Hillary has a challenger for the primary in NY State

[im10ashus]

Jonathan Tasini is challenging Hillary Clinton for her Senate seat. I REALLY like what I am reading and hearing and wondered what my fellow DUers thoughts were.

Here's a link:

http://www.tasinifornewyork.com/

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. I think he'll get trounced upstate eom

[im10ashus]

2. But we can give him a chance first.

I think he would actually do better upstate. But what do I know? Perhaps you could expound on your post a little?

[Fredda Weinberg]

3. I spent some time upstate

13 weeks in fact, at the University of Rochester. I came running home to Brooklyn, because I found myself surrounded by poverty downtown, comfortable suburbs and unbelievably conservative media outlets.

It helped me understand why candidates who had such strong appeal in the city failed miserably upstate.

I don't think things have changed that much, though it was decades ago. There's a cultural divide - and I had lots of interesting conversations as I took the Greyhound back and forth. Upstaters loved to shop down here, but they go back appalled at our sexual liberties, our political free-thinking ... loath and envy, as one writer coined it.

[im10ashus]

4. But they will vote for Hillary? eom

[Fredda Weinberg]

5. Everything that infuriates us comforts them

She triangulating, just like Bill did.

[Retrograde]

9. Probably: she actually acknowledges their existence

Hillary spent more time in Buffalo in her first two years in office than her predecessor did in his 24 years. That counts for something.

re Fredda Weinberg's post just before this one: no, it hasn't changed. I just got back from my semi-annual visit to my mother in Buffalo, about as far as you can be from Manhattan (literally and figuratively) and still be in the same state. If anything, that part of NYS's gotten more conservative and depressed. I'm more familiar with Buffalo than with Rochester, but they're pretty similar: a largely poor, rundown, minority-occupied city and comfortable, new, mostly white suburbs.

The upstate/downstate divide makes the North/South rivalry here in California seem like a minor difference of opinion. Briefly, NYC and environs are seen as responsible for all of western New York's problems, WNY's taxes are supporting NYC, their hemorrhaging money to downstate, etc. There's a feeling that upstate is ignored except as a revenue stream for downstate. How much of this is actually true I don't know, but it was the perception when I lived there and it's still the perception now.

I've read Tasini's website. I'm sure he's a well-intentioned person, but I have to agree with the first reply on this thread: he's going to get trounced upstate. Unless he makes an effort to know and understand the issues of the part of his state that Spitzer just compared unfavorably to Appalachia.

[MamaBear]

12. I grew up in Endicott.

I grew up in Endicott, and lived for years in Binghamton. In fact, I spent more than half of my life upstate before I moved to Manhattan.

When money for education and the arts were being passed out in the 60s and 70s, that part of the State was considered part of Apalachia and funded accordingly.

And yes, it is very conservative. It is also in total economic shambles. I think a strong environmental message might actually do well there, especially in places like Endicott, which suffers from a 350-acre underground toxic plume (VOCs) thanks to a now-departed IBM plant.

Politicians play the different parts of the state off against one another: here we are told that its the downstate taxes that cover upstate. :shrug:

[Ignacio Upton]

13. Please don't generalize Upstate

Granted it is conservative relative to the NYC metro, but it's not extreme RW. If you took away NYC, Westchester, and Long Island and all of their Democratic votes (Long Island votes Democratic now in Presidential elections and has been realigning since the early 1990's.) then you would get a swing state similar to Minnesota on the political spectrum. In fact, Central New York and Western New York ARE culturally Midwestern, at least in the fact that their accents sound similar to people in Ontario or Michigan or Chicago.

[Ignacio Upton]

14. Please don't generalize Upstate

Granted it's conservative relative to the NYC metro, but it's not extreeme RW. If you took away NYC, Westchester, and Long Island and all of their Democratic votes (Long Island votes Democratic now in Presidential elections and has been realigning since hte early 1990's.) then you would get a swing state similar to Minnesota on the political spectrum. In fact, Central New York and Western New York ARE culturally Midwestern, at least in the fact that their accents sound similar to people in Ontario or Michigan or Chicago.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. I'll most likely back Tasini, although....

there's a third candidate, Steve Greenfield, from New Paltz, who is also better than Hillary. Tasini seems capable of mounting the more significant primary challenge.

Clinton will win because of $$$ and celebrity but a big anti-Clinton primary vote will send a message to the NYS DEM party, which is freakishly RW relative to the national party, to stop fielding such dismal candidates.

Also, a big Tasini, antiwar, anti-Hillary vote will scare off some national $$$$ people and thereby weaken Hillary's chances against better ( and more *electable*) people in the presidential primaries.

[egadsbrain]

8. hmmm... this makes sense

I'm definitely going to check Tasini out. Cindy Sheehan is backing him too, I see. That's a powerfull endorsement IMO!

:thumbsup:

[Zimmy44]

7. I'm supporting Tasini because...

I'm tired of a a great liberal state like New York having a Senator who so tirelessly works the angles on issues to make everyone happy, rather than taking advantage of her position as a Senator from New York to promote a progressive agenda. She's squandering precious political capital, if you want to put it that way. My support is meant to be 'spent', not squandered. And that's why I've donated Jonathan's campaign, and hope everyone else - NYer or not - will do the same.

[LynneSin]

10. Have you considered that Senators represent the ENTIRE STATE

And not just you?

[sabbat hunter]

15. hillary

has done a great job for ny. did she vote for the iraq war? yes, but then so did most senators due to the lies that * administration gave out.

i fully support hillary in her reeelection bid and wish nothing but the best to her opponent in other future endevors.

[Catchawave]

11. Hillary needs to commit to a full Senate term !

Hope that helps :hi:

[sabbat hunter]

16. even if she did

it wouldnt mean that she couldnt "change her mind" later on. many a politician has said they "commit to a full term" then ran for a higher office anyway.

[mdmc]

17. no one was at my county convention

:shrug:

[shadowknows69]

18. I haven't looked into him but I've heard some

and I hate to be a "anybody but" voter but in Hilary's case I think Tasini has my vote locked up. Win or not we need to send a message to Miss Arkansas that NY don't play.