Ms. Motheral,

I cannot explain why your commuinty organization (East Mt. Airy Neighbors) and your nearby neighbors did not rally to what seemed to have merit. I am a private citizen, still working, not part of any government organization (yet), and cannot take on every citizen situaiton that comes to my attention, and you are not alone by a longshot.

What I have done in the past is spearhead or participate in some issues where there was no regular forum for relief or opportunity for grievance, and yes, I have written commentary on them that has been published and advanced the issues.

You have alluded to conspiratorial activity to deny you rights and access and if I remember correctly, you claimed that a promient local politician had some ownership in the property prior to the purchase and development. Those kinds of situations are very common in this district, and ongoing.

Does the public get pushed around by a cozy relationship between the Council Office, favored developers, and key city leaders who help the inside players win most times? - - absoutely! Is the 8th District run something like Tammany Hall, laughing at any possiblity of reform - -assuredly!

Reform for this pervasively corrupt system has to come from the top, as individual successes are very coslty in time and money that few have to fight this system. Don't blame the indivduals who volunteer all of their time for not fighting or winning every battle. Because I understand how difficult it is to work within this protected system I have to run as an Independent and bring forward the facts that are largely buried from now until election day.

Jim Foster

Welcome, "Independents." As a Green I want independence from a flawed system which is an incubator for corruption.

I propose to introduce legislation limiting city councilmembers to three terms, legislation establishing an instant runoff system between the two highest vote getters when the field has three or more candidates and the highest vote-getter is short of a majority, legislation to ban handguns within city limits...

And I seek no endorsements from organizations that suckle at the teats of the Democratic Party Sow.

Brian Rudnick

Video here.

.

I'm often amused by those who claim to be the next political "messiah". They'll point fingers at the incumbent as if they were ones who created the social ills, and wear out terms such as corruption and change. My queston is.....How can we tust them to be that much different? They talk a good talk, but can (or will) they actually deliver? This my friends, is part of the electoral process for better or worse. It's been going on for centuries. I'm certain no great leader in history has been immune to critism an conjecture.

I am even more amused as to how we are always looking for the next messiah...the one who will solve our problems with the wave of a wand.
Let's get real fellow bloggers. We pound away at our keyboards, bashing the incumbent (and sometimes her opponents) with no real objective in mind except for excercising our First Admendment right or to impress others with our command of the English language.

The bottom line is that neither Foster, Rudnick or Brown have a snowball's chance of winning in November. So, let's for once, look at the real picture without fantasizing about a "perfect world" (or at least 8th District). DRM will win. Why? It's about numbers... pure and simple. Here's my assessment:

1) Racial polarization Part I: The Eighth is predominately African American. This means that Foster and Rudnick will have a heck of a time getting that demographic to lean in their direction. Like it or not, they (Rudnick and Foster) have a disconnect with the African American community. (Foster has also managed to piss-off almost everyone in Chestnut Hill behind he allegations of financial impropriety in the CHCA, so he will also lose a lot of White votes)

2) Go with what you know: Miller, with all her faults (real and/or perceived) will be the chosen one, particularly in North Philly, Nicetown, Tioga, Logan, West Oak Lane and parts of Germantown. She's done a lot for development especially in North Philly and Tioga. Also, she has name recognition, and people will vote for her on that alone. I call it "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know" logic. (She may even pick up some of the Chestnut folks who are pissed at Foster)

3) Racial Polarization II: On the flip side...Brown, an African American from Nicetown, has virtually has no pull in the predominately White sections of the District, in spite of the Acklesberg endorsement. And because of the Acklesberg endorsement, African American voters will view him as a turn-coat. Hey, I call it as I see it.

4) All three WILL split the vote.

5) E-Day ops: The "Miller Machine" has an uncanny ability to get people on the street on election day. Say what you want about how Miller is as a Councilwoman, but her E-day field operations are stellar...it's been cited the best in the city next to Jannie Blackwell's. She can get scores of people at the polls. This was evident in May's primary. Cindy Bass could have beaten Miller, but Bass lacked that main ingredient....election day workers. Miller had over 1,000 people on the street and at the polls during the May primary.

This, my friends, is where elections are won or lost. Yes, I know some of you out there would like to belive that elections are about issues and such...and in a perfect world they should be. However, at the end of the day it's not so much about issues as it is about numbers.

6) Ship Jumpers: A lot of power-brokers who did not support DRM in the primary, have already eaten crow and pledged their loyalty to her in November. Why? Well....you don't have to be a MENSA member to figure that one out.

Jim foster said it best, "Philly politics plays hardball..in Germantown, you play with the gloves off".

I am a realist. Miller will win, and if anyone had any sense, they would attach themselves to her and ride the next four years out. Want to change the system? What better way to change it than from within? As long as we fight her, we'll get nothing but frustrated.

Miller didn't make the rules of the game, she simply plays by them. Since I don't see the rules changing much (they haven't since the days of the Roman Empire), I opt to support Miller. Not because I think she's some great visionary or leader, but becauce she's a real fighter in the Philadelphia sense of the word.

I don't see that kind of quality on the other three. Foster comes off as too intellectual..almost in a psuedo kind of way. Brown, strikes me as a man with higher ambitions beyond the 8th Council seat. Rudnick is just too 1960's "*** by yah-ish".

Anyway, it's up to the individual as to why they choose whoever it is they will choose. But, if I had to place a bet, it would be on Miller.

I'm often amused by those who claim to be the next political "messiah". They'll point fingers at the incumbent as if they were ones who created the social ills, and wear out terms such as corruption and change. My queston is.....How can we tust them to be that much different? They talk a good talk, but can (or will) they actually deliver? This my friends, is part of the electoral process for better or worse. It's been going on for centuries. I'm certain no great leader in history has been immune to critism an conjecture.

I am even more amused as to how we are always looking for the next messiah...the one who will solve our problems with the wave of a wand.
Let's get real fellow bloggers. We pound away at our keyboards, bashing the incumbent (and sometimes her opponents) with no real objective in mind except for excercising our First Admendment right or to impress others with our command of the English language.

The bottom line is that neither Foster, Rudnick or Brown have a snowball's chance of winning in November. So, let's for once, look at the real picture without fantasizing about a "perfect world" (or at least 8th District). DRM will win. Why? It's about numbers... pure and simple. Here's my assessment:

1) Racial polarization Part I: The Eighth is predominately African American. This means that Foster and Rudnick will have a heck of a time getting that demographic to lean in their direction. Like it or not, they (Rudnick and Foster) have a disconnect with the African American community. (Foster has also managed to piss-off almost everyone in Chestnut Hill behind he allegations of financial impropriety in the CHCA, so he will also lose a lot of White votes)

2) Go with what you know: Miller, with all her faults (real and/or perceived) will be the chosen one, particularly in North Philly, Nicetown, Tioga, Logan, West Oak Lane and parts of Germantown. She's done a lot for development especially in North Philly and Tioga. Also, she has name recognition, and people will vote for her on that alone. I call it "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know" logic. (She may even pick up some of the Chestnut folks who are pissed at Foster)

3) Racial Polarization II: On the flip side...Brown, an African American from Nicetown, has virtually has no pull in the predominately White sections of the District, in spite of the Acklesberg endorsement. And because of the Acklesberg endorsement, African American voters will view him as a turn-coat. Hey, I call it as I see it.

4) All three WILL split the vote.

5) E-Day ops: The "Miller Machine" has an uncanny ability to get people on the street on election day. Say what you want about how Miller is as a Councilwoman, but her E-day field operations are stellar...it's been cited the best in the city next to Jannie Blackwell's. She can get scores of people at the polls. This was evident in May's primary. Cindy Bass could have beaten Miller, but Bass lacked that main ingredient....election day workers. Miller had over 1,000 people on the street and at the polls during the May primary.

This, my friends, is where elections are won or lost. Yes, I know some of you out there would like to belive that elections are about issues and such...and in a perfect world they should be. However, at the end of the day it's not so much about issues as it is about numbers.

6) Ship Jumpers: A lot of power-brokers who did not support DRM in the primary, have already eaten crow and pledged their loyalty to her in November. Why? Well....you don't have to be a MENSA member to figure that one out.

Jim foster said it best, "Philly politics plays hardball..in Germantown, you play with the gloves off".

I am a realist. Miller will win, and if anyone had any sense, they would attach themselves to her and ride the next four years out. Want to change the system? What better way to change it than from within? As long as we fight her, we'll get nothing but frustrated.

Miller didn't make the rules of the game, she simply plays by them. Since I don't see the rules changing much (they haven't since the days of the Roman Empire), I opt to support Miller. Not because I think she's some great visionary or leader, but becauce she's a real fighter in the Philadelphia sense of the word.

I don't see that kind of quality on the other three. Foster comes off as too intellectual..almost in a psuedo kind of way. Brown, strikes me as a man with higher ambitions beyond the 8th Council seat. Rudnick is just too 1960's "*** by yah-ish".

Anyway, it's up to the individual as to why they choose whoever it is they will choose. But, if I had to place a bet, it would be on Miller.

I'm often amused by those who claim to be the next political "messiah". They'll point fingers at the incumbent as if they were ones who created the social ills, and wear out terms such as corruption and change. My queston is.....How can we tust them to be that much different? They talk a good talk, but can (or will) they actually deliver? This my friends, is part of the electoral process for better or worse. It's been going on for centuries. I'm certain no great leader in history has been immune to critism an conjecture.

I am even more amused as to how we are always looking for the next messiah...the one who will solve our problems with the wave of a wand.
Let's get real fellow bloggers. We pound away at our keyboards, bashing the incumbent (and sometimes her opponents) with no real objective in mind except for excercising our First Admendment right or to impress others with our command of the English language.

The bottom line is that neither Foster, Rudnick or Brown have a snowball's chance of winning in November. So, let's for once, look at the real picture without fantasizing about a "perfect world" (or at least 8th District). DRM will win. Why? It's about numbers... pure and simple. Here's my assessment:

1) Racial polarization Part I: The Eighth is predominately African American. This means that Foster and Rudnick will have a heck of a time getting that demographic to lean in their direction. Like it or not, they (Rudnick and Foster) have a disconnect with the African American community. (Foster has also managed to piss-off almost everyone in Chestnut Hill behind he allegations of financial impropriety in the CHCA, so he will also lose a lot of White votes)

2) Go with what you know: Miller, with all her faults (real and/or perceived) will be the chosen one, particularly in North Philly, Nicetown, Tioga, Logan, West Oak Lane and parts of Germantown. She's done a lot for development especially in North Philly and Tioga. Also, she has name recognition, and people will vote for her on that alone. I call it "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know" logic. (She may even pick up some of the Chestnut folks who are pissed at Foster)

3) Racial Polarization II: On the flip side...Brown, an African American from Nicetown, has virtually has no pull in the predominately White sections of the District, in spite of the Acklesberg endorsement. And because of the Acklesberg endorsement, African American voters will view him as a turn-coat. Hey, I call it as I see it.

4) All three WILL split the vote.

5) E-Day ops: The "Miller Machine" has an uncanny ability to get people on the street on election day. Say what you want about how Miller is as a Councilwoman, but her E-day field operations are stellar...it's been cited the best in the city next to Jannie Blackwell's. She can get scores of people at the polls. This was evident in May's primary. Cindy Bass could have beaten Miller, but Bass lacked that main ingredient....election day workers. Miller had over 1,000 people on the street and at the polls during the May primary.

This, my friends, is where elections are won or lost. Yes, I know some of you out there would like to belive that elections are about issues and such...and in a perfect world they should be. However, at the end of the day it's not so much about issues as it is about numbers.

6) Ship Jumpers: A lot of power-brokers who did not support DRM in the primary, have already eaten crow and pledged their loyalty to her in November. Why? Well....you don't have to be a MENSA member to figure that one out.

Jim foster said it best, "Philly politics plays hardball..in Germantown, you play with the gloves off".

I am a realist. Miller will win, and if anyone had any sense, they would attach themselves to her and ride the next four years out. Want to change the system? What better way to change it than from within? As long as we fight her, we'll get nothing but frustrated.

Miller didn't make the rules of the game, she simply plays by them. Since I don't see the rules changing much (they haven't since the days of the Roman Empire), I opt to support Miller. Not because I think she's some great visionary or leader, but becauce she's a real fighter in the Philadelphia sense of the word.

I don't see that kind of quality on the other three. Foster comes off as too intellectual..almost in a psuedo kind of way. Brown, strikes me as a man with higher ambitions beyond the 8th Council seat. Rudnick is just too 1960's "*** by yah-ish".

Anyway, it's up to the individual as to why they choose whoever it is they will choose. But, if I had to place a bet, it would be on Miller.

[quote=shadow;550035]I'm often amused by those who claim to be the next political "messiah".

I haven't heard a claim of messiah status from any of the candidates, unless you think calling yourself qualified is over the top.

If by street operation you mean money to pay people to work for her, DRM has had a street operation in the past. In that regard she had more going on than those who ran against her in previous elections. But the money available to her previously is not there anymore. As I recall she is pretty much tapped out after the primary. It will be interesting to see how the engine in the "Miller Machine" turns over without a full tank of gas.

I heard a very interesting rational as a backgrounder for why "power brokers" who are going to support Miller are doing so - and its not because they don't want her to be mad at them. Thats the interesting thing about political animals - behind all the political subterfuge there's more political subterfuge.

"Miller will win, and if anyone had any sense, they would attach themselves to her and ride the next four years out. Want to change the system? What better way to change it than from within? As long as we fight her, we'll get nothing but frustrated."

What makes you think that she or anyone that "works" with her would let some political opportunist(s) that close to the meal ticket? Or that anyone with shred of self respect would "attach" themselves like political lamprey to an operation whose only talent is staying where it is?

Hi,

I fixed your post in the above quote so it makes your point more directly and succinctly.

You're welcome.

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Another push for Brain:

Brian Rudnick has a bit of an advantage himself. I was out with him on the day of the primary, and he was just introducing himself to everyone in the district! It was great going out there and seeing it, and a lot of new people know who he is.

But to the race at hand:

FOUR people running against her now?

It really does seem to be about ego's now, especially since Brian has been running since March for the seat. Either Brown or Foster could have given their support for Brian instead. Then again, I don't know what the conversations and ideas behind these two other campaigns are, and I have no idea at all WHY they're running right now, so I can't really say much at this point.

I do know this: DRM has the single worst website I've ever seen!

http://www.friendsofdrm.com/

Oh god! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!!!!

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http://www.friendsofdrm.com/

Wow. That's all I can say. Just... wow.

I had a good discussion w/a friend re: all the anti-DRM candidates out there. He had what seems to be a very simple idea: pick a time before the general election- say, 1 mo. before- and run a quick poll at that time to see which of the three current candidates finishes first. Then, the two who finish behind the leader promise to give their support to that individual. This has a reasonable chance of resulting in DRM being ejected from City Council before being arrested for something or another.

The challenge, naturally, would be to get Foster, Brown, + Rudnick to all agree to this scheme. My main objection is that egos would get in the way; after all, none of them would be running if they didn't feel that they were the best candidate. But, if the main goal is to get a non-comatose City Council rep for the 8th District, this is an approach which could work.

Thoughts?
-Z