We aint got the money to respond. Right know our Kitchen Sink is a spittoon. Not only does Kerry Healey have Sean Healey to bank roll her race, but she has the Republican Governors Association dumping big money into this race also. No need to list the reasons whywell there is only one reason why.
Somehow we in the Mass Dem bloggosphere have to reach out and get the Democratic Governors Association to spend some money on this raceat least two million bucks of ads telling the ugly truth about Kerry Healey.
From Washington, this race looks like its in the bag. But were 3 weeks out, being outspent 3 to 1 or 2 to 1 and under attack from unscrupulous people who have proven they will say and do anything to win.
Sitting on an 18 point lead, down from 39 points, is not a winning strategy. If the Democratic Governors Association wants one more Democrat in their membership, then they should spend some moneyactually a lot of moneyinsuring this seat turns Blue.
While I’m not suggesting exactly what you should do, there is plenty of contact info on their website.
Democratic Governors Association
1401 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202-772-5600
FAX: 202-772-5602
<
p>
plus an email form on the “contact” page
I’m all for gunning for the corner office from a Massachusetts point of view. I’m a Democrat, and I want Massachusetts to have as many Democrats as possible.
<
p>
But from a national perspective, I don’t want the DGA to give a red cent to this state.
<
p>
Listen, we live in the most Democratic state in the nation. Republicans of note are an endangered species. Dems don’t have the Corner Office, but we have everything else. The Democrats could nominate a dog’s corpse for president, and the corpse would win our electoral votes. Republicans can’t even find a sucker to run against Bill Galvin.
<
p>
If you seriously look at which state can most afford a Republican governor, it’s us. We’re not a presidential swing state. We have a Legislature that is overwhelmingly Democratic and regularly neuters Republican governors. Tennesse’s Democrats toss people off of health care while our Republicans sign on to an expanded plan. Heck, the liberal in the race for my former congressional district is the Republican.
<
p>
The swing states in 2008 need Democratic governors. The major states need Democratic governors. California, America’s leader in combatting global warming, deserves a Democrat. Jen Granholm is still in a tough fight to stay in Lansing. Kugloski in Oregon needs help. As long as Democrats still have a prayer in Florida, send the money there. Send it to Ohio where the gubernatorial race is basically a race to the bottom. Not when Napolitano (who I love) is at all a matter of concern in Arizona. Not until Pennsylvania is locked up.
<
p>
We have a great candidate, a dominant Democratic party, and liberal policies. And a lead in the high teens. Asking for money from out-of-state, when there are places it is needed more, is flat out greedy.
Speak for yourself, please. I can’t afford another 4 years of skyrocketing property taxes, crumbling roads, and broken school systems.
Another one of my comments, another personal insult from MFW. It gets old. And it makes it harder to take any of your points seriously.
<
p>
I’ll try, though. Leave Massachusetts for a bit. Go to another state, one that isn’t run by liberals. Drive the roads in Nebraska. Visit a school in South Carolina. Take a moment to go to Maine if you can’t bring yourself to exit New England. Heck, do some research on the Internet. Things are worse in most other states. And these other states are politically important. Is there any doubt that Florida in 2000 would have gone for Gore had it a Democratic governor and/or SoS?
<
p>
Perspective, my man. For many of us, government has not made our lives as good as it could. That doesn’t mean nobody has it worse.
Deval won’t see any money from the DGA. National types think this is in the bag for the Dems with poll numbers like his and a third party spoiler for the GOP.
<
p>
The only reason the RGA is spending any money is because it would make Mitt look bad if his handpicked successor lost. Anyone else would have written MA off months ago.
Sco, I noted the same challenges in getting NDGA money. But I ask you and sabuti: is this election so much in the bag that we can afford to be out spent 2 to 1 on TV?
The money is an issue, so where’s the rest of it coming from? Not the DGA. It’s not as if Richardson is sitting on a pile of money with no idea what to do with it. I welcome the idea that the Democrats should have more money, but I’m against taking it away from other places.
<
p>
It’s all about the wider perspective. It will be hard to win while being heavily outspent, true. That’s true anywhere. But try this on for size:
<
p>
In state A, the incumbent Democrat is being outspent almost 4-to-1. State A is a presidential swing state with many electoral votes and is necessary for a Democratic win in 2008. State A legislature is controlled by Republicans. Some polls here show the Democratic incumbent within the margin of error.
<
p>
In state B, Democrats control every part of the political apparatus except the governorship. They dominate the legislature, and vote reliably Democratic for president. In State B, the Democrat for governor has a lead in the high teens.
<
p>
Where do you put the money, State A (MI), or State B (MA)? These are the decision Democratic financiers and organizations face, and in this case it’s an easy decision.
Deval needs the money. I’d love for him to get the money. I’ve donated myself several times more to Deval than any other candidate I’ve ever given to because of this.
<
p>
That all said, Massachusetts is low on the national priority list because of his current lead and the relative “blue-ness” of Massachusetts as a whole. Not only that, but there are no endangered Dems at the federal level whatsoever, so you’re getting less bang for your buck without any coattails for other races.
<
p>
I think it’s a terrible mistake to take this race for granted, but I understand why people outside of MA wouldn’t want to spend DGA money here.