Since when is a request that a candidate account for who bankrolled their campaign outrageous?Most of the campaign volunteers are out -- well campaigning -- rather then responding to Dyna's outrageous posts.
The greatest support for my "accusations" comes from Don Samuels' own campaign.1. The Unsupported Accusations
A few days ago Jonathan Palmer 'fessed up:The Samuel's campaign is in no way "playing loose with the rules." Dyna is making leaping assumptions based on partial information at best. We have printed no where near 70,000 literature pieces.
"Over the last five days his campaign has mailed over 20,000 pieces of literature into the Ward."
As my good friend Jonathan has stated 20,000 pieces were mailed, obviously more pieces were printed for the literature drops. And given that Don Samuels' campaign has dropped here in old 3-10, one of the lowest turnout precincts in the city, it's reasonable to assume that Don Samuels' campaign dropped lit at every residence in the ward. There are something like 168,000 residences in this city's 13 wards, so you need about 15,000 of a piece to be assured of delivering to every residence in the ward. Of the 5 pieces of Don Samuels' lit I found littered about my home yesterday, there were 3 distinct designs. Only one of these designs was mailable as a card and none fit the "christmas card" format of the previous 5 mailings. So it is safe to assume that 3 pieces with a printing of about 15,000 each were dropped over the last few days. That comes to about 45,000 pieces, but to be conservative we'll round down to 40,000.
So we take the 20,000 pieces that Jonathan said were mailed, plus probably 40,000 or more that were dropped, and we can be fairly certain that Don Samuel's campaign has had at least 60,000 full color double sided pieces of lit printed.
Joseph, a few days ago you stated:
"The total printing and mailing budget was less then $5,000 and we are within budget."
Joseph, the cheapest mailing rate you could have gotten would be that for carrier route presorted 1st class letters at $.275/piece. So mailing 20,000 pieces cost your campaign at least $5500. That means, using your and Jonathan's own numbers, that the entire budget for those pieces was consumed by the mailing alone.
That leaves the question of who printed 60,000 pieces and who if anyone paid for said 60,000 pieces. Never mind what mailhouse did about $1,000 worth of presort and who if anyone paid for that... Joseph, Don Samuels' campaign has more than a bit of explaining to do. I'd suggest you quit trying to snow us and come clean- who supplied these services, what was the value of them, and who paid for them or were they donated?
Simply because Dyna, as a likely primary voter has received 5 mailings -- she assumes everyone in the ward has. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simply because Dyna doesn't know who the Samuel's donor list is she assumes it must be coming from illegal or illicit sources.
I made no such accusation.
No, but I would question the fiscal wisdom of a candidate who paid for 60,000 pieces of lit for just a primary race for less than a full term. Especially when he would be redistricted out of the ward in the next election cycle.Is it so hard to believe that a professional African-American man without a party endorsement would have the resources to raise money to run for office?
moral. To imply otherwise is completely irresponsible.When the campaign finance reports are filed the list of donors and expenses of the campaign will be appropriate, responsible, legal and
And I'm quite sure they'll be interesting reading- to bad we can't see them before the primary.
Then why hasn't he publicly stated so- one wonders if this is an election eve conversion?2. Don supports GLTB civil rights
No, the Stonewall DFL has yet to endorse a candidate in this race- please research your charges better next time.Don Samuels as an individual and as a candidate is pro-choice and supports GLTB civil rights. He would have supported the Domestic Partnership ordinance which recently passed the City Council. He would work closely with the Minneapolis delegation to advocate that the city be allowed to extend domestic partnership benefits to Minneapolis City employees. Don was never invited to screen with Stonewall DFL prior to the endorsement, and their endorsement of the DFL-endorsed candidate after the DFL endorsement was a foregone conclusion.
No, Stonewall DFL has no obligation to support a DFL endorsed candidate.As Stonewall DFL's leadership has expressed on this list before they are obligated by their organizational charter to support only the DFL-endorsed candidate. Don is not that candidate.
3. The dark-side of the DFL
When all else fails, drag out the ghost of DFLs past...
I'll add to that- if Don Samuels had authentic community values he'd show some respect for the union members in the ward.I can not close without responding to this comment of Dyna's: " If Don Samuels had any real community values he'd respect the choices of his neighbors and join them in supporting the DFL endorsed candidate, Olin Moore."
As a Democrat I find this offensive and the exact sentimentality that is justifiably driving voters from the DFL in droves. With this philosophy we wouldn't have a single statewide elected Democrat. Both Mark Dayton and Mike Hatch ran against the DFL-endorsed candidates on their respective roads to victory. Even the party "heroes" like Rodger Moe and Skip Humphrey have run against the DFL endorsement.
On their respective roads to defeat... and your point was?
And you're suggesting that an expensive primary campaign where your candidate, Don Samuals, has yet to explain where 60,000 fancy printed pieces came from is more democratic?The idea that 60% of 72 people, no matter how representative, should solely choose who the candidate should be to the exclusion of other choices is utterly undemocratic.
Perhaps, but it is going to take fair and above board campaigns to accomplish that.If the party is going to be revived, and re-earn a majority either in Minnesota or nationally -- the idea that it is disrespectful to run against a DFL-endorsed candidate must whither away.
Agreed, but how does being available for sound bites at a riot make one an authentic community leader?We need the new faces, the new ideas, the new constituencies, and the new voices that non-traditional candidates offer. We do not need more of the same party insiders propped up by organizational loyalty -- we need to reach out and lift up authentic community leaders.
The ballot currently offers something like 20 alternatives- how many does the DFL need to offer? Has it occurred to Don Samuels that he could splinter the DFL vote so badly that no DFLer survives the primary? Just one of the reasons we asks folks to abide by the endorsements...4. A viable alternative
Fortunately there are many Democrats, both in the 3rd ward and around the city that felt it was in the best interest of the DFL, the best interest of the city, and the best interest of their neighbors in the Third Ward to provide an authentic community voice
like Olin Moore
-- someone who may not have played all the political games --
like Olin Moore
but someone with diverse, unique experience and a well developed moral and political compass --
like Olin Moore
How does the unexplained appearance of 60,000 pieces of literature create a level playing field?a real chance to be considered by all the voters in the Third Ward. We don't choose, they don't determine, only some will vote -- but we have tried to create a level playing field where the best candidate will emerge from the will of the people.
Hopefully the voters will be able to find there way to the polls and through a crowded ballot.On Monday night we will learn the voters choices.
Proud to be working hard to give amplification to an authentic community voice,
again, Olin Moore!
Joseph Barisonzi
Lyndale peace, Dyna Sluyter in Hawthorne _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
