Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Centrist-Extremist Politics with long-term right-leaning drift of 'center' harmed former Rep Donna Edwards


   Susan Turnbull's 2016 criticism of Emily's List for out-of-state fundraising, written about in a previous post, for Donna Edwards' Senate primary campaign is more of a civic process complaint than a candidate issue position complaint.  The issue of out-of-state fundraising for local offices, state offices, and districts in the federal House of Representatives could be addressed, as written in an earlier post, by restoring campaign finance limits that Citizens United v FEC and McCutcheon v FEC eliminated.  

    Turnbull showed herself a 'center-right' (responding to extremist political discourse with long-term right-leaning drift in a 'center' or 'mainstream' view also known as centrist-extremist politics) Democrat.  The Democratic party she identifies with is becoming a party with a growing 'center-left' primary and general election base that hasn't been turning out except in Presidential years compounded by state-level voter suppression laws.  


Purging of voter lists in many states, fortunately less in Maryland, by the Interstate Crosscheck program also suppresses voters from being allowed to vote when they turn out on election day, or during early voting, at their polling precinct. Allowing people to vote with provisional ballots was a good half-measure to polling place 'check in' problems matching a person to prior voter registration records to prevent in-person 'voter fraud' that was never a large problem.  Provisional ballots aren't counted without voters taking more time off from their busy lives (work-life time balance) and jobs (leave) to travel to the board of elections office in their jurisdiction of residence, to effectively re-register to vote, after voting provisionally.  

 New movements state by state to mandate paid sick leave and paid parental leave should include 'paid civic leave' for verification of voter registration after voting by provisional ballot.


  Glenn Ivey, Al From and Susan Turnbull were all on the CAPC advisory board in 2010. 
    Common membership put both Turnbull and Ivey in position to possibly talk about running in primary against Donna Edwards for MDCD4 in 2012.  As of the 2010 common membership on the CAPC board maybe district concerns were brought up and addressed with redistricting in 2011 that left no more eastern Montgomery County portion for Ivey, a former Prince George's County State's Attorney, to run in.  Costs of buying tv, radio and online ads requiring high fundraising goals, made higher after CU v FEC in 2010 and later by McCutcheon v FEC in 2014, were cited in the "Primary Challenge in 4th" article after Glenn Ivey's Jan 2012 withdrawal from the April 2012 primary.  The costs of running, mostly to pay for ads on tv, radio, keyword and subject-matching digital (web page view and social media platform web page view) ads were described in more detail, with respect to Glenn Ivey's second withdrawn primary challenge to former Rep. Donna Edwards, here: 


Edwards breathes easier
- Ivey withdrawal a game-changer 
PUBLICATION: Washington Jewish Week (DC)

SECTION: Local News
DATE: January 18, 2012


by Zach Silberman
Staff writer

Incumbent Representative Donna Edwards is all but assured of re-election now that her chief rival, Glenn Ivey, has unexpectedly withdrawn from the 4th District Democratic primary.

Ivey pulled out of the congressional race a week ago Wednesday, just hours before the deadline to file for candidacy with the Maryland State Board of Elections. With Ivey gone from the ballot, Edwards, who now faces only token opposition in both the primary and the general election, is a virtual shoe-in for re-election.

"Donna Edwards will be easily re-elected," said longtime Democratic activist Susan Turnbull. "This race isn't competitive as it now stands."

A former Prince George's County state's attorney and one-time Capitol Hill staffer, Cheverly resident Ivey had found it difficult to get his message out due to mounting campaign costs, logistical impediments, a slack economy and problems securing sufficient support from local and state-level politicians, several of whom opted for the incumbent.

Although Ivey was Edwards' main Democratic challenger, the race had been an uphill battle for him from the start. A November poll, for example, showed that he had garnered only 16 percent of the vote compared to 52 percent for Edwards, who could not be reached for comment earlier this week.

Ivey, who declared his candidacy on Oct. 26, announced his departure from the primary in a press release issued a week ago Wednesday afternoon that highlighted the "tough economy and a compressed election time-frame" as reasons for his withdrawal. (The Maryland primary had been pushed up from September to April 3.)

"With the April 3rd primary fast approaching and the ever-increasing costs of congressional campaigns sky-rocketing; it would take a very substantial amount of money to get my message out to voters in two very expensive media markets," Ivey said in his statement, which characterized his abortive attempt to secure the nomination as a "learning experience."

Ivey had collected nearly $160,000 in campaign funds before he decided to withdraw from the race. Federal Election Commission reports indicated that Edwards had a little more than $230,000 in campaign funds.

Also, Edwards had gained the support of local and statewide politicians, including Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), as well as House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

Much like the other congressional districts in the state, the makeup of the 4th District was dramatically altered through redistricting. According to the new plan, areas such as Silver Spring and Olney, which have a strong Jewish presence, would be moved to the 8th District that is currently represented by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

The 4th District would gain residents in Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties, while losing areas of Montgomery County that were formerly part of the district.

Fort Washington resident Edwards has been criticized for what has been portrayed by some as only lukewarm support, at best, for the Jewish state, and for her refusal to sign a bipartisan congressional letter seeking the release of Jewish Potomac resident Alan Gross from a Cuban prison.

However, Edwards has gained the support of J Street, the self-styled pro-Israel, pro-peace organization.


Edwards will face two lesser-known opponents, George McDermott and Ian Garner, in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, Randy Gearhart, Greg Holmes and Charles Shepherd have filed as candidates.
Regardless of whether Glenn Ivey or Susan Turnbull spoke about Ivey's congressional aspirations Susan Turnbull and Al From were also both on the CAPC board in 2010






http://www.facebook.com/pages/Center-for-American-Politics-and-Citizenship/144866502190024?sk=info


Center for American Politics and Citizenship

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Sign UpIt's free and anyone can join. Already a member? Log in. Description
.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Center for American Politics and Citizenship (CAPC) is a non-partisan Government and Politics research center at the University of Maryland, College Park

The Center's stated mission is that it "provides citizens and policy-makers with research on critical issues related to the United States's political institutions, processes, and policies. CAPC is a non-partisan, non-profit research institution within the Department of Government and Politics of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park."

The organization is responsible for maintaining the Maryland Elections Center website, which provides resources to verify voter registration, locate polling places, and search the Maryland Campaign Finance Database online. The Center is also the conduit for its very own Maryland Internship program, which places qualified undergraduates in a variety of Government-related offices.

Board of directors
The Center for American Politic's Advisory Board governs by broad policies and objectives, formulated and agreed upon by the director and staff. These include assigning priorities and ensuring the organization's capacity to carry out programs by continually reviewing its work and assisting in all stages of development including building an endowment for academic chairs, fellowship programs, a Center library, and other programs.


Paul S. Hernson, Ph.D., Director
The Hon. Charles Thomas McMillen, Chair
The Hon. Jack Buechner, Vice Chair
Ms. Amy L. Tenney, Secretary
The Hon. Michael E. Arrington
Ms. Mimi Dawson
Mr. Al From
Ms. Karen L. Haas
Ms. Monica M. Healy
Mr. Gerard C. Higgins
The Hon. John A. Hurson
The Hon. Glenn F. Ivey
Ms. Rosalie M. LaMonica
Mr. Scott Richman
Mr. Anthony J. Roda
Ms. Susan W. Turnbull
Senator Joseph Tydings
The Center also employs graduate research assistants as well as undergraduate research assistants.

Source
.Description above from the Wikipedia article Center for American Politics and Citizenship, licensed under CC-BY-SA full list of contributors here. Community Pages are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, anyone associated with the topic




and still were in 2015.


as of Jan 4, 2017 link loads only 2016-17 board members.  Susan Turnbull and Al From are still members.







CAPC Advisory Board
The Advisory Board governs CAPC by broad policies and objectives, formulated and agreed upon by the director and staff. These include assigning priorities and ensuring the organization's capacity to carry out programs by continually reviewing its work and assisting in all stages of development including building an endowment for academic chairs, fellowship programs, a Center library, and other programs.
2015 CAPC Advisory Board
Mr. Anthony J. Roda, Vice-Chair
The Hon. Dick D'Amato
The Hon. John A. Hurson
The Hon. Thomas McMillen



   A look at the board membership, and past actions in either elected office or in citizen-activism, of the Center for American Politics and Citizenship board members that includes Susan Turnbull, DLC founder Al From, and in 2010 Glenn Ivey, reveals the common 'center-right' ideological tendencies in all three people.



   Al From helped found the Democratic Leadership Council DLC.  The DLC also had a think tank called the Progressive Policy Institute PPI.  


   The more left 'netroots' base of the Democratic Party (that also is regularly divided in general election campaigns over whether to vote third, such as Green, party or not vote at all) has had many concerns with DLC issue positions and candidates over how much of FDR's New Deal and LBJ's Great Society to revive or not.  Susan Turnbull's 5 years of membership with the DLC founder show her center-right outlook.  Her praise of Donna Edwards for her positions on domestic violence while others quoted in 'Primary Challenge in 4th' condemn Donna Edwards as 'unresponsive to constituents' as code words for 'not voting the way some want her to' exemplify the lack of economic, and foreign policy, progressivism the DLC and PPI are called out for in spite of their progressive positions on social issues.
   Some examples of critiques of the now-defunct Democratic Leadership Council, its Progressive Policy Institute and Al From from the 'netroots' base of the Democratic Party are listed below:













   Within the American Jewish community in Maryland and around the USA the extremist, anti-two state, final status, negotiated peace between Israel and Palestine of the ECI as one example of many other organizations, at a national political level in 2012, is described here






and filtered, or trickled down, to centrists like Susan Turnbull to continue to drift right on at least one issue.  The long term right-leaning drift in local Jewish community federations and their JCRCs, at least in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia, before and after redistricting in 2011 was shown here

here



Edwards in Israel Community tensions linger as lawmaker takes first trip
Washington Jewish Week
by Adam Kredo


and here


'Present' but not accounted for 
PUBLICATION: Washington Jewish Week (DC)

SECTION: Commentary
DATE: January 18, 2012


Glenn Ivey's sudden and disappointing decision to withdraw from the 4th District Democratic primary virtually ensures Rep. Donna Edwards' re-election - a troubling prospect for a number of the members of the local pro-Israel community.
Many of them had cast their lot with Ivey, who seemed to offer a welcome respite from the tension that has characterized Edwards' relationship with a sizeable segment of the D.C.-area Jewish community.

That uneasy coexistence dates back to 2008, Edwards' freshman year in Congress, when she failed to support a no-brainer resolution "recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza" and condemning Hamas for initiating those attacks.

The nonbinding measure, which enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support, passed 390-5, but Edwards voted "present," one of only a tiny handful of representatives who saw fit to sidestep that clear-cut moral issue by refusing to take a position when crunch time came. And that wasn't the only time Edwards voted "present" on a pro-Israel resolution that garnered overwhelming congressional support. There have been several. Add to that her recent refusal to sign a bipartisan congressional letter seeking the release of Potomac resident Alan Gross from a Cuban jail, and you've got to wonder what the problem is.

Edwards' practice of voting "present" on pro-Israel legislation reminds us of an old Yiddish expression that speaks volumes: Sometimes, not deciding is deciding.

For her part, Edwards maintained that the Gaza resolution was ill-timed. And she has explanations for each of her votes. But the episodes- including her recent refusal to sign the Alan Gross letter - nevertheless left a bad taste in the mouths of many Jewish constituents.

Edwards' backing for Israel - such as it is - has been conveyed mostly through her support for liberal organizations, such as J Street. Fair enough. But as primary day approaches (April 3), we hope that her support for the Jewish state (and for issues of concern to our area's Jewish community) becomes more open-minded and broad-based. That would entail being more than merely "present." At a time when the stakes in the Middle East are especially high, present might as well be absent.



with another voting record description here



and stated in an editorial here


Redistricting - Is it good for the Jews? 
PUBLICATION: Washington Jewish Week (DC)

SECTION: Commentary
DATE: November 30, 2011


We agree with Jewish communal leaders that the recently approved Maryland congressional redistricting plan will "enhance the power of the Jewish community" by spreading it over two newly reconfigured congressional districts, both of which will be represented by pro-Israel congressmen.
The new plan removes Olney and parts of Silver Spring, including sections of White Oak, in Montgomery Country from the predominantly Prince Georges County 4th District represented by the Democrat Party's Donna Edwards.

Now, most of Montgomery County's Jewish community will be represented by Republican Roscoe Bartlett in the 6th District and Democrat Chris Van Hollen in the 8th District. Van Hollen will pick up most of the Jewish constituents from Olney and Silver Spring - both formerly part of Edwards' 4th district.

Edwards is a two-term congresswoman who has had a strained relationship with our community based primarily on her controversial positions on the U.S.-Israel relationship - which seem more closely aligned with J Street than Jewish Main Street. Under the reconfigured plan, the Jewish community now has two members of Congress (Bartlett and Van Hollen) who are proven friends of our community and who have strong pro-Israel voting records.

Edwards will be challenged in the upcoming Democratic primary (April 2012) by former Prince George's County prosecutor Glenn Ivey, who is already rumored to have strong support from members of the local Jewish community, even those who live outside the 4th District.

We will be keeping close watch on developments in that race. In the meantime, we can rest assured that Jewish residents in Maryland's 6th and 8th Districts will be represented by members of Congress who are sensitive to the needs of our community, and are committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship.



And the centrist-extremist politics with right-leaning drift on final status Israel-Palestine peace, negotiated with mediators ranging from the Quartet (UK, France, European Union and USA) to simply the USA State Department, was further amplified in letters here


Not a friend of Israel 
PUBLICATION: Washington Jewish Week (DC)

SECTION: Commentary
DATE: December 21, 2011


Not a friend of Israel
I believe your readers need to understand more about the congressional race in Maryland's 4th District between the incumbent, Donna Edwards, and Glenn Ivey, former Prince Georges County state's attorney. Simply stated, Donna Edwards has demonstrated that she is not a friend of Israel and the Jewish community, whereas Glenn Ivey has already exhibited that he is.

During the past four years, Representative Edwards:

· Refused to sign a letter urging sanctions on Syria, but suggested similar ones for Israel.

· Voted "present" on a bill urging direct negotiations between Israel and Palestinians, and urging the Palestinians not to declare a unilateral declaration of independence.

· Would not sign letters from Sherman/Royce and Hoyer/Cantor urging Arabs to take steps toward peace.

· Voted "present" on a House resolution supporting Israel's continuing search for peace and the right to defend herself against Hamas rocket attacks.

Most disturbing to me, is that she would not sign a letter that was signed by over 100 fellow congressmen asking the Cuban government to release Alan Gross.

Glenn Ivey is not only an excellent candidate for Congress, but he is also a real mensch. I had the privilege of discussing issues of domestic abuse in the Jewish community with him and learning about his excellent work in PG County, including his focus on domestic and teen dating violence. Although the size of the Jewish community in PG County is much smaller than that of Montgomery County, he was more than willing to help support our work and provide advice as needed.

A Princeton and Harvard Law graduate, Ivey served in the Justice Department, chaired the Maryland Public Service Commission, and was twice elected PG state's attorney. He has already received the support of many in the Jewish community, as well as prominent Maryland elected officials. He has visited Israel and understands the issues facing democracies affected by Middle East dictatorships and terrorist organizations.

BARBARA J. ZAKHEIM

Silver Spring

No Israel supporter

Seth Morrison's letter, "Donna Edwards fan" (WJW, Dec. 8), is false. He says that she "has a solid pro-Israel voting record and mainstream views on achieving peace."

On at least two occasions, Edwards did not vote for a pro-Israel House resolution adopted by more than 300 representatives.

By failing to join so many of her colleagues in supporting Israel, Ms. Edwards proves that she does not have a "solid pro-Israel voting record." Also, she cannot be said to be in the "mainstream," when she is out of step with her colleagues.

NATHAN DODELL

Rockville


and 'pushed back on' with support for Donna Edwards here

Donna Edwards fan 

The Jewish Community is very lucky to have Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) in Congress ("Jewish geography," WJW, Dec. 1). She has a solid pro-Israel voting record and mainstream views on achieving peace. 

Like the majority of Americans, Israelis and Palestinians, Edwards strongly supports a two-state solution with secure borders and full human rights for all. She is against the BDS movement and supports foreign aid to all parties working for peace. 

As a Jewish fan of Rep. Edwards, I have full confidence in her continued strong support for a safe and secure Israel, side by side with a safe, secure and democratic Palestine. 

SETH MORRISON 
Arlington 


But Donna Edwards has built a relationship with John Delaney, who later won election over former Representative Roscoe Bartlett R-MDCD6, whom Edwards had also worked with on a job-creation bill that died after the 2010 Republican wave election. 


Donna Edwards endorses Delaney 

Zach Silberman   
PUBLICATION: Washington Jewish Week (DC)

SECTION: Blogs
DATE: March 23, 2012


On Wednesday, I wrote on this blog about an unnamed elected official that planned to endorse congressional candidate John Delaney in his race for the Democratic nomination in the Maryland 6th Congressional District.

It turns out that the secret endorsement was that of Democratic Rep. Donna Edwards. Edwards currently represents Maryland's 4th District and is expected to win her race for the Democratic nomination after former Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey withdrew from the race back in January.

Delaney had this to say about the endorsement in a statement released by his campaign:

"I am extremely proud to receive Congresswoman Edwards' endorsement. In speaking out and standing up for working families, Congresswoman Edwards has proven to be an independent voice that puts her constituents first," said John Delaney. "It'll take a lot of hard work, but in Congress my goal will be to fight as hard for the residents of Maryland as Congresswoman Edwards has for last four years."

It appears that Edwards is the first congressional member to endorse Delaney in this tight primary race with State Senate Majority Leader Robert Garagiola.

However, Garagiola has also received endorsements from many local Maryland elected officials, as well as Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and U.S. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

Edwards released a statement on her reasons for supporting Delaney in the race:

"I am proud to support John Delaney to represent Maryland's 6th Congressional District in Congress. John has the intellect, independence, and core values to be a true leader in Congress. Having grown up in a union household, John and I share a commitment to strengthening the prospects for working families who deserve fair wages, decent benefits, and the opportunity to enjoy the American Dream. I know that John will use his experience in business to improve the economy by making the necessary investments in education, infrastructure, and green energy to ensure our competitiveness in the 21st Century."



  John Delaney was reelected in 2014 and 2016.  If Delaney decides not to run (or stand) again for his House seat in 2018, after his 2016 run against Amie Hoeber and run for Governor, Donna Edwards may be a good choice as a Lt Gov running mate based on the prior relationship built by an endorsement.  Delaney's support for Maryland passing a right-to-work-for-less (union dues optional) law



Garagiola strong in Montgomery, Delaney to the west
Eberly believes Garagiola will have more appeal in Montgomery County, but says Delaney, who lives in Potomac, doesn’t need the county to win. He believes Delaney will go after “old line” conservative Democrats in western Maryland that have traditionally voted for Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, but would vote for him in the primary.
“All he has to do is be competitive in Montgomery and win the rest of the 6th in the primary, and I think that’s what he’s positioning himself for,” Eberly said. “When you’re looking out at the 6th, you’re representing that not insignificant chunk of Western Maryland, a more rural, working class part of Maryland. You get the sense that Delaney is speaking a little bit more in a tone that connects with those folks . . . He’s running as a consummate outsider.”
“Nobody could ever describe Garagiola as somebody who’s not part of the machine in Maryland — he very much is,” Eberly said. “He is deeply steeped in Maryland politics.”
Franchot calls Delaney ‘fresh talent’
Franchot painted Delaney as a much needed fresh face in Democratic politics, calling him principled. He touted his record as a job creator.
“He represents for me fresh talent, new energy and kind of a bold new face for the Democratic party,” Franchot said. “I love my party, but there’s a lot of rhetoric about job creation. John Delaney has actually created jobs.”
Delaney is bereft of union support. Last year, the Garagiola campaign condemned Delaney for allegedly downplaying the importance of collective bargaining in a report published by BluePrint Maryland, a nonprofit group founded by Delaney to promote job growth and economic security. (The report 

link dead as of attempt to load it Dec 23, 2016

http://www.blueprintmaryland.com/images/uploads/policyfiledownload/vulnerabilityreport.pdf

says that Virginia may have lower unemployment rates because it is a “right to work” state and Maryland is the most southern of the states that are not.)

UAW says Delaney is anti-union
In a Tuesday press release from the Garagiola camp, UAW Local 171 spokesman David Dopp took up the attack again. “John Delaney has assaulted collective bargaining rights and he’s even indicated that Maryland should become a right to work state like Virginia. John Delaney is dangerous to working families,” Dopp said in the release.
Dopp said Garagiola can count on 1,400 union members showing up on the April 3 primary election to show their support.
“As a Maryland State Senator, Rob Garagiola has stood in solidarity with unions and working families,” Dopp stated. “He’s been a strong advocate for collective bargaining rights and ensuring fair wages for working people.”
Garagiola has been endorsed by 10 major unions so far, potentially representing tens of thousands of votes in the race. Ironically, they included three locals of the IBEW, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the union that Delaney’s electrician father belonged to and that gave him a scholarship to attend Columbia University.
On Monday, Garagiola was also endorsed by MoveOn.org political action committee, a national progressive organization that played a pivotal role in the 2008 Obama presidential campaign.
However, Delaney was recently endorsed by former President Bill Clinton and the Washington Post, somewhat offsetting the more numerous backers of Garagiola, including U.S. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown.
Ebberly said he thinks Delaney can win.
“My gut right now is that Delaney ends up pulling this out,” Ebberly said. “I think it’s going to be an upset and it will point to what will be a very interesting 2012 for political insiders and a very strange year where conventional wisdom doesn’t quite hold.”


 must, however, be repudiated. 


Facts that union dues optional 'right to work' laws are actually a right-to-work-for-less personal income.
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