.<br /><br />OTDB warmly wishes all the best to you and yours.Seth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-12482774483535115882007-12-10T10:25:00.001-06:002007-12-10T10:27:47.411-06:00Iron Peickert and the Scarlet Barton?Don't ask. Just go read <a href="http://austinmayor.blogspot.com/2007/12/activists-assemble.html">So-Called Austin Mayor</a>.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-26304086289376970872007-12-05T22:16:00.000-06:002007-12-05T22:19:09.470-06:00Here's the PlanBob Peickert and Michelle Barton have released the outline of their plan for improving the DuPage Democratic Party.<br /><br />You can read it <a href="http://www.turndupageblue.com/plan.html">here</a>.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-72344765834586625132007-11-11T15:24:00.000-06:002007-11-12T06:50:09.638-06:00Another Message From Bob PeickertHow disappointing!<br /><br />The November 6 press release by the DuPage Democratic Party states:<br /><blockquote>Robert Bisceglie, Chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, today announced that <b>THEIR</b> [emphasis added] campaign to recruit precinct committeemen more than doubled last year's numbers.</blockquote><br />The rest of the release went on to report about the county's efforts in this recruitment period. No mention was made of the efforts or results of township campaigns or that of Operation: Turn DuPage Blue. <br /><br />Throughout the recruitment campaign that included independent efforts by OTDB and township organizations, OTDB has recognized the work of everyone who played a role in this unprecedented recruitment period. Having spent many days walking precincts and making phone calls, I realize that no one group could have accomplished this by itself. Chris Hotchkin deserves a lot of credit for working on the county plan. Some townships had their own recruitment plans in place, and OTDB had its plan.<br /><br />Let's look at the results. We now have 237 precinct committeemen (more when you count the "looped" committeemen) as compared to 122 at this time last year. Everyone who had a part in this should be recognized and given credit.<br /><br />To take sole credit for this achievement sends a message — a wrong message. Apparently some now see this as a competitive exercise rather than a cooperative one. When someone speaks of "reaching out" to other Democrats and organizations, the words are meaningless unless one can attach an action or actions that support that claim or promise. When personal interests override the interests of the party, we won't get very far as an organization.<br /><br />We can only hope that Rob Bisceglie will send out another press release that recognizes the work of OTDB and the township organizations.<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> Minor edits at Bob's request.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-54772544890684101242007-11-09T08:48:00.000-06:002007-11-12T09:08:59.032-06:00The benefits of cooperationLet's take another look at the numbers from the last post. Over the past year, some of the township Democratic organizations worked together with O:TDB on precinct committeeentity recruitment, while others did their own thing. Here are the townships in the first group and the results that they saw:<br /><table><tr><th>Township</th><th>PCs on 2006 Ballot</th><th>PCs on 2008 Ballot</th><th>Improvement</th></tr><tr><td>Addison</td><td>9</td><td>20</td><td>+11</td></tr><tr><td>Milton</td><td>29</td><td>49</td><td>+20</td></tr><tr><td>York</td><td>23</td><td>35</td><td>+12</td></tr><tr><td>Naperville</td><td>6</td><td>25</td><td>+19</td></tr><tr><td>Lisle</td><td>5</td><td>22</td><td>+17</td></tr><tr><td><b>Total</b></td><td>72</td><td>151</td><td>+79 (108%)</td></tr></table><br />By comparison, here are the results from the townships in which there was not substantial cooperation between O:TDB and the township organization:<br /><table><tr><th>Township</th><th>PCs on 2006 Ballot</th><th>PCs on 2008 Ballot</th><th>Improvement</th></tr><tr><td>Wayne</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>+1</td></tr><tr><td>Bloomingdale</td><td>10</td><td>26</td><td>+16</td></tr><tr><td>Winfield</td><td>9</td><td>13</td><td>+4</td></tr><tr><td>Downers Grove</td><td>26</td><td>43</td><td>+17</td></tr><tr><td><b>Total</b></td><td>48</td><td>86</td><td>+38 (79%)</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></table><br />A number of points need to be made here. First of all, O:TDB is certainly not claiming to have recruited all 79 of the new PCs in the cooperating townships. For example, of the eleven recruits in Addison township, four were already-appointed PCs, six were found by O:TDB, and one was found by someone else. Secondly, even in the townships that did not work cooperatively with us, we did do some recruiting -- we came up with thirteen PCs in Bloomingdale township and five PCs in Downers Grove township.<br /><b>Update:</b> Corrected some erroneous numbers.<br /><b>Update 2:</b> Fixed bad formatting. Thanks to michael in chicago for the tip.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-29592845947734410682007-11-06T12:36:00.000-06:002007-11-12T09:07:38.225-06:00So, how'd we do?The candidate filing period for the February 2008 primary election has ended. Now's a good time to step back and see how successful our party's candidate recruitment efforts have been compared to previous years.<br /><br />Our Congressional Representative races are well-stocked with candidates, as they have been in previous years. So let's move down to the state level.<br /><br />Out of sixteen state senator/representative seats up this time around, not including ones which are less than ten percent in DuPage, we filled six slots on the ballot. This is a notable improvement from both 2004 and 2006 in which we only filled four of these slots, but we still have a long way to go.<br /><br />At the county level, improvement is marginal if even that. Seven out of twelve county board seats will have Democratic candidates on the ballot, compared with five out of twelve in 2006 and five out of six in 2004. We only managed to fill one out of three forest preserve slots on the ballot this time around, compared to none in 2006 and two in 2004. And we filled slots for zero out of five county-wide officer positions, compared with zero in 2006 and two in 2004.<br /><br />Obviously the quality of candidates also matters, but there's no real way to quantify that until we see how they do against the Republicans. In terms of numbers alone, we're not seeing much progress except for the State Senate.<br /><br />Where we have seen great improvement is in precinct committeebeing recruitment. Here are some numbers:<br /><table><tr><th>Township</th><th>Total precincts</th><th>PCs on ballot 2006</th><th>PCs on ballot 2008</th></tr><tr><td>Wayne</td><td>39</td><td>3</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Bloomingdale</td><td>72</td><td>10</td><td>26</td></tr><tr><td>Addison</td><td>64</td><td>9</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td>Winfield</td><td>35</td><td>9</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>Milton</td><td>109</td><td>28</td><td>49</td></tr><tr><td>York</td><td>130</td><td>23</td><td>35</td></tr><tr><td>Naperville</td><td>60</td><td>6</td><td>25</td></tr><tr><td>Lisle</td><td>95</td><td>9</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td>Downers Grove</td><td>128</td><td>26</td><td>43</td></tr></table><br /><br />That's a total of 237 precincts with Democratic PCs on the ballot, compared with 123 last time around. With well over seven hundred precincts in DuPage, there's still a long way to go with this too, but an increase of nearly 100% is something we should all be proud of.<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> Edited for formatting fix.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-90626002002813321882007-10-26T08:37:00.000-05:002007-10-26T08:56:12.478-05:00A Progressive National AgendaA coalition of progressive organizations has put together a <a href="http://www.progressive2008.org/index.jsp">Progressive Agenda</a> for candidates for President and Congress. It is quoted below.<br /><br />Questions for discussion:<br /><br />1) Is this a good platform for our federal office candidates to adopt? If not, what would you change?<br /><br />2) How can we get our federal candidates to sign on?<br /><br />3) Could we come up with something similar at the more neglected county level?<br /><br /><blockquote><b>Progressive Agenda</b><br /><ol><br /><li><b>End Imperial Foreign Policy, Redirect Funding</b><br /><br />All U.S. troops and military contractors must be safely withdrawn from Iraq now with war funding redirected toward social needs at home, and humanitarian and reconstruction aid to the Iraqi people. Under our Constitution, Congress has the power of the purse to cut off funding that prolongs the occupation of Iraq. The disastrous war in Iraq must not be extended into an even more disastrous attack on Iran.<br /><br />U.S. foreign policy must be fact-based, committed to international law and respect for the sovereignty of other nations, and aimed at intelligently countering real threats, such as weapons proliferation and transnational terrorism. Instead of producing more advanced nuclear warheads and promoting weapons into space and building missile shields, U.S. policy should lead by example in non-proliferation by disarming our own nuclear stockpiles. Reducing our nuclear weapons will facilitate negotiations with major powers like Russia and new nuclear countries like Iran. U.S. policy must be even-handed in the Middle East, aimed at justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. U.S. foreign policy must shift from reckless unilateralism toward cooperation and diplomacy with people of other countries knowing us more by our helping hand than our slugging arm.</li><br /><li><b>Healthcare for All</b><br /><br />It is immoral for a country as wealthy as ours to have 47 million people with no healthcare coverage, and millions more with inadequate, overly expensive coverage. Despite spending twice as much as other industrialized nations on healthcare, our system performs poorly because the private U. S. insurance bureaucracy soaks up nearly one-third of all healthcare money in waste, profits, paperwork and advertising. Poor health and poor healthcare drag down the economy and job creation; healthcare expenses are a factor in half of all personal bankruptcies. Nonprofit national health insurance Enhanced Medicare for All could provide topnotch universal coverage by negotiating drug and treatment costs, while recouping $300 billion in administrative savings currently wasted in private insurance bureaucracy. This kind of cost-effective single-payer system is publicly financed, privately delivered healthcare.</li><br /><li><b>Economic Justice</b><br /><br />The Bush Administrations enormous tax breaks for the wealthy must be rolled back so that the richest 1 percent of our population (with yearly incomes averaging $1.3 million) will not pocket $300 billion over the next few years. Tax burdens on the middle class can be eased if the wealthy pay their share. Thirty seven million people (equivalent to the population of California) are living in poverty in the U.S. today. These immoral levels of poverty, which disproportionately impact communities of color and women, can be significantly reduced through concerted effort including a living wage for all workers, expanded earned income tax credits, childcare assistance and housing vouchers. The federal government must fulfill its promise of resources to Hurricane Katrina survivors so they can return to rebuild their communities in the Gulf Coast.<br /><br />Protecting the right of workers to form and join unions in the U.S. is essential to preserving the middle class, as is federal investment in job creation, such as the Apollo Alliance for renewable energy, and investment in wireless Internet networks. We need fair trade deals with other countries that protect workers' rights and the environment not wage-reducing "free trade" agreements that protect only corporate rights to globally exploit unprotected labor.Finally, we need humane and comprehensive immigration reform, which insures the rights of undocumented workers in the workplace and affirms the dignity and integrity of immigrant families.</li><br /><li><b>Stop Global Warming</b><br /><br />No issue reveals more clearly the flaws of the U.S. political-economic system than global warming the triumph of greed and corporate power over the public good, and the near-sighted focus on the short-term over the welfare of future generations. But the U.S. public is ready to take action to save the planet and protect our remaining wild places from further degradation in the pursuit of oil. We need elected leaders who will act boldly in reducing our country's oil dependence and use of fossil fuels. This can be done by raising auto fuel economy and imposing mandatory caps on carbon pollution while investing in public transportation, energy conservation technologies and alternative energy development. (Such investments create good-paying jobs.)</li><br /><li><b>Reproductive Freedom/Civil Rights & Liberties</b><br /><br />A woman's reproductive freedom, including the right-to-choose, is essential to personal privacy and gender equality. Equal rights and equal opportunity must be a guiding principle of society, especially in view of historic and ongoing discrimination against women and racial, ethnic and sexual minorities. Affirmative action in employment and education is an important tool for racial and gender equality. Lesbians and gays must be afforded equality, including in marriage and military service. The Bush administration has exploited the 9/11 tragedy to constrict precious Constitutional rights of privacy, speech and due process. These rights must be restored. Drug policy should emphasize treatment over criminalization not a drug war that erodes Constitutional freedoms, privacy and law enforcement resources. The prison-industrial complex in which economic interests profit from incarceration must be shrunk and capital punishment, with its racial and class biases, must be abolished.</li><br /><li><b>Clean, Fair, Transparent Elections</b><br /><br />The U.S. election system is in crisis, with voters facing political and racial obstacles in casting votes and in getting their votes counted. Big money and entrenched power deform the political process, with incumbents unfairly insulated by district gerrymandering and rules obstructing independent candidates and parties. We need comprehensive campaign finance reform at the state and national level, including Clean Money public financing of the public's elections, plus free TV/radio time for candidates. We need a ban on touch-screen (DRE) voting machines for counting votes, paper ballots as the official records for deriving voter intent, and rigorous mandatory audits of elections. We must end racially-biased disenfranchisement of felons who've served their time, and initiate reforms like "Instant Runoff"/proportional voting, which assure more accurate and broader representation than winner-take-all elections.</li><br /><li><b>Media Reform</b><br /><br />A half-dozen media conglomerates now sit on the windpipe of the First Amendment, having seized the publics broadcast airwaves; these companies helped facilitate the Iraq War. Giant phone and cable TV companies threaten to transform the Internet from a free forum fostering citizen action to a corporate-dominated medium fostering profiteering. The Internet can be saved by legislating Net Neutrality. Regulation and anti-trust enforcement can break up media monopolies to diversify broadcasting and expand minority and nonprofit ownership. Our country needs well-funded, genuinely independent public broadcasting to replace the current corrupt system of corporate underwriting and politicized White House control. Government policy should promote nonprofit and public access outlets, along with high-speed community Internet for all.</li></ol><br /></blockquote>Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-13285373540611456882007-10-19T15:23:00.001-05:002007-10-19T15:35:27.390-05:00We're Not In Right NowPlease leave a message after the tone. Mostly, we're out gathering signatures for ourselves as Precinct Committeeentities and for our candidates. If you want to help with the latter, visit our <a href="http://turndupageblue.com/links.php">Links Page</a> for a list of candidates, or look <a href="http://turndupageblue.com/petitions.php">here</a> for petitions for candidates whose campaigns have asked us to display them.<br /><br />In the meantime, here's a couple of things to tide you over. First, a bit of reading from <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/opinion/19krugman.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin">Paul Krugman</a>:<br /><blockquote>According to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics, in the current election cycle every one of the top 10 industries making political donations is giving more money to Democrats. Even industries that have in the past been overwhelmingly Republican, like insurance and pharmaceuticals, are now splitting their donations more or less evenly. Oil and gas is the only major industry that the G.O.P. can still call its own. All of this greatly increases the odds that the Republicans, far from establishing a permanent majority, will be out of power for quite a while. But it also raises the question of what Democratic rule will really mean.... Many progressives, myself included, hope that the next president will be another F.D.R. But we worry that he or she will turn out to be another Grover Cleveland instead — better-intentioned and much more competent than the current occupant of the White House, but too dependent on lobbyists' money to seriously confront the excesses of our new Gilded Age.</blockquote><br /><br />Second, here's a <a href="http://35percenters.com/2007/10/18/new-35-percenters-video-leave-it-to-dennis/">video</a> from a group calling themselves the <a href="http://35percenters.com/">35 Percenters</a>. Even if you're not a Kucinich supporter like I am, you may find this amusing.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-17314318813088984682007-10-10T17:47:00.000-05:002007-10-11T09:12:20.204-05:00Your Tax Dollars At Work: The Free Speech Saga ContinuesIn our last very exciting episode, our protagonists Jeff and Sarah had been arrested for the crime of making public criticism of our leaders. Well, okay, those weren't the <i>official</i> charges, which were the supposed throwing of "unknown objects" down onto the roadway, and the impersonation of a traffic sign, causing dozens of motorists to get off at the next exit thinking they'd found Impeach Bush and Cheney Avenue.<br /><br />And now, the plot sickens. Here's a note from co-defendant Jeff:<br /><br /><blockquote>Hello All,<br />The absurdity continues.......<br /><br />Sarah and I went to court this morning with our attorneys Shawn Collins and Julie Anderson of the Collins Law Firm in Naperville. They filed a motion to quash the fraudulent case against us. As a result, the State dismissed the "Reckless Conduct" and "Unauthorized Display of Sign" charges and added a new "Disorderly Conduct" charge. <br /><br />I am now falsely accused of making a throwing motion. Yes, you read that right. I allegedly made a throwing motion. <br /><br />The new official complaint reads: <br />"...Committing the offense of Disorderly Conduct in that said Defendant: Acted in such an unreasonable manner as to alarm and disturb Charles Hardin, and provoke the breach of the peace in that said defendant or one for whose conduct he is legally responsible, stood on an overpass above highway I-355 and made a throwing motion in the direction of vehicles traveling on I-355." <br /><br />Sarah and I still have to appear in court on the 15th for a preliminary hearing on the new false charge. Technically, the original "Disorderly Conduct" charge is still pending, though I've got a feeling it'll be dropped. Of course you're welcome to attend the hearing on Monday. Please bear in mind, it will be very brief, like our previous hearings. <br /><br />Due to the change of events, we've decided to scale back on the demonstration scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. A handful of us will be there as planned, but we've asked the Master of Ceremonies and Speakers to postpone indefinitely. We will re-schedule depending on how the circumstances develop. If all the charges are not dismissed and a new trial date is set in the future, then we will organize another protest. If that happens, we want a BIG turnout!<br /><br />Please help spread the word. I've heard that people from all across the Midwest have planned on attending the demonstration and trial. <br /><br />I'd like to remind everyone:<br />Sarah and I demonstrated on the bridge peacefully and within our Constitutional Rights. We did not throw anything. We did not act like we were throwing anything. There were no traffic disturbances. <br /><br />We Are Not Backing Down!</blockquote><br /><br />You see, they never actually threw objects off the bridge. But Birkett and company <b>thought</b> that they had. And since nothing is ever your fault when you're a right-winger, Jeff and Sarah have to be held responsible for that.<br /><br />This, in a nutshell, is how the Republican government of DuPage County thinks your tax dollars should be spent. And may I be the first to suggest: Let's draft Collins or Anderson to run against Birkett when his current term is up.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-83662074021250001682007-09-27T08:37:00.000-05:002007-09-28T12:47:51.092-05:00Peickert Responds to Ferraro and BisceglieRecently, Democratic precinct committeepersons received a letter from Gayl Ferraro and an e-mail from Rob Bisceglie. (<i>Editor note:</i> The text of Ferraro's letter can be read <a href="http://www.turndupageblue.com/ferraro.txt">here</a> and Bisceglie's email is <a href="http://www.turndupageblue.com/bisceglie.txt">here</a>.) I want the chairs and township precinct committeemen and other members of your organization to know that neither Operation Turn DuPage Blue nor I have any intention of getting drawn into a "he said/she said" type of political posturing especially when we need to spend our time meeting recruiting deadlines so that we can, at long last, elect Democrats in DuPage. <br /><br />Let me just say this: I adamantly disagree with Rob's recollection and Gayl's characterization of the events of the last nine months and have e-mails and other correspondence to substantiate my position. I will be happy to speak with anyone who wants to hear my recollection of events and see the supporting documents. <br /> <br />From this point forward, I will keep all of my focus on doing more of the work that OTDB has been doing since early January. For example, at an OTDB phone bank on Saturday afternoon, we recruited three more Democratic precinct committeemen. They and the many others who have joined OTDB because of our extensive and ceaseless outreach will have the opportunity in February to run as elected precinct committeemen. And, prior to the phone bank, OTDB helped organize a petition-signing event for DuPage Democrats running for public office. <br /><br />Under the leadership of a very capable steering committee, OTDB has involved the Democrats of DuPage in meaningful and productive political work. In just the past nine months, OTDB has: <br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Coordinated and fielded over 300 people in ten parades from March to September,</li> <br /><li>Conducted three precinct committeeman trainings,</li><br /><li>Hosted author and politico Dick Simpson to address the unique needs of this election cycle to our members,</li><br /><li>Generated unprecedented energy for Democratic politics in DuPage through the use of our various media and personal outreach efforts,</li> <br /><li>Supported the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans golf outing to honor the inspiring work of fellow Dem candidate Dirk Enger,</li> <br /><li>Attracted and hosted a premier national campaign training (Wellstone Action) to the heart of DuPage County,</li> <br /><li>Arranged and hosted a professional media and message discipline training for 2008 local candidates,</li> <br /><li>Organized a fundraiser to support previous Democratic candidates, who showed the courage to run against the DuPage Republican machine,</li> <br /><li>Created an unmatched data base, e-newsletter and web presence that draws in new active Democrats everyday and developed an aggressive and highly effective precinct committeemen recruitment program.</li> <br /></ul><br /><br />In situations where townships and the county were doing good outreach, OTDB has been in attendance consistently. OTDB:<br /><ul><br /><li>Sent two steering committee members to the Bloomingdale/Wayne Democrats fundraiser and parade.</li><br /><li>Supported the recent Milton Township fundraiser in which OTDB Executive Director Amy Tauchman played a major role. I attended along with several OTDB steering committee members. (Neither Rob nor Gayl nor any of the county officers was there.)</li><br /><li>Host sponsored the Naperville Township Democrats fundraiser attended by a number of OTDB members including myself.</li><br /><li>Recruited between 50 and 60 Democrats to march in the Naperville Labor Day parade. I marched with many OTDB members many of whom rejoined the parade to march with Lisle Township. (Neither Rob nor Gayl was there.)</li><br /><li>Supported the county golf outing by participating as a hole sponsor.</li><br /><li>Participated in the county precinct recruitment effort. (Neither Rob nor Gayl participated.)</li><br /><li>Co-sponsored a Labor Day picnic with Addison, York and Bloomingdale Township Democrats. (Neither Rob nor Gayl nor any other county officer was there.)</li><br /><li>Co-sponsored a booth this summer at the Back to School Fair in Wheaton along with the York Township Democrats. Doug Cole, Dan Bailey and I were there all day. (Neither Rob nor Gayl nor any other county officer was there.)</li><br /><li>Marched in numerous parades in conjunction with six of nine Democratic townships since March.</li><br /><li>Held two fundraisers: one to help defer the legal bills for Rita Gonzalez and me and a second to support OTDB's precinct work. Both fundraisers were attended or supported by several township chairs. (Again, neither Rob nor Gayl nor any other county officer participated.)</li><br /></ul><br /> <br />As to comments made about my attendance at county meetings, it was made manifestly clear that my participation and offers of assistance were not welcomed. So, I have been focused on accomplishing through OTDB, with much success, what Democrats have not been able to accomplish by working under the county organization as it is currently operated.<br /><br />It is not divisive to speak your mind about a system that has not been as effective as it needs to be. And it is not sensible to continue following that same pattern of leadership and expect miraculously different results. However, in order to dispel any lingering perception of divisiveness, OTDB will happily forego the rigors of a special election and will not oppose Rob for interim chair. And, so there is no misunderstanding, I will run for the position of Chair of the DuPage County Democratic Party at the 2008 county convention when all of the newly elected precinct committeemen will be allowed to vote for the person they believe should lead the party for the next 2 years. Any debate or discussion of the future of the party can continue after the candidate petition drive is over and the petitions are filed. <br /><br />As to the concept of unity, please take a look at the names on the <a href="http://www.turndupageblue.com/Cabinet.htm">proposed Democratic cabinet</a> posted on <a href="http://www.turndupageblue.com/">turndupageblue.com</a> for the past two weeks. Among them you will find several current county officers and chairs, members of OTDB and new Democratic activists we have garnered along the way. Sweeping changes in the times and in the electorate demand that Democrats broaden our coalition and sharpen our tactics and resolve. I believe that OTDB and I have done just that and we have the results to show it.<br /><br />We do not intend to stop until the Republican hold on DuPage County has been relinquished.<br /><br />It is time to get Democrats elected in DuPage.<br /><br />I may be reached by e-mail at BobPeickert@msn.com or by phone 630-421-2405.<br /><br />--Bob Peickert<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> Added links to Ferraro and Bisceglie's messages.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-70565803934025964932007-09-15T13:27:00.000-05:002007-09-15T13:48:46.239-05:00Saying Thanks, and Staying Focused on What Really MattersFrom Bob Peickert:<br /><br />Chill! Relax! Take a Deep Breath!<br /><br />As a result of the recent announcement of the resignation of Gayl Ferraro as Chair of the DuPage County Democratic Organization, we will undoubtedly be hearing and reading about everyone's "take" on her decision. What's to "take"? She made a decision and the party moves on. <br /><br />First, I want to thank Gayl for her work on behalf of Democrats in DuPage County. I readily admit that Gayl and I have had our differences, disagreements, and you might say battles, but she did spend a lot of time doing what she believed to be the right thing. As we decide on the direction of the Democratic Party, we should all recognize work that people do whether we agree with them or not. Thank you, Gayl, for your work on behalf of Democrats in DuPage County.<br /><br />Second, I want to comment briefly on the impact of Gayl's decision. The newspapers already predict some type of "battle" for the position. However, what ultimately happens doesn't depend too much on who the chair will be for a two or three month period. And, we also need to remember that the chair is only one person of many who will be called upon to lead the party in the future. There are many unanswered questions about the interim election, but, more importantly, there are unanswered questions about our plan to elect Democrats in DuPage in 2008. THAT’S THE REAL ISSUE. <br /><br />We must get our precincts ready for the upcoming campaigns by recruiting precinct committeemen. This is what we started with OTDB back in January, and this is what we must continue to do. OTDB will continue to work on our recruitment drive and to reach out to as many Democrats as possible in the next year. Let's not get distracted, and let's not lose our focus. Electing Democrats in 2008 is what this is all about.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-55561253157674474012007-09-14T12:17:00.000-05:002007-09-14T13:06:04.370-05:00StuffFrom today's <a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=37635&src=2%3Ein" target="_blank">Daily Herald</a>:<br /><blockquote>DuPage County Democratic Organization leader Gayl Ferraro will step down today, several months earlier than her anticipated retirement. That decision speeds up the battle for the chairman's job brewing between Democratic Organization Vice-Chair Rob Bisceglie and Bob Peickert, president of Turn DuPage Blue, a rival Democrat group. Party rules require a special election be held not less than 30 days and within 60 days of the resignation. Ferraro had said earlier she would depart after the Feb. 5 primary.</blockquote><br />Interestingly, the party has yet to send out any notification about this over its email list. One can presume that this decision wasn't made at the drop of a hat, so why is the party membership, to which the chair is supposedly responsible, the last to know?<br /><br /><a href="http://austinmayor.blogspot.com/">So-called Austin Mayor</a> has a couple of earlier but still noteworthy posts on the situation in DuPage. <a href="http://austinmayor.blogspot.com/2007/09/preparing-for-fight-in-dupage.html" target="_blank">Here</a> is one. <a href="http://austinmayor.blogspot.com/2007/09/sometimes-work-is-unpleasant-thats-why.html" target="_blank">Here</a> is another, in which the so-called Mr. Mayor makes this point:<br /><blockquote>Anyone trying to fix the problems afflicting the DuPage County Democratic Party will necessarily have to identify the problems afflicting the DuPage County Democratic Party.<br /><br />Ignoring the problems will not make them go away.<br /><br />Taking an honest, i.e. critical, look at the county party's shortcomings is essential to ever making the DuPage County Democratic Party effective.</blockquote><br /><br /><b>Update:</b> It appears that township chairs, at least, were informed of Gayl's resignation before it appeared in the Herald.Gary Kleppehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510960620679506312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-15584233870360946662007-09-14T08:58:00.000-05:002007-09-14T08:59:21.167-05:00Michelle Barton Agrees To First Vice-Chair Slot on Ticket with Bob Peickert for DuPage County Democratic Party LeadershipMichelle Barton, Naperville Township Democratic Organization Vice-Chair for Volunteer Coordination, has agreed to run for the position of First Vice-Chair of the DuPage County Democratic Party along with Chair candidate Bob Peickert, First Vice-Chair of Addison Township and Chair of Operation: Turn DuPage Blue.<br /><br />“Michelle Barton is an emerging superstar within the DuPage Democratic Party. Michelle was supportive of my initial offer to Rob Bisceglie. When Rob declined, I didn’t hesitate calling Michelle,” stated Peickert, who also praised her for organizing the Naperville Labor Day parade that had over 100 Democrats marching together. “That says it all about Michelle. Her ability to bring people together is what made this any easy choice.”<br /><br />In her presentation at the Naperville Township fundraiser, Barton challenged the crowd by saying: “Ask not what Democrats can do for you, but what you can do for Democrats throughout DuPage County. We are at a turning point, and Democracy is not a spectator sport. It means rolling up our sleeves, picking up phones, talking to neighbors, and getting people out to vote.”<br /><br />Barton said she will continue to work with the Naperville Township Democratic Organization in her role as Volunteer Coordinator, which includes precinct committeeman recruitment. Peickert said that he and Barton will work together on a plan for the county structure. “Michelle and I are in complete agreement on the need to broaden the party structure so that more people are involved from the existing county leadership, township organizations, OTDB, and all interested Democrats.”Seth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-90745666554337242802007-09-11T09:13:00.000-05:002007-09-11T09:15:30.517-05:00Bisceglie Declines OTDB Unity OfferRob Bisceglie, 1st Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, has turned down Chair candidate Bob Peickert’s proposal to run together on a “unity ticket” following the departure of current Chair, Gayl Ferraro.<br /><br />According to Peickert, “I was informed yesterday by Rob that he intends to run against me for Chair. I am disappointed that Rob didn't recognize the opportunity that a combined ticket would have presented for the Democratic Party.<br /><br />“While I respect Rob’s decision and look forward to a great contest, what I find most disappointing is the fact that Rob presented a “slate” that did not contain even a single person active in Operation: Turn DuPage Blue.”<br /><br />Last month, Peickert, Chair of Operation Turn DuPage Blue, reached out to Bisceglie inviting him to run on a unity ticket for the top two county positions. The OTDB Steering Committee fully supported Peickert's offer as an attempt to dispel lingering perceptions of division within the party.<br /><br />Peickert, who in recent months has helped forge greater alliances between OTDB and the Democratic township organizations, indicated that he would continue to support Bob Jeffers as county treasurer. “Bob has done an excellent job as treasurer and I hope he will continue.”<br /><br />Peickert also said that he will soon be announcing his plans for the county and his choice for 1st Vice-Chair. As to the other positions, Peickert said: “If elected, I plan to bring together those people from OTDB, from the current county leadership, and from other sources who will work hard and get the job done. That has to be the bottom line. I intend to make this a campaign about DuPage Democrats working together with a vision for the future.”Seth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-10170119178571689662007-09-10T10:40:00.000-05:002007-09-10T10:47:35.315-05:00A note from Naperville Township Chair Tom Wronski, newest OTDB Steering Committee memberDear Operation Turn DuPage Blue:<br /><br />I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Operation Turn DuPage Blue for the assistance it has provided to the Naperville Township Democratic Organization, and to commend the organization for its fine efforts.<br /><br />Bob Peickert, Amy Tauchman and the folks at OTDB are doing excellent work. Their "roll-up our sleeves and get to work" approach is inspiring. Although the Naperville Township Democratic Organization adheres to a policy of "self-sufficiency" -- that is, we do not ask for help from outside organizations if at all possible -- OTDB has repeatedly reached out to the NTDO on a "proactive" basis. Most recently, OTDB sent a large contingent to the Naperville Labor Day parade. One of our key members, Michelle Barton, is also an OTDB member. OTDB has done these things without setting pre-conditions for the assistance, and without asking for anything from NTDO in return. That is my definition of leadership.<br /><br />As we have discussed, my focus is strictly limited to building the Democratic Party in the Naperville area, and I have no plans to, or interest in becoming involved in DuPage County Democratic politics outside of this sphere. Nonetheless, I have decided to accept your invitation to serve on the OTDB steering committee because I appreciate your proactive approach, and I anticipate that serving on your steering committee will further benefit the NTDO.<br /><br />The fact that I have joined the OTDB steering committee should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any particular candidate who may be seeking, or may in the future seek, an elected position within the Democratic Party in DuPage County -- either by me personally, or by me in my official capacity as NTDO Chair. Indeed, I look forward to continuing to work with OTDB, and with all Democratic, Labor and like-minded organizations that share our goals, and I recognize the efforts and great strides being made by others to build up the Democratic Party in DuPage County.<br /><br />Once again, thank you OTDB for all of your hard work.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Thomas J. Wronski<br /><br />----<br /><br />From Operation: Turn DuPage Blue Chair Bob Peickert:<br /><br />We are extremely pleased to have Tom serve on our steering committee, and we appreciate his comments about the work of OTDB. We look forward to working with Tom and the Naperville Township Democratic Organization to elect Democrats in 2008.Seth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-56477563093158163982007-09-08T12:13:00.000-05:002007-09-08T12:59:47.141-05:00Why turning DuPage 'Blue' isn't just a pigment of our imagination:According to Robert T. Saar, Executive Director for the DuPage County Election Commission (in a FOIA reponse last month), in the 2004 general election in DuPage County, there were:<br /><br />174,063 Republicans<br />99,095 Democrats<br />246,607 Independents<br />11,970 Nonpartisan<br /><br />Certainly the gap between professed Republicans and Democrats seems quite wide, yet with more Democratic-minded individuals moving into DuPage, ongoing dissension over the Bush administration and the Iraq War, and the likelihood of a Democratic presidential candidate with Illinois roots -- plus strides made by 2006 Democratic candidates -- you can see where this gap may no longer remain so large.<br /><br />PLUS...<br /><br />This <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102300766.html">Washington Post article</a> states that in 2006, Independents were voting Democratic 2 to 1. If anything, this left-leaning preference has increased over the past year. Carrying this out to mean that 164,000 Independents vote left in DuPage, while 82,000 Independents vote right, that would make the tally approximately:<br /><br /><strong>263,000 Democrats</strong><br /><strong>256,000 Republicans</strong><br /><br />But before "we" declare victory, realize that DuPage may have been completely "Red" all these years for reasons superceding the proclivities of its voting populace (and no, I'm not talking about Election fraud; I'll leave that to others).<br /><br />In the past some DuPage "independents" may have been swayed by the seemingly Right-leaning mindset of "most of their neighbors," especially with Republicans filling their Precincts with Committee(wo)men. To win, we need to do the same, and show everyone that there is no reason to be bashful, embarrassed or guilty about voting for Democratic candidates in DuPage.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.turndupageblue.com/pcpromo.php">Click here to learn more about becoming a PC </a>or contact <a href="mailto:OTDB@Ameritech.net">OTDB@Ameritech.net</a> if you want to participate in upcoming PC-recruitment Phone Banks, host a PC-gathering Coffee or Potluck at your house, attend a PC Training Session or get involved in other ways.Seth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-61080828914019895742007-08-28T10:35:00.000-05:002007-08-28T10:57:19.124-05:00Theosophical Society MeetingLast night I was given the opportunity to go and speak with a small contingent of people from the Theosophical Society. I was asked to speak by our close friend David Bland and was excited by the opportunity. That being said, I had no idea what to expect so I wrote out some notes about OTDB, Progressive politics and our mission heading into the future. In my experience, Mr. Bland is a man of action and a man of integrity therefore my expectations were very high. However, what I encountered was more than I could have ever asked for. I sat and talked with a handful of people from the Theosophical Society and I couldn't believe how quickly time went by. I began to learn about the society, which I strongly encourage you to look into (http://www.theosophical.org). This is a group who is based around three objects and I am simply going to cut and paste these objects;<br /><p>The three declared Objects of the Theosophical Society are:</p> <ul><li>To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color.<br /></li><li>To encourage the comparative study of religion, philosophy, and science.<br /></li><li>To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in humanity.</li></ul>The group then listened intently to my (not so) short synopsis of OTDB and were ready with some tremendous questions. I cannot describe to you how much I enjoyed the evening and how much I learned. I strongly urge you to learn more about their group, they are truly sincere people who we could all learn many lessons from. I believe Mr. Bland would say the same thing about OTDB and doesn't that alone make all of this hard work worthwhile? When it comes down to it, we are all working together to make DuPage, and the world, a better place to live and learn. We are in great company folks, let us not forget how important that is.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605391730661031592.post-85196595173713285232007-08-27T12:18:00.000-05:002007-08-27T12:29:59.398-05:00I-Spy, U-Spy, We All Spysubmitted by Bob Peickert:<br /><br />Further illustration that the Republicans are more than a little worried about the progress of the Democrats in DuPage County was supplied by the appearance of a surprise guest at the OTDB fundraiser on Aug. 17. None other than William Maio, one of Pat Durante’s lackeys, happened to show up at the Itasca Country Club on the night of the fundraiser (a huge success I might add). For those of you unfamiliar with Maio, he was a former trustee of Addison Township, former member of the County Board, and a now a member of the DuPage Water Commission, appointed by Bob Schillerstrom. He is also very close to the team of Durante/Ketter, known for their filing of a complaint against one of the Democratic County Board candidates.<br /><br />Maio claimed to be there by happenstance and thought he’d drop in and say “Hi”. Not that we bought into that, but we nonetheless let Bill have his fun as he stood at the bar chatting with one of our members. We were even so kind as to introduce Bill to the gathering, letting Bill know how much we appreciated his interest in our efforts. These Republicans really don’t get it.<br /><br />Well, the good thing about the Republicans is that they don’t know how to keep their exuberances in check, err, "mouth shut" in Durante/Maio parlance. After enjoying our fundraiser, Maio went back and proudly told Durante (chairman of the Addison Township Republican Organization) and the others how well he follows orders. He told them how he stayed at the event and chatted with our members. He blabbed to Durante and the folks at the Addison Township about how the Democrats had to raise money to pay for the complaint they filed. Problem is Maio thought his audience would keep their mouths shut. Didn’t happen. You see, several of the Republicans, including certain elected officials of Addison Township talk to the wrong people. Our “spies” told us of Maio’s report and much more.<br /><br />Bill and Pat, watch out for your friends. They may not really be that loyal to you. See you at the next event. Maybe they’ll send their “sign-puller” this time. What’s his name again? Oh, yes, Steve Z***n? Or is it a guy named W****y?Seth Arkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16009137272886018009noreply@blogger.com0