The At-Large County Council Forum held on September 2nd at the 4H Center in Chevy Chase can be seen on Montgomery Municipal Cable (Channel 16) at the following dates and times:
Wednesday (9/8) at 9pm
Friday (9/10) at 6pm
Saturday (9/11) at 6pm
Sunday (9/12) at 6pm
Showing posts with label Debates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Debates. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
At-Large Forum on MMC Channel 16
Friday, August 27, 2010
Chevy Chase Candidate Forum
Montgomery County Council At-Large Candidates’ Public Forum, Thurs., Sept. 2, 7 p.m. At 4H Center in Town of Chevy Chase
Thirteen candidates running in the primary elections for Montgomery County Council At-Large seats will face off at a public forum on Thursday, September 2, at 7 p.m.
The four incumbent At-Large Councilmembers—Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and Duchy Trachtenberg—will be joined by all but one of their registered challengers. These include five Democrats, three Republicans and one Green Party candidate.
Charles Duffy, host of Montgomery Municipal Cable TV’s “Political Pulse,” will moderate the discussion focused on major issues affecting County residents.
Cosponsored by 18 downcounty communities and community organizations, the event will be held at the 4H Center, 7100 Connecticut Ave., in the Town of Chevy Chase. It is the second in a series of three forums to inform residents about County and Maryland State candidates and their views, and to increase awareness of legislative actions that affect the quality of life in our area. The final forum on October 20 will feature candidates for State legislature.
The goal is to encourage more participation in elections that have a great impact on our day-to-day lives. With the theme 2010 County and State Elections: Why Care? the larger effort also includes educational materials about candidates and important local issues pending over the next four years.
Challengers participating in the September 2 forum will be Democrats Fred Evans, Raj Narayanan, Hans Riemer, Becky Wagner and Jane de Winter; Republicans Robert Dyer, Mark D. Fennel and Brandon Rippeon; and Green Party candidate George Gluck.
Co-hosts are Chevy Chase View, Chevy Chase Village, Chevy Chase West, Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights, East Bethesda Citizens Association, Citizens for a Better Bethesda, Edgemoor Citizens Association, Garrett Park, League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, Montgomery County Civic Federation (MCCF), Presidents Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations (PREZCO), Rollingwood Citizens Association, Section 3 of the Village of Chevy Chase, Somerset, Town of Chevy Chase, Town of Kensington, Village of Martin’s Additions, Village of North Chevy Chase.
*****
Contact: Pat Burda, Town of Chevy Chase Councilmember
240-899-6216, patburda@aol.com
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Council District 4 Race -- The School Board and the Budget
This past Sunday the Sandy Spring Civic Association / Sherwood ES PTA held a debate at Sherwood ES. One of the first questions was on the three budget priorities for the school of the eight candidates (four Republicans and four Democrats).
This is a loaded question. Here's why: The school board takes over 50% of the entire MoCo Budget (about $2 billion annually) and we are facing a $297 million shortfall in the MoCo Budget. It is a critical question because it raises questions on how we can afford a 8% increase for school staff -- mostly union employees of MCEA (the teachers) and the SEIU (the support staff) -- during an economic downturn that was negotiated by the elected School Board, headed by Nancy Navarro. Personnel costs are 89% of the entire school budget and personnel costs are 80% of the entire MoCo Budget.
So answering this question of budget priorities for the school system gets to how we are going to fund our entire budget. Do we give the unions representing school employees an 8% increase (just under $100 million) during a recession? Or do we hold the line on increasing costs? If we agree to an 8% increase we need to find the money.
The revenue sources are limited. In MoCo we are at our tax cap on our local portion of the state income tax of 3.2% (generating $1.286 in FY08). That leaves us to find increases in property taxes (currently $12.07 million) or increases in transfer fees ($128 million) or Recordation Taxes ($72 million). The latter two (Transfer Fees and Recordation Taxes) are declining because of the downturn in the local real estate market. So if a candidate is for full funding of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) then we have to either hack at the other 50% of the MoCo budget or increase our property taxes -- since the other revenue sources are capped (state income tax) or are declinding (Transfer Fees and Recordation Taxes). Source for all figures handout from Ike Leggett at a Town Hall Meeting on March 12, 2008.
So listen to the four Democrats and make up your own mind as how we should fully fund education in a recession.
As part of full disclosure here at Maryland Politics Watch (MPW), I am a District 4 Resident and I support Don Praisner. I came to that conclusion after sitting down with 2 of the candidates personally (Navarro and Ryan) and having brief conversations with the other two (Praisner and Kanstoroom). I come from a union household so pointing out the huge increases of the unions in MoCo: MCEA (the Apple Ballot) and the SEIU in a down market is something that I don't enjoy mentioning. But I see no other way to be fiscally responsible to all of us.
The question was what are the three budget priorities for the schools.
Three Republicans spoke first. The person immediately before Kanstoroom, John McKinnis, cited Council member Marc Elrich as saying that 45% of the incoming students to Montgomery College (MC) from the MCPS needed remedial training in reading and math. Another Republican Robert Patton claimed it cost $8,000 per year to educate a child in MoCo when the correct figure is just under $15,000 per pupil. Mr. Patton, it was $8k ten years ago.
The first Democrat to speak is Steve Kanstoroom. I failed to get the first minute of his speech but I have an audio recording of it. He said his first priorities were the addition at this location (Sherwood ES). Also he wanted accountability from the Superintendent of Schools, Jerry Weast. He said that there are no quarterly reviews of the school budget. He also talked about how the School Board (which was led by Nancy Navarro) went to the Attorney General to stop an Inspector General review of the school's budget during the Seven Locks ES debate of 2005-06. Now Steve speaks...
Next up is Don Praisner
Now let's hear from Pat Ryan.
And now here's Nancy Navarro.
Later in the debate a follow up question was asked to Nancy Navarro specifically, she was asked does she support going over the property tax limit to fund the budget. Her answer: "Yes". No rationale as to why. Now the question for her and the others is going over the property tax limit is this a blank check? Were is the oversight?
So we are faced with paying for an 8% increase in pay for education personnel during a recession without the funds to pay for it. Who were the people who worked on that agreement? The same people who meet at King Jerry's Castle for private meetings.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Donna Edwards' Closing Statement from the NAACP Debate
This is Donna Edwards' closing statement from NAACP Debate at the PGCC Debate on Monday. The other candidates are seated from left to right are: Jason Jennings, Al Wynn, Robert Broadus (Republican) is blocked by Edwards and to the far right is George McDermott.
Thanks to Open Left for providing the video footage. Open Left's Matt Stoller has been covering this race. Good job Matt. Here is his report on the event.
Al Wynn's Closing Statement from the NAACP Debate
This was Congressman Al Wynn's closing statement on the NAACP Debate at PGCC on Monday night. Candidates Michael Babula and Jason Jennings are seated in front of him.
Thanks to Open Left for providing this video. Open Left's Matt Stoller has been covering this race. Thanks Matt. Here is a picture of Matt talking with Congressman Wynn prior to the debate. Check out Matt's blog posting here. 
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Is A Change Gonna Come?
Boy what a difference a few days make. Last Saturday I wrote how Al Wynn, with an assist from Dr. Michael Babula, won the debate at People's Community Baptist in Silver Spring. It was his day. Everything was different last night. Just like the classic Sam Cooke song, the NAACP Debate at PGCC in Largo could be the clearest signal that a new order may be coming to the 4th Congressional District.
Rennie Forum inside the Largo Student Center was a full house where the only undecideds were the reporters and custodians. They waited patiently through 
the Congressional 8th District (Van Hollen seat) and 5th District (Hoyer seat) milling in the lobby trading the latest rumors and stories before the main event of the evening the 4th District debate. By the time the 6 Democrats and 3 Republicans took the stage it was late and the crowd was eager to cheer their candidate on. That's not the news. The news is not the debate itself. All sides will point to a phrase or line that their candidate spoke that proves to all the wisdom of the speaker.
This was the Super Bowl of debates for the 4th District. I have been to four of them. This was the largest and most vocal debate. The audience wanted to take center stage. Sometimes they did. But here we are a week out and you get a gauge of who can organize; whose volunteers are pumped. Which side is gasping to make the finish line.
I collected some wonderful lines from last night debate. All candidates have hit their stride in their message and can connect with the audience. But if I wrote that you will be missing what really is going on. You need to look at the unobtrusive measures. Look at see what is going on around the room.
A sure sign of a campaign's strength is the number of supporters who will come out for you and listen to a debate. Sitting through a debate when you have already decided who you like calls for a hard core supporter. They are committed activists. They are people who will door knock, make phone calls, talk to their neighbors, contribute and most importantly vote. Michael Babula looked to be there alone. Although he did receive several hearty back slaps from a cadre of Wynn supporters afterwards as Dr. Mike again attacked not the incumbent but his main rival, Edwards. George McDermott had a single supporter. Jason Jennings had his mom, wife, members of his church, about ten in total. George Mitchell's supporters were easy to find in their bright yellow t-shirts. His wife and several other family members were there too. His supporters were almost two dozen. Al Wynn had a slightly more than Mitchell, call it around 30. They were either in his light blue t-shirts or wearing his lapel sticker over their suits. 
Michael Steele was among those supporting the Congressman. Donna Edwards support was in the first row to the top row. It was total; it was complete. Her supporters outnumbered, say it was 100, the combined total of the five Democrats and the three Republicans in this joint debate. They were in t-shirts or wearing her button. Edwards supporters cheered as if it was the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl and their team just went ahead. Has Al Wynn become the Patriots to Donna Edwards' Giants? Will the Congressman's unblemished political winning streak of twenty-six years through eleven elections remain intact for one more race?
Who is ahead in this race? 
We don't know. It is a parlor game. There are no newspaper polls. Candidates Jennings and Babula (pictured to the left) along with Mitchell and McDermott don't have the money for a scientific statistically poll. Leaving the two major candidates with polls that are not being released. Candidates don't release the poll numbers if they want to avoid tipping their hand. A candidate that releases a poll is then obligated to have the pollster talk about the entire poll. So if you don't want to show your hand you don't release your internal poll. So how do you tell? You use those unobtrusive measures.
You look for signs of movement. People who are coming out to events. Look at a Sen. Obama rally. Does he not get the biggest crowds? Are people fired up about his campaign? You bet. The audience was pro-Obama and they cheered not for the candidate who was supporting Obama -- Al Wynn. They cheered most often and strongest for Donna Edwards, who remains uncommitted.
You look to see what their campaign ads look like. If you are ahead you run Morning in America ads as Reagan did in 1984. If you are behind you attack your opponent. What was the lasting impression of the debate? As the debate ended and the crowd was leaving on the TV set in the lobby was the latest Al Wynn ad running. It shows (see picture below) Donna Edwards as a puppet being controlled by two white operators. This was not an ad by a 527. It was an ad from his own campaign. He is down in the polls. He needs to vilify his main opponent, Donna Edwards, to win.
Maybe it was best said by Jason Jennings who thought Congressman Wynn was "like a prize fighter who is past his prime". Ads and debates don't win races. Getting votes do. But if this unobtrusive measures hold then we will have an upset to rival Sunday's Super Bowl.It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will
(A Change Gonna Come, Sam Cooke)
Sunday, February 03, 2008
A Chicken In Every Pot
It's that time of the year. T minus 10 days to primary day where attacks pick up their intensity. Last night's Debate at People's Community Baptist Church for the candidates for the Fourth District was the most charged of the three I attended. Fortunately for the incumbent most of the charges were focused on his principal rival.
The blogosphere has not been kind to Incumbent Al Wynn. So this may be the first words to highlight his positives. 
This was his night. His skills as a debater came through in spades. The former coach of the Howard University Debate team was on. He had position all night (being the first one to speak in opening and the last one to speak during closing) using both to great effect. The questions favored him. Others made charges against his principle rival, Donna Edwards, sparing him the trouble. No one except her called on him to explain some of his votes. It was the perfect storm of a debate for the incumbent. Edwards had to feel as if it was four against one, with the genial George McDermott refraining from the testosterone festival.
Wynn's Perfect Storm
In his opening statement Wynn took time to honor Marilyn Praisner's work getting all to stop what they were doing to give her a moment of silence. Classy move. He had held his own during the Q&A. None of the questions highlighted his vulnerabilities. He also got a major assist from Dr. Michael Babula, who laid into his principle challenger Donna Edwards early. Jason Jennings and George Mitchell (note link is broken) bunched Wynn and Edwards together on multiple occasions blurring the lines. Al Wynn completed the night by having the final word in closing statement. Harking back "to the old days where politicians promised a chicken in every pot" to voters, Wynn compared what he has done in office to the lack of accomplishments by his opponents.
"She disgusts me"
The first question was on campaign finance and special interest money. Babula, pictured to the lower left, speaking after Edwards and before Wynn went after the former with a vengeance. 
Sounding as if he was reading from the recently filed Wynn complaint against Edwards centered on soft money and 527s, Babula, a former Republican candidate in his native New Jersey, highlighted perceived connections between 527s and her campaign ending with the subhead quote above.
Other Observations
Mitchell, pictured to the right, sounding as if he was the Pastor of this powerful
Baptist church, charged you can't continue to elect the same people and expect different results. He called Wynn and Edwards "two peas in a pod". Babula piggybacked on Mitchell and called Edwards "a wolf in sheep's clothing" and Wynn "a wolf dressed up as a grandmother".
Why the Increase in Charges?
These increases in charges are common and expected. The further down you are in the race the greater the intensity. The closer to the election the greater intensity. This is a race where no one knows who is ahead. We have a crowded six person race. No public polls to digest. No leaked candidates polls. So this is moving time. You either move up or you move out. The uncertainty of the race has all but the main players fighting for their place in the sun.
This is the second debate inside a week where Edwards served as the pinata 
for her male opponents. There were numerous times a finger was pointed and charges directed at her as if she was the eight term incumbent. When people talked of change it was as if she was the one blocking change. Her attempts at connecting with the voters was lost in a sea of "they are both the same".
Debates, or forums as we like to call these things in the 21st century, are just a small part of an overall campaign. More people will read these words than were in attendance. So hopefully, my recollections match others. All sides will spin to highlight their candidate. It will be tough for Edwards to "win" another debate if the attacks continue. Wynn used his oratory skills to great effect. He defended his positions without being defensive. It was the best I had seen him in several debates over two election cycles.
What's Next
The candidates have another debate at PG Community College on Monday evening. I would expect more of the same. Also expect to see and hear more interviews on cable and radio in the coming week.
General Observations After Three Debates
Having sat through three debates and interviews with all candidates but Wynn (still waiting Congressman) here is a thumbnail sketch of the candidates, so far.
George McDermott (pictured to the left), the longest of long shots, continues to bark at a corrupt judicial system and wants you "to throw the bums out of office". He may not win but he is a decent and honest man who is determined to speak out against the faults of our judicial system as he sees it.
Jason Jennings (pictured to the right), who has not mastered the sound bite, has a theme of 'us, working folks vs. them, the rich'. He is the only candidate who was educated in local schools from kindergarten to graduate school. Jennings wants to be a different legislator than you have seen previously. He wants to not just change the representation in this district but he wants to change the way Congress operates completely.
George Mitchell wants you to know that he will speak out for the children. Not that others won't but he will be the first and the most vocal. His facts sometimes are off (e.g., when he mentions the district is 85% PG and almost 20% MoCo meaning the district equals 105% or he cites campaign contribution percentages for his opponents that don't match the public record) but Mitchell gives a good speech. You can tell he has not missed too many Sunday sermons. His cadence is good.
Mike Babula, the newest of the newcomers, wants you to know that without a serious change in our fiscal & monetary policy we face an economic future that rivals Independence Day. He may be right; but it is not the type of message that inspires. He also has some of the more libertarian views on drug control, education, health care, gun control, and foreign policy, though he will reject the use of that label. Somewhere the far right meets the far left and that seems to be where he resides.
Donna Edwards wants you to know that she has been where many have been -- a single parent, without health insurance, trying to raise a son -- all while serving as a public interest advocate. Outside of the Congressman, she is only person who can point to several accomplishments for the public good.
Al Wynn wants you know that he is not about promises but about results. His results speak for themselves though others may disagree. He claims "transparency" on campaign finance. He wants both universal education and universal health care. He sounds as if he got the message in 2006 and is willing to become a more vocal advocate for the district.
All candidates claim to be the latest agent of change in the year of change.
We are in a for wild 10 days sprint to the election. It is All in The Family now.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Come Back Home
The best thing I can do is give back your love
Let you go away feelin' free as a dove
If you find you're a long ways from home
And somebody's doing you wrong
Just call on me baby
And come back home
Call Me, Al Green, 1973
Some debates remind me of a food fight, some a Texas Hold 'em poker tournament and still others make me feel the love. This debate should have been dubbed: I'm a Long Ways From Home (No More Foreign Wars) Debate. That should not be surprising as it was put on a coalition of peace activists. It got me thinking of the classic Al Green song "Call Me" (1973 Hi Records). Green sings of finding love closer to home. The candidates were singing the same hymnbook as well, although not always the same song.
That is not to say that there were not sparks flying at the Stella Warner Building (MoCo Council Building). There were some. But food fights won't win votes most places, especially among peaceniks.
This forum was sponsored by Peace Action Montgomery County and five other groups. The topic was Congress' role in US Foreign Policy. It included all candidates for Congress in District 4 and District 8 regardless of party, giving us 11 candidates (1 Green Party, 3 Republicans & 7 Democrats). Terry Kester of WPFW 89.3 FM did his best to moderate such an unwieldy format.
Moderator Terry Kester and CD4 Democrat Dr. Michael Babula
Where Did All The Republicans Go???
What struck me was how even the GOPers were equally critical of the Bush Administration's forays in foreign policy. Then again the three of them (Peter James and Robert Broadus in CD4, and Jay Roberts in CD8) are from the Libertarian wing, anti-intervention wing. I fully expected one of them to announce how they were from the Republican wing of the GOP. Sorry Deaniacs.The only other non-Democrat was Gordon Clark (Web site under construction). In fact, Mr. Clark is not even on the ballot for the Greens in CD8. The previous candidate must have stepped down. Clark scored some points with his critique on Global Warming.
Since this is a Democratic politics blog and it is there that I will return.
Vollmer Spars With Van Hollen
Ok it was MoCo styled sparring. Nothing major. Chris Van Hollen's (campaign site) opening statement went after the Bush Administration for its "policy of slogans: 'Bring It On', 'You Are Either With Us or Against Us'" and for considering "diplomacy a dirty word". Immediately
challenger Deborah Vollmer (see picture on the right) claimed his words and actions did not match calling them "very mixed". She even generated a laugh from the audience when she pointed out that threaten incumbent Al Wynn (campaign site) voted against the September 2008 Omnibus Spending bill with $190 billion for the war while Rep. Van Hollen voted for it. That is the basis for her campaign and she delivered a solid shot at him. But is was neither a knockout nor was she able to hit a combination either. Chris was eager to respond but was unable to because others had to give their opening statements. Ok no more fighting terms during a peace forum.The rest of the District 8 portion of the debate was mild. Van Hollen and Vollmer agreed more often than they differed. Dr. Lih Young (2006 Senate candidate site) was also there. It was my first time seeing her. She described herself as a "perennial candidate since 1994". While that may not have been her best choice of words it does fit. She has run 11 times in the past 14 years. I couldn't remember one thing that she said that was noteworthy. Sorry.
Un Wynn able?
Al Wynn was the only Democratic candidate to fail to attend, along with six Republicans most of whom I don't recognize. According to organizer Fran Pollner, Wynn Congressional office never responded to the initial invitation as well as follow up requests. Once the date was set Wynn's office said he had an 'unalterable schedule'. According to his web site, he was at the same Women's Legislative Briefing that Rep. Van Hollen attended.
This was clearly not Wynn's best constituency. Having to highlight the changes in his votes would have put him on the defensive. So it does make sense as a campaign operative. However based on the audience response to Deborah Vollmer's opening statement, he probably could have faired better than he thought.
CD 4 Democratic candidates from left: Dr. Michael Babula, Donna Edwards & Jason Jennings
Wynn, Edwards and the Dynamic of the Underdogs
Almost all of the attention is on the top two candidates, Donna Edwards and incumbent Al Wynn. Rightfully so. Still there are four other candidates who are running. They are: Dr. Michael Babula, Jason Jennings, George Mitchell and George McDermott. Two points were of interest. No candidate was in favor in the war. All wanted us to come home. Second, was how often I heard the others take a shot at Donna Edwards and almost leave the incumbent untouched. It wasn't every time and it wasn't by all but it was a consistent pattern. I recognize that as an underdog you need to highlight differences with those ahead of you. But it sure did seem as though Edwards took more shots than the absent Wynn. The usual response was something along the line of "they are cut from the same piece of cloth". True or not on this charge, the consistency of the refrain had a talking points smell to it.
To be fair, I will explore the positions of the CD4 Democratic candidates during my upcoming interviews with them. But for now I was struck by this general theme of these four. In the meantime, I think these two sites (WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi Show and the Gazette) have nice voter guides on all 6 Democratic candidates in CD4. Take a look and form your own opinion.
Final ThoughtsThe only people who seemed to be undecided in the room were the news reporters and the organizers. Disclosure: I live in CD8 and I support Chris Van Hollen.
The lack of undecideds is normal for debates. The news coverage by the MSM was again weak. I sat next to the Sentinel reporter. There was another reporter who could have been the Gazette but it wasn't the WaPo. I think the WaPo is failing in their coverage of the race in CD4.
You want the shortest version of the debate?
There was more love than spin. A universal request to come back home from Iraq. Now if only we can get Al Green at one of these things. If he does call me.
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