Sun 9 Oct 2005
Lot of negativity on the blogosphere over the Brown Hackett Senate race. Maybe I’m a part of the problem. It’s not enough to just be mad at things, you’ve got to be for something.
I support Paul Hackett over Sherrod Brown for Senate. Here’s why.
Iraq
We need new voices on Iraq. We need vision. When Paul Hackett talks about Iraq people listen. We need that. Hackett is saying the same thing as millions of frustrated Americans who want us out of there. But here’s saying it from the perspective of someone who’s lived it. That gives it strength. We need change. Paul Hackett can make that happen.
Untouchable
Since Paul Hackett has walked the walk many of the Republican slime machine’s best attacks don’t work. It’s like he’s bullet proof. B.S. bounces off of him. He’s rubber and they’re glue. He’s not just talking about things, he’s lived it. He’s lived their stupidity. He’s lived their failures. That makes him a big threat to Republicans.
Guns
Guns is a huge wedge issue for Mike DeWine. The NRA is already talking about targetting him. Paul Hackett can exploit that wedge. I’ve never shot a gun in my life. I hate gun violence but I know that the way to reduce violence is good jobs. We won’t reduce the violence by just complaining.
Cross-over votes
Hackett’s credibility on Iraq, support of gun rights and overall straight talking make him a powerful cross-over candidate. When we get a new voter we swing things one vote. When we get a Republican to vote for us we swing two votes. Paul Hackett can earn those Republican votes. I’ve watched him do it.
Leadership
Paul Hackett inspires people to act. The Democratic county parties in the 2nd district are energized because of him. It’s hard to quantify leadership. You can’t just start a blog and expect thousands of people to dump money on you. Paul Hackett inspired people to do that.
It’s More Then Being Right
Democrats have been right and lost for so long it’s just sad. Sherrod Brown is very right. But will he win? I’m tired of being right and losing. I’m tired of being a victim. We need fresh blood. We need to jumpstart things. It’s more than about complaining about the opposition and pointing to your voting record. Losing a vote shouldn’t be something to put on your resume. We need action. We need leadership. We need something fresh, as James Caville said during the special. Paul Hackett does that.
Sherrod Brown is a great Congressman and he’d make a great Senator. I just support Paul Hackett more. No matter who wins the nomination I’ll be proud to support them.
5 Responses to “I Like Winning”
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October 9th, 2005 at 7:57 pm
I don’t think you are part of the problem and I agree with you on all of the points you made. Not that my opinion will matter to any of those who are trying to make it seem like it is Hackett supporters who are the problem but I believe Sherrod as he stated himself can contribute alot more staying where he is at this point. It doesnt make any sense to me to not run a candidate that can inspire people like me who typically don’t get inspired by many. Paul Hackett creates that feeling for alot of people, I’ve seen it.
October 9th, 2005 at 9:05 pm
Editor’s analysis is excellent. I would also like to add another reason for supporting Paul, if he runs. Paul will get mucho FREE PUBLICITY, which is critical for a win, and which makes him THE front runner, in my mind. Whatever coverage can be gotten for free puts Paul in a position of fiscal and psychological strength. Less expenditure of critical resources. Because Paul was so well received by ‘the’ media people and networked sucessfully during the Special Election he will be inundated with follow-up requests for appearances. For free. This aspect of a campaign is ‘priceless’.
Further to LisaRenee’s comment, I feel those of us that support Paul are part of the solution, not part of the problem.
October 10th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
It is only about Being Right. Anything else is just pure garbage.
You say you are tired of being right and losing. If you want to be wrong and win, become a Republican.
“You May Say I’m a Dreamer But I’m Not the Only One” - John Lennon
October 10th, 2005 at 12:39 pm
Ahh Jeff… he crazy dreamer.
Read Milton’s Areopagetica. Right and wrong are not just fixed entities. The Secretary General of the UN says that it was illegal to invade Iraq. Does that make all of our soldiers war criminals? Is dropping a cluster bomb murder? Does our paying taxes to fund the CIA make us all criminals? We have to play the hand that God dealt us, not just live in a crystal tower of idealism.
To goal is to move the ball down the field. We all compramise ourselves every minute of every day. Our clothes made by children in sweat shops. Our diamond rings mined by slave labor. Our very nation built through slavery and genocide. If we were to only do what was right, shouldn’t we all be turning ourselves in to the world criminal court? We all truly were born into original sin, and we sin more every minute of every day. But flogging ourselves won’t make the sin go away. It won’t stop the injustive. Losing won’t suddenly change any lives. We’ve got to make things happen. We’ve got to move forward.
October 10th, 2005 at 1:30 pm
Milton’s probably out for now. I am so far behind on my reading. I agree it is not as simple as right and wrong. There is “grey” in the world. But there is often black and white, right and wrong. This war in Iraq is wrong. (but not because of the UN) Dropping cluster bombs on civilian or mixed targets would be wrong. Some actions by the CIA have been wrong. We should play the hand that God dealt us and wear our idealism like an overcoat.
The goal is indeed to move the ball down the field. The problem is that Democrats have repeatedly been fading back to pass only to be sacked.
You say we have got to move forward. Amen to that. Which way is forward? Certainly, as you point out, away from sweat shops, slavery and genocide. Forward is a direction and maybe not the easiest direction to go.
“we do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” - John F. Kennedy