And one thing you can say about school teachers as a class — they know how to spot potential.
They are professionally invested in building kind, productive human beings out of the raw stuff they see in the classroom carrying all kinds of baggage in their heads and in their hearts.
The MTA is saying that Mike has proven himself as a Congressman and gotten good grades. He’s ready for the United State Senate.
In a previous incarnation as a substitute teacher in middle school (shudder) in a safe suburb, I got pretty good at spotting potential too. There was the little brown nose in the front row and the sulky snarly trouble maker in the back each of whom was easy enough to deal with.
The type of kid that was the most fun was usually in the middle, obviously a class opinion leader who, to the great delight of her or his classmates, would start to test you with a little innocent series of questions.
And if you handled yourself well, and treated this young person with respect she or he would give you good grades and you survived another day as a potential substitute teacher.
I betcha Mike was that kind of class opinion leader even in middle school. And I imagine he was a handful.
cross posted on Blue News Tribune
to all of it’s members this afternoon asking them to support Capuano. My wife got hers. I know that BMG has a number of teachers who read/post here. I am wondering if this kind of endorsement has any effect on how MTA members will actually vote.
for the indispensable work they do educating our children
and for their faith in and support for Mike Capuano for US Senate.
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p>My parents were educators, dad at the college level and mom at the elementary school level. I have five siblings who teach at all levels from ESL in Chinatown to pre-school to private prep to Ivy League undergraduates.
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p>Thank you teachers.
Ask Deval….
The MTA is a labor union. Their number one goal is more money and less work for it’s members. It’s ok, that is what a labor union is supposed to do. However I don’t think they’re all voting for Capuano. They are all, or should be, college educated, and have the capacity to vote their own minds.
Some teachers care, but too many do not. That’s called tenure.
No organization can absolutely guarantee that its members will vote for candidates that they endorse. So what?
and yet it’s just not particularly helpful either. Even though (IMO) the comment isn’t wrong, it’s Worthless because it doesn’t add to the discussion. Still, methinks you’ve been downrated too much. shrugs
“Their number one goal is more money and less work for it’s members.”
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p>More money AND less work? That sounds like two things.
to greater compensation (salary divided by work)
When in my thirty years of activism, there has ever been a proposal for LESS work?
And why do the unions endorse Extended Learning Time schools?
limits on how long someone can work at XX in a single shift/cycle?
to know my union sees what a good Senator he would be.
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p>Mike voted against the Iraq War authorization, so as a teacher, I want to reward good behavior, and send Mike to the Senate!
Also makes the AFL-CIO endorsement tougher for Coakley, maybe impossible due to the 2/3 requirement.
<
p>An automates call sets the tone that the union is serious about organizing their members for Capuano. With a small electorate expected and this
many active members, teachers could and I hope, will play a role in this race.
I don’t think anyone expects MA AFL-CIO Pres. Bob Haynes to support a female candidate for US Senate. Considering he does not support women who are leaders in his own union….he drives (bullies) them out if they do not agree with him or he feels they are a threat to his own job. Look for Bob to push for Cap with everything he’s got.
The state AFL-CIO takes a vote of all the local union vice presidents (I think – it may vary from local to local) if 2/3 of them agree the federation endorses a candidate.
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p>I wouldn’t expect the AFL to endorse Capuano, if only because so many large state unions have come out for Coakley.
The MTA has no vote in the Mass AFL-CIO endorsement process. They are an independent union whose national parent is also independent of the AFL-CIO.
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p>That said – there will be no endorsement by the Mass AFL-CIO as Coakley and Capuano are gaining enough support to stop any endorsement
Definitely a big help on the ground, that is for sure, but I think a measure of the same concern that applied to Coakley’s many endorsements is applicable here.
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p>This is not the year to run on the strength of close connections to the existing political establishment, it seems to me.
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p>Still, what we are talking about here is voters in a special Democratic primary, so I suppose there it will help.
it’s almost always a good thing. Not all endorsements are as important as others, but I can’t think of very many endorsements I wouldn’t want in this race… unless it was fringe right org, etc.
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p>Those who would be dissuaded from voting someone because X union or Y politician endorsed the candidate almost certainly wouldn’t have voted for them anyway. People who hate the MTA probably aren’t pulling the lever for the Democrats.
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p>
The first debate of the campaign will take place Monday, October 26th at 7:00 PM at the JFK Presidential Library.
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p>Congressman Mike Capuano will be selecting at random a volunteer who will receive two tickets to the debate. The campaign appreciates the work we do making phone calls, going door to door, talking to friends and neighbors. Sign up to volunteer here and you will be included in the list from which the campaign will choose someone to receive two tickets.
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p>This is a campaign where “boots on the ground” will make a big difference.
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p>If you haven’t made a decision, take a minute to come meet Congressman Capuano at an “Open Mike” or other event. I’m sure that you will be as impressed as I am. Consider coming to Westborough on Saturday. We’ll be going out to Ruby Tuesday’s after the event. It will be fun.
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p>There are volunteer opportunities available right now. Contact robert@mikecapuano.com
For almost every election there’s an anti-establishment, anti-incumbent sentiment to be tapped. I know you used “seems” but what makes you think that the anti-establishment sentiment is bigger, badder, and more difficult to ignore this year.
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p>Other years, union endorsements help.
Exhibit A
This story from yesterday’s Boston Globe (emphasis mine):
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p>I think the public is very aware of these abuses. This issue is already hurting Mr. Flaherty after this week’s endorsement from the firefighter’s union. The fact that this investigation is not coming from state officials is already an issue in Martha Coakley’s Senate campaign. The tepid “reform” legislation passed by lege — and the resistance it faced from an overwhelmingly Democratic body — is already an issue for both Governor Patrick and each incumbent.
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p>Exhibit B
This story from today’s Boston Globe (emphasis mine):
<
p>Martha Coakley’s close ties to the City Hall machine of Mayor Menino are hurting her more than helping her, and her premature and contemptuous dismissal of this story when it broke exacerbate those concerns.
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p>I assert that the anti-establishment sentiment is bigger, badder, and more difficult to ignore this year — as it should be. I suggest that these concerns are both real and legitimate, and we endanger our agenda by ridiculing or ignoring them.
Despite multiple written requests on Sep 13 and Sep 17 Coakley’s office’s “involvement” did not begin until Oct 7 and the case was not referred to her office from Sec Galvin until Oct 22, apparently too late for Boston residents to know if their incumbent Mayor’s administration intentional destroyed public records for unethical or illegal purposes before the Nov 3 election.
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p>Too bad for Boston residents. The people want to know if their mayor is a crook. Coakley’s tardy entry into this investigation has made truth unavailable by Election Day.
<
p>Coakley chose to decline three written requests in September to investigate Menino public records destruction. The case isn’t merely a matter of a newspaper being unable to access public records, it was also a matter of the city being non-responsive to a federal subpoena in two government corruption cases, and a case where Menino’s policy guy may be implicated.
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p>Coakley declined to investigate noting only it was Galvin’s job. Although questioned, she did not provide answers about the issues at play that drove her decision. (I watched a youtube video this summer of a crowd gathered around Sen Franken at the Minnesota State Fair answering questions about health reform. You can imagine it started out with some angry questions. He explained how he thought about it and when he was done, everyone there clearly respected him for it , even if they didn’t agree with his position. I want a Senator who can do that.) All of Coakley’s instincts, after serving as a life long prosecutor, are to keep mum about the issues and her own decision-making process. Her approach is a disservice to herself and to the community she represents.
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p>Coakley’s decision to decline to investigate in Sep is one issue. Her ability to articulate her reasons and rationale. in order to bring he public around to her way of thinking, is another.
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p>When Galvin experienced stonewalling from Menino’s inner circle, Coakley’s office became ‘involved’. Once again she would not answer questions about the role of her office in the investigation.
<
p>As a Boston voter, it’s hard to understand the point of her secrecy and her decision to be not responsive. She could easily talk about the role of her office without discussing facts of the case. And she could keep the public informed about the work she is doing on our behalf.
<
p>Yesterday, Galvin’s office finished their work and referred the case to Coakley to make the determination if here were “intentional violations of the law.” In other words, Galvin has identified the other elements and it looks like intent is the one element not ascertained yet. Coakley’s only comment was that the work will not be done by Election Day.
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p>Coakley is not a great communicator. Instead, she’s plays it close to the chest. I’d like a public servant who is a good communicator on the issues and on their position on the issues.
As a Hillary supporter, I was really disillusioned by the level of vitriol directed at her by many fellow Dems. I’m seeing much of the same thing, although with lesser intensity, in this primary campaign. I intially supported Coakley, but as I’ve gotten to know more about Capuano I’m truly torn. However, at least on this site, there is no comparison between the comments coming from (some) Capuano supporters and Coakley supporters.
<
p>First although we still don’t know where the Menino e-mail investigation will lead, I think it’s more than a little over the top to characterize it as an investigation to determine whether Menino is a “crook.”
<
p>Second, Coakley is the chief proscutor for the state. It’s disingenuous to compare a prosecutor declining to publicly discuss a case with a Senator (Franken) taking questions from the public about a policy issue. Do you really think it would have been more acceptable for Coakley to publicly discuss the evidence, and the strengths and weaknesses of the case that led to her decision, while an investigation is still ongoing? How often do you see that?
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p>While this particular example isn’t as bad as some of the things that were said and written about Hillary (I still see her regularly referred to as a “neo-con” on this board), it definitely reflects the ongoing negativity about Coakley that just puzzles me. She’s against the death penalty, but that’s not acceptable, because she’s “only” opposed it for 10 years, and she doesn’t oppose it for the right reasons! This is nuts.
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p>There are many Capuano supporters on this board who are focussed on the postive attributes of their candidate. I’m not opposed to debate. Talking about your candidate’s stances, and why they are better than his primary opponent’s positions, is perfectly acceptable. But it seems that much of the negativity directed towards Coakley is unacompanied by anything positive about any of the other candidates. I don’t get it.
<
p>As an aside, there’s no doubt that the MTA endorsement is a good thing for Capuano. And the endorsement is the product of a democratic process within the union. Still, I think “107,000 teachers give Capuano a good grade” is overstating things quite a bit. I really don’t think it’s accurate to imply that 107,000 teachers have endorsed Capuano.
Sorry you had a bad experience supporting Hillary. She and her husband and her campaign gave as good as she got. You cite this reference because you think everyone agrees the criticism Hillary received was unfair in order to get your readers to believe my criticism is unfair. My criticism is specific and measured. If you take issue with specific assertions, we can debate it. If you say how much this makes you feel like you felt when people were unfairly criticizing Hillary, then we really don’t have much of a basis to go forward with.
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p>In Boston City Hall, crimes of public records violations and aforementioned crimes in order to conceal corruption is possible if not likely. If you don’t like the word crook so be it. You should at least acknowledge the serious of the situation and that it is Coakley’s tardy entry into the case that led to the situation of the election of a mayor preceding the AG determination of that same Mayor’s complicity. (You do know that Menino’s top policy guy, the one who Federal investigators went to for documents on two federal corruption cases was unable to produce the documents and has taken a leave of absence?)
<
p>
<
p>Reply to comments where people call her a neo-con, don’t blame me for it.
<
p>
<
p>All criticism is not the same. It’s up to you to evaluate. Just becuase it’s unfair to characterize her as a neo-con does not mean it’s unfair to hold her accountable for her late arrival in the Boston City Hall public records investigation or her firm resistance if not refusal to explain her office’s involvement from Oct 7 to Oct 22.
<
p>One of the main points I am making is that Coakley’s communication skills are, as they stand, inadequate. It has less to do with her elocution than with her inclination. I am comparing her responses (or lack of them really) to how Franken faced a difficult interrogatory and won the opposition over. Coakley chooses to duck it. Before you say I’m lying, do some research. She has been ducking questions about her offices involvement in the investigation from Oct 7 to Oct 22. Don’t you want your Senator to be able to field questions, difficult and easy, do well answering them and to reinforce the idea that our democratic republic is an open government not conducted behind closed doors by elites who don’t have an obligation to inform the masses on their positions and their reasons for it?
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p>There is no question Coakley is tough-minded and tough on crime. She is not a good communicator.
I think it was clear that I was replying to your post specifically, and also commenting on the attitude I find pervading a lot of posts about Coakley. I’m not sure why you suggest that I might want to call you a liar. I never even hinted that I felt that. However, the crux of my reply to you was that it is unfair to expect a prosecutor to comment at length about an ongoing investigation, and to claim that the difference between her situation and a Senator talking to constituents comes down to poor communications skills. You somehow managed to ignore the only part of my comment that was directed specifically to what you wrote.
<
p>And I realize that no one wants to refight the 2008 primaries, but since you mention it, there’s no way the Clinton’s gave as good as they got. I’ve never seen a Democratic candidate trated as viciously as Hillary was by other Dems.
How about criticizing my assertions on their merit and not conflating your criticism of other comments and other races with my comment?
I’ve noticed that Capuano supporters on this board spend more time talking about Coakley than Capuano, with the notable exception of Kate.
But where’s the evidence?
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p>Exhibit A: Show me a poll with Flaherty’s numbers slipping and any indication from said poll that there’s a relationship between the firefighters union endorsement and that drop.
<
p>I’ll even settle for a letter signed by 20 people who changed their mind in the mayoral race due to the firefighters union endorsement. Firefighters and their families vote – if they work to turn out their members, the endorsement is a huge boost.
<
p>Exhibit B: Are Coakley’s numbers dropping? Are you really asserting that her connection to Menino and email-gate hurts here chances in this election? The Globe polled registered voters (not likely, but hey…) and while 68% were following the issue very or somewhat closely, 57% said it would have no impact on who they’d vote for. How is this not affecting Menino, but hurting Coakley?
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p>
For me, it is perfectly clear that a vote for Flaherty may be a vote for change, but it is also a vote to give the Firefighter’s union everything they want. That may help him with union members and their relatives, but is likely to be a negative for members of the other unions who clearly are not going to be getting the same sweetheart deals. I know several other people who feel the same way. I don’t know if I would say that any of us changed our minds because of this, because his relationship with the union was in place when he entered the race.
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p>The union endorsement definitely was a big deal for Flaherty and put him over the top vs. Yoon, but because he has done absolutely nothing to distance himself from the abuses of some of the union membership, this has indeed hurt his chances. To be clear, I don’t think it is the endorsement itself that is hurting him, but everything that he has said or refused to say with respect to the union since that time. You don’t promise a contract within the first 100 days if you haven’t already negotiated the terms with the union in advance.
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p>I find it hard to believe that Coakley’s involvement in the e-mail investigation is going to hurt her that much. I doubt too many people outside of Boston care about the issue all that much. It is still her race to lose.
but how is this different from anything that came up, say, after Finneran’s indictment?
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p>I’m always dubious when someone tells me this year is different. Maybe I shouldn’t be because 9/11 changed everything!
How is it different from the immediate aftermath of Mr. Finneran’s indictment?
<
p>Scale.
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p>I think its something like hygienic practices in a restaurant. If one dishwasher occasionally fails to wash her hands after using the toilet, it might not be problem. If nobody washes their hands, and the hot water has been disconnected from the dishwashing machine, then occasional patrons start getting sick a day or so after eating there.
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p>Sooner or later, the establishment comes to the attention of the authorities and gets cited. One citation is not the end of the world. If the owners of the restaurant don’t get the message, and the restaurant starts to collect citations from the health department for sanitation and the building inspector for electrical code violations and the police for selling booze to minors — eventually, sooner or later, the restaurant will go out of business.
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p>The much-vaunted ethics reform legislation was certainly a step in the right direction — and a much smaller step than most folks wanted, and I suggest a much smaller step than Governor Patrick’s “change” constituency expected.
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p>I think a LOT of people are paying attention to the disability/pension scandal. I think MORE people are paying attention to the Wilkerson/Turner fiasco, and asking “who were they paying off” — hence the interest in the email destruction.
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p>I think that when Governor Patrick took office, we lost the ability to blame “those blimey Republicans in the Corner Office”. I think we’ve had three years of total domination of local government — a Democratic mayor of Boston, a Democratic lege, a Democratic Governor — and we have precious little change to show for it.
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p>I think the police, fire, and transit worker unions are the epicenter. While they represent a lot of votes, they are becoming (if not already are) symbols of widespread economic discontent. There are a lot of 55 year olds without pensions and without health insurance who are very unhappy that taxpayer-funded employees ever retired at 40. Same with the life-long tax-exempt disability plans. Each round of federal indictments clicks up the volume.
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p>I’ve been following Massachusetts politics since I moved here in 1974. The last time I remember anything like this level of animosity was just prior to the Prop 2 1/2 campaign, just after Ronald Reagan was elected. I think it’s more intense now, and I think that, unfortunately, it’s better grounded in fact than the Prop 2 1/2 angst was.
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p>It’s bad, folks. It’s not just bad in the “comment” section of the Globe, people are genuinely hurting and genuinely pissed off.
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p>
on No Child Left Behind — it was a pretty detailed answer, specifically around the issue of unfunded federal mandates. I’m guessing it was an important factor for this endorsement.
—
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p>check it out: http://www.leftahead.com/?p=325
don’t pay much attention. For some folks out there, the candidates all kind of blur together. I have lots of colleagues at school who ask me who I’m supporting because they just don’t have enough information.
I haven’t seen too many MTA members vote for/against a candidate because of the union endorsement, but it does open up a lot of money…
However, unions with big political operations do try to measure whether their members are voting for candidates they endorsed, and generally they do.
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p>This was the general election, not a primary, but according to the AFL-CIO, in 2006 74% of union voters voted for House candidates that were endorsed by unions.
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p>It often doesn’t come down to switching peoples opinions, but rather turning people out, something that money helps, but volunteers make happen. Union call centers ID members who support their candidate and push like mad to get them out – MTA members who support Coakley shouldn’t expect reminder calls leading up to the election, which far too often, means that person doesn’t vote.
The title of this post is not accurate. The MTA endorsement is given by a vote taken by a handful of MTA Vote board members. traditionally this vote is given as a payback or pay forward for a politician who has done the union favors in the past and is strongly influenced by the union’s lobbyists. The Capuano endorsement by this group comes as little surprise as he is the insiders insider in this field of candidates.
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p>As a former high school teacher and MTA member, I can attest to the fact that thee directives from the grand poobahs on Ashburton Place often fall on deaf ears in the teachers room. Secretaries at MTA offices are higher paid than many teachers who (by their mandated dues) are paying them.
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p>I know one former MTA vote board member who has a Coakley sign on her lawn and stuck to her car…and I can’t imagine that a robo call from Ann Wass will unstick her.
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p>Teachers for Coakley…smiling as they pull the lever.
in an open democratic process. After some deliberation and informed by Capuano’s record.
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p>More from the Globe article quoted above.
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p>
Judy is exactly right. Union endorsement processes, on the whole, are very democratic in nature. Membership committees interview candidates and review candidate questionairres. Officers and/or Executive Board members – elected by the union membership’s direct vote – then vote on an endorsement.
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p>This is a far more democratic and inclusive process then the $5,000 corporate PAC contributions being handed out in this election. Corporations use PAC funds generated from profits (and consumers who purchase goods and services have no say in where that PAC money goes).
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p>No Union believes it’s endorsement is a lockstep concept to its members. Most union endorsement announcements to members include a statment that says “How you vote is a personal decision. Please take the time to consider the reasons our union has endorsed {candidate x or XY} and please make sure you vote.
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p>The resources a Union endorsement brings include the ability to direcvtly communicate with members and members families; assist with voter registration; encourage volunteers for an endorsed campaign; and political contributions.
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p>Congressman Capuano and AG Coakley have earned respect and support from a variety of Unions. That speaks to their commitment to workers issues anf the fact that they have records Unions can review, not just radio and TV ads claiming to hold a position.
Far more democratic endorsement process then a BMG PAC.
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p>Sorry, couldn’t resist.
They’re sentimental, if you know what I mean
They love the country and want to influence the scene.
Tho they’re more left than right
They’re not staying home tonight,
to get lost in that hopeless little screen.
And they’re stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay,
They’re not junk and they’re holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the B.M.G.
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p>Sail on, sail on
O mighty BMG!
To the Shores of Need
Past the Reefs of Greed
Through the Squalls of Hate
Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on.
<
p>apologies to Leonard Cohen’s very wonderful Democracy is Coming to the USA http://www.azlyrics.com
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p>If one of you guys could record this for your pac site, I’ll will contribute. Of course, because I’m a dreaded lobbyist my contribution is limited to $200.00
It will definitely go on the front page 😉
but maybe I’ll put it up as a comment on your dollar fundraiser and see if we can get any more pledges.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the way the endorsement was arrived at, but it still doesn’t mean that 107,000 teachers gave Mike Capuano a good grade. 131 million people voted in the 2008 election. Congress can legitimtely pass a law because it is a duly elected body, but it wouldn’t be accurate to say that 131 million people support whatever action Congress takes.
My wife joked that she was glad to find out who she was voting for from the TV.
<
p>But seriously, it is a good get for Capuano, especially for a primary. I only really remember general election mailers from the union, but they were strong on informing the members about their endorsees.