Joseph Barisonzi wrote:
WM: Like a fool, I'm putting my two cents in the middle of a fight not my own. However, caveats galore, I want to make a point about the DFL as a loyal member. (It also speaks to one of my major reasons for having stayed in this inhospitable climate for thirty years.) The DFL needs some loving care at the moment but Samuels' v. Moore illustrates the point.In the end he [Mr. Don Samuels] wants to earn the endorsement of a majority of voters in the ward. He wants to earn their support because of who he is and his personal, professional and volunteer experience.
Were I a resident of the Third Ward, my inclination would be to vote for Mr. Samuels' precisely because, as a constituent person for Mr. Sabo, Mr. Moore makes a less inviting candidate. I'm very happy with Martin Sabo as my representative and I have always been treated very respectfully and kindly by his staff. But even in constituent issues, Mr. Moore's view is from within the power of the feds about what are federal issues.
However, Mr. Samuels' has made a mistake in not having an adequate public explanation for why he would not go to a union shop. According to Joe Barisonzi in a series of off-list e-mails, Mr. Samuels wanted a Third Ward printer for his candidate materials. Understandable; he's running for a Third Ward seat. However, when he went to at least one union printer, the entire plant was white, from the manager down to the heavy lifters. I checked that out, he was correct about that shop. Were I Mr. Samuels I would not spend my and other people's hard earned money someplace where, apparently, I would not be welcome as an employee in the year 2002.
I would send that information in the form of the letter to the DFL, were I a candidate wanting endorsement. And I would make that part of my speech during the endorsement process. e.g., "Ladies and gentlemen, you will notice that there is no union bug on my literature. I am a
democrat and I support organized labor, but I will not support a union printer who has not succeeded in attracting even one qualified member of a minority community to work for his company in the 21st century. I cannot, in conscience as a DFLer, not hold all of us to our stated ideals." Would he have my vote as a delegate? In a heartbeat.
Were I Mr. Samuels at this point in time, I would publish a letter to the DFL apologizing for failing to be candid as their potential endorsee. Had I been a delegate, I would have felt that Mr. Samuels had already discounted my vote by failing to be candid on something as important as keeping my party on track.
Too, I suspect Mr. Samuels of having been given bad advice by his campaign committee, knowing Joe Barisonzi. Joe, you do have a tendency, verily more than a tendency, to be arrogant and careless of respecting other points of view among DFLers, even when asking for their help.
WizardMarks, Central
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