A few on this list may remember an exchange following my comment that a
non-DFL-endorsed school board candidate could feel as if he were running
against a machine.
Two personal attacks were diversions from my main message�that the DFL
school board endorsement is potent...a self-evident point if ever there
was one...even if as Jay Clark noted so nicely, this is hardly a serious
urban political machine in most regards.
Brandon Lacy Campos� misrepresentation that I was trying to fool all you
gullible listers into thinking there was a school board-specific sample
ballot has been adequately dealt with in his apology and a conciliatory
note from his candidate, Patrick Peterson.
Tim Bonham�s post has not been addressed, despite some respectful
off-list exchanges. Because he has chosen not to respond, here goes:
Mr. Bonham�s original post:
<<The Minneapolis DFL mailed 37,734 sample ballots in this election. I
understand the Labor sample ballot was mailed to approximately the same
number of people. This is a far cry from the "upwards of a quarter
million" number claimed by Mr. Shapiro. [Schapiro.] That number is just
plain ridiculous on it's very face -- there aren't even that many voters
in the entire city! That Mr. Shapiro [Schapiro] is credulous enough to
believe some damn fool rumor like this, and to carelessly spread it
around, says much about his lack of qualifications to be on the School Board.>>
Ouch.
I accept his figure that the DFL M-A I-L-E-D only 37,734 sample
ballots for the primary. He did omit a few numbers that I do not feel
unreasonable to include:
----The DFL printed a lot of sample ballots that were not �mailed.�
According to Mr. Bonham, the total was �not more than 67,000.� Will more
be printed for the general election?
----The Central Labor Union produced an additional 12,000 sample ballots
for the primary and I expect it will produce another bunch for the
general election.
----The DFL produced 140,000 pieces of joint literature for lit drops.
They are not technically "sample ballots" but clearly part of the DFL
initiative. Mr. Bonham, in an off-list exchange, suggested that a goodly
portion of those may be in reserve for the general election. I assume
additional joint literature will be printed for the general election.
Damn close to a quarter million impressions of each DFL candidate�s name
will be out there by Nov. 7, if you ask me...but even if the number
turns out to be somewhat less, the disparity is still substantial for a
campaign that draws little voter scrutiny.
Figuring that most of the money coming into the school board campaigns
is DFL/Union related, and the average non-DFL candidate has a couple
thousand dollars, tops, to spend, I think it is reasonable to suggest
that no candidate can match that name recognition provided by DFL support.
Plus, you have to deal with some folk who play a little fast and loose
in life and on this list. (On the list you have a wonderful chance to
defend yourself.)
No whining. I never expected anything else when I filed. And none of
this is to imply that the DFL candidates (and Kathy Kosnoff) are not
worthy candidates. Just trying to get the facts straight.
Dennis Schapiro
Candidate for School Board
denny4schools.org
Linden Hills
_______________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more:
http://e-democracy.org/mpls
