I have decided to run as a Democrat (U.S. Congress)

[liberalcapitalist]

I had previously considered running under a coalition of third-party support, including the American Reform and Natural Law Parties, and hopefully the Greens, Independence, and any others who would take me. I still intend on securing these endorsements, but I have decided that I will also seek the Democratic nomination. I have added a ton of new stuff to my site-- I intend on winning with ideas.

http://www.jay.seagraves.com/2004.htm

[wuushew]

1. Holy shit dude the GOP was born in your district!

http://www.house.gov/nicksmith/aboutdistrict.htm

The Republican Party was founded in Jackson (Jackson County) in 1854


and the ADA gives your man Smith a lifetime rating of 10 out of 100 on the liberal scale

http://www.adaction.org/ho00024.htm

[mb7588a]

4. Several places lay claim to that... don't they?

I think there's one in Wisconsin.

[wuushew]

7. Apparently

These two rounds of meetings in opposition to the measure mark the start of the Republican party, but people at the time, and historians since then, have disagreed over which meeting deserves credit for founding the Republican party. The principal claimants were Ripon, Wis., and Jackson, Mich. In Ripon, A. E. Bovay headed an anti-Nebraska meeting on Feb. 28, 1854, which led to a state convention in Madison on July 13, 1854. However, a similar meeting had occurred a week earlier in Jackson, Mich. Both groups described themselves as "Republicans," the old label formerly used by followers of Thomas JEFFERSON.

http://gi.grolier.com/presidents/ea/side/rparty.html

[liberalcapitalist]

5. yes, and the GOP has wreaked havoc on the people too

7% of households earn less than $10,000.

Nick Smith is from the same small town where I went to high school-- only 690 people! He graduated with my grandma in a class of like 20. His mega estate is about two miles from where I grew up, and most everyone in that town doesn't care for him too much. It's time for a change.

[Lisa0825]

2. Best of luck to you with your campaign!!!:-)

[mb7588a]

3. Woo!

I love seeing us young guys run for office. Good luck! :toast:

:yourock:

[liberalcapitalist]

6. you should run too

Even if you have a strong Dem competitor (i.e. incumbent), get in the primary if for no other reason that to register some young voters.

[La_Serpiente]

8. I am still concerned over your posistion on Affirmative Action

http://www.jay.seagraves.com/platform/citizens.htm#4

Affirmative Action should be about class not race; empower America's poor of all ethnic backgrounds
There was a time when race-based Affirmative Action programs may have been necessary. Following years of unfair treatment, African Americans in particular may have never been able to gain equality without such unfortunate measures. However, I feel that the time to close this painful wound has come, and that Affirmative Action should henceforth be about class, not race.

Unfortunately, the lingering effects of discrimination are still being felt by the majority of black Americans. Therefore, the reconstitution of Affirmative Action to be about class and not race would still include them. However, there are poor members from every ethnic background, including whites, who should be empowered as well. Eliminating racial distinctions in government programs would do away with much of the racial mistrust exchanged by whites and blacks in the workforce.

There are many African Americans and members of other minority groups who have escaped the cycle of poverty and discrimination, and for them, Affirmative Action should have no role. Let's put a rest to the hurtful notion that white people lose jobs to minorities, or that minorities in certain positions may not be as qualified as whites. Let's remove the divisive force of race-based legislation that plays poor whites vs. poor blacks. Let's unite the working classes of all racial and religious groups to empower our small businesses, middle class, and working poor.

But that will be your posistion. We have already debated it here on DU.

[liberalcapitalist]

9. restate my position one last time

Poor Black people would still receive the benefits of affirmative action under a plan that reconstituted it to be about class, not race. So is what you're saying that rich Black people need help over poor whites?

Here is my outreach to African Americans:

http://www.jay.seagraves.com/groups/minorities.htm#aa

African Americans
African Americans make up nearly 10% of the population of our district, but they have no real representation. If elected, I will change this. My platform aggressively attacks racism through increased funding for education, economic empowerment of the poor, revitalizing our inner cities, and reconsidering laws that disproportionately target minorities. I favor reformation of our criminal justice system (which disproportionately targets blacks) so that rehabilitation is the focus of imprisonment, and I favor the abolition of the death penalty, which is carried out in a manner that is unjust towards African Americans and other minorities. Black families are less likely to have health care coverage than white families, and thus, my firm advocacy of universal health coverage is especially important to African Americans.

While it is true that I favor reforming Affirmative Action, I would not support any such measure unless it empowered all of America's poor-- many of whom, unfortunately, happen to be black. Making Affirmative Action about race instead of class allows the powers that be to drive a wedge between poor whites and poor blacks, and we need to take this power away from those who wield it against us. Furthermore, I would support any and all laws that focused on eliminating racial discrimination in the work place, in financial matters (loan approvals, etc.), and in housing. The Constitution calls for the equal protection of all under the law, and I will fight to make sure that this is enforced.

I am of the first generation to grow up in an environment where racism was not openly nurtured and promoted. I grew up exposed to black culture, enjoying and embracing it in the forms of entertainment and history. My roommate and most of my friends at Siena Heights, where I attended college, were black. Many racists say "some of my best friends are black," but I offer this information only to demonstrate that the very idea of racism is foreign to my thought process, as it is to many members of my generation. When people of my age begin to take control of our democracy, we will soon see racism retreat from the mainstream to the far reaches of society. The sooner that this happens, the better for all.

[AP]

13. That just allows racsim to occur everywhere else along the economic ladder

Say the same thing about women and you woudn't get women's votes.

Think about what happens at GM. Colleges and MBA programs make an effort to get people of all races, genders, and class backgrounds into the programs. Then, GM applies similar programs to get women and black employees. But you know what they don't about? They don't care about class, because once you're armed with a Harvard MBA, class isn't going to matter. You're going to get real paid, if you can get the job.

Now, you're working your way up the ranks within GM. Unless they're still caring about race and class when it comes to the jump to the executive suites, women and minorities will hit the glass ceiling, EVEN THOUGH they're all the same class, making the same amount of money, belonging to the same clubs, etc.

How does a class-based program help those people? It doesn't at all.

Also, consider the army. Everyone who goes into the army is the same class. What does a class-based program achieve in the army? NOTHING.

We have problems with class, and there should be class-based programs to solve them. We have problems with gender and race, and, respectively, there should be gender and race based programs to solve them. You don't solve gender discrimination with race-based program, and you don't solve gender and race discrimination with a class-based program.

You really need to rethink your position on this. If you don't want to trot around Jackson talking about how great you are on race, then leave it out altogether, but don't be against affirmative action. And if your oponent brings it up, hit them with I just said and make it sound like they'd want to turn gender-based AA into something else, and get the women mad.

[liberalcapitalist]

16. you guys have made me rethink my position on this

I am an idealist, and from a philosophical perspective, government recognition of race is wrong. Recognition of race is the core of racism, and I can also tell you without doubt that Affirmative Action-- regardless of the good it does-- perpetuates racism. I'm from the world of hip hop, and I grew up on Public Enemy and KRS ONE. I do not believe in "reverse racism" or that Blacks are capable of inflicting racism on whites. I don't believe that affirmative action is "racist against whites." I think it perpetuates racism against Blacks. However, there doesn't seem to be a way I can win on this issue. Furthermore, the things some of you guys have said have made me rethink the reality and practicality of my idealism. There are other areas where I have had to concede some of my idealism-- i.e. the legalization of drugs-- so I guess this one will be another. But I stand by the idea that if there is to EVER be a day when AA is not needed, then it must be put to an end BEFORE that day. It's existence perpetuates its need.

I will be re-writing my platform in the near future. Thank you to everyone for helping me come to this conclusion.

[AP]

15. 'rich Black people need help over poor whites?"

I can't let this go with what I said above.

The answer to your question is YES -- to fight racism. Racism isn't something you only experience if you're poor and black.

Your question is the same question as this one: "so you're saying that women need help over poor whites?"

To fight gender discrimination, the answer is YES.

Do you fight class discrimination with AA programs for women and black people? Well, it's definitely a result of that, but what you're targeting is race and gender discrimination. And, to fight class discrimination, you target class, as college financial aid programs do.

AA doesn't have to be the ONLY program we use to solve problems. There are many others. You have to be smarter on this issue.

[eyesroll]

10. Congratulations!

I'll add you to my blog.

[Orrin_73]

11. Succes with your campaign!!

:toast:

[AP]

12. Does MI allow multi-party endorsements? I don't think so.

You're also against AA, right?

[liberalcapitalist]

17. nominations vs. endorsements

MI may not allow multi-party nominations, but they can't prevent a party from giving someone an endorsement. Parties often make endorsements without nominations.

My position on aa, which has shifted, is spelled out in this thread. I am pro-equality, anti-racism, anti-discrimination. I do not believe that "reverse racism" exists, nor that Blacks are economically capable of inflicting racism on whites. These are beliefs I have held since I was able to formulate them. Being painted as a "pseudo-racist" here has been tough on me.

[GinaMaria]

14. Best to you

Love the pic of you on your home page. Winning with ideas is a great slogan. Hope you post update threads. love to hear how it's going. Glad to see you are also from the heartland and the Great Lakes area. Seems to me this area is getting more and more Democratic.

Jay Seagraves for Congress!!

If you need help with email campaigns or something I could do to help from Illinois, let me know.

Peace,
Gina

[liberalcapitalist]

18. thank you very much

The pic gets mixed messages. Most people I know offline say it looks like I'm a wrestler-- that worked for Ventura... Online they say I look like a young Rush Limbaugh-- which may not be bad in my district.