Desperate Democrats sending mailers for Libertarians

In a sign of sure desperation, Democrat parties across the nation are sending out mail pieces that attempt to sway Republicans and Independents to support the Libertarian candidate, thus enabling the Democrat to eke out a victory.

Indiana-9: "The Indiana Democratic Party has sent an unusual mailer to 9th Congressional District voters, calling Libertarian Greg Knott the race’s “real conservative” in an attempt to siphon votes away from Republican Todd Young."

Maryland-1: "In what appears to be a national pattern, the Democratic Party is highlighting a longshot third-party candidate in an effort to undermine a Republican nominee--in this case, Andy Harris, the GOP challenger in Maryland's tightest House race." Also here.

Illinois-Senate: "The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Illinois Democratic Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias admitted yesterday that his campaign had a hand in a mailer sent to conservatives in downstate Illinois touting Libertarian Senate candidate Mike Labno as a "pro-life, pro-gun" alternative to Rep. Mark Kirk, the Republican nominee in the race." [more here]

Arizona-8: "Wow, talk about a desperate move by those whose ideas have been rejected by the populace.  The Arizona Democratic Party is sending out mail advocating for the Libertarian Candidate in CD 8 because he is the 'Real Conservative.'"

Arizona-5: "At least the Stoltz piece has a disclosure.  In District 5, someone sent out this piece on behalf of Libertarian Rick Coons but without the required disclosure." [more also here]


Desperate times require desperate measures. The Democrats must really be in trouble to stoop to sending mailers out for Libertarian candidates who openly oppose large portions of the Democrat platform and agenda (i.e. ObamaCare, gun restrictions, higher taxes, etc).

The First 'Death Panels'

The New York Times has an interesting article, detailing how the Democrats are being forced to cut loose incumbents with poor reelection chances.

Democrats Plan Political Triage to Retain House

WASHINGTON — As Democrats brace for a November wave that threatens their control of the House, party leaders are preparing a brutal triage of their own members in hopes of saving enough seats to keep a slim grip on the majority.

In the next two weeks, Democratic leaders will review new polls and other data that show whether vulnerable incumbents have a path to victory. If not, the party is poised to redirect money to concentrate on trying to protect up to two dozen lawmakers who appear to be in the strongest position to fend off their challengers.

“We are going to have to win these races one by one,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, conceding that the party would ultimately cut loose members who had not gained ground.

It looks like the first "death panels" are not with ObamaCare, but formed by the Democrats, and focused on incumbent Democrat congresspersons...

WaPo: Democrats digging harder than ever for dirt on Republicans

From the Washington Post:

The Democratic Party is moving faster and more aggressively than in previous election years to dig up unflattering details about Republican challengers. In House races from New Jersey to Ohio to California, Democratic operatives are seizing on evidence of GOP candidates' unpaid income taxes, property tax breaks and ties to financial firms that received taxpayer bailout money.

In recent weeks, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has circulated information to local reporters about Republican candidates in close races. Among the claims:

-- That Jim Renacci of Ohio once owed nearly $1.4 million in unpaid state taxes.

-- That David Harmer of California received $160,000 in bonus and severance pay from a firm that got a federal bailout.

-- That Jon Runyan of New Jersey got a legal break in property taxes for his 25-acre homestead by qualifying for a farmland assessment thanks to his four donkeys.

Renacci's campaign said the candidate did not believe he had tax liabilities for a trust fund and eventually paid all that he owed. A spokesman for Harmer said criticizing him for the money he lawfully earned is a "severe twist of the facts." Runyan's campaign said his actions were legal.

Jon Vogel, executive director of the DCCC, said Democrats are merely pointing out that some Republican recruits in competitive House races are "flawed candidates."

He added, "We have made this election a choice. . . . They're trying to run this national message in part about fiscal discipline, but they've recruited a number of candidates not credible to carry that message."

Opposition research has been a part of political campaigns for decades, but the 2010 cycle is different. In many states, Republicans have steered clear of candidates with long political track records -- eschewing state representatives and veteran city council members who have cast thousands of votes ripe for scrutiny -- in favor of political outsiders. The top GOP recruits include several former professional sports stars, as well as doctors and businessmen.
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Democratic leaders are trying to frame the November midterm elections not as a national referendum on the party in power but as local choices between two candidates.

"We can win the contrast, but not the referendum," Democratic strategist Steve Murphy said. "What is critical in this election cycle is for Democratic candidates to hold Republican candidates accountable for their views."

Republicans see the Democrats' strategy as a sign of weakness.

"When the issues are cutting against you, it is typical for a party in trouble to resort to other means," said Ken Spain, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. "With the unemployment rate unacceptably high and President Obama's approval rating falling, they have nothing left to run on other than character assassination."

Democratic officials are advising campaigns to hire trackers to follow their Republican opponents to public events with video cameras, ready to catch any gaffe or misstatement. And the Democratic National Committee last week issued a call to the public to submit any embarrassing audio or video of Republicans, as well as copies of their direct-mail advertisements.

Party officials would not say how many staffers are working on opposition research. Such work used to be farmed out to campaign consultants, but the DCCC brought research operations in-house in 2008 to be more nimble. "It may appear to be more aggressive this cycle because what we're finding on Republicans is so rich," Vogel said.

In Ohio, Democrats are trying to exploit Renacci's business record in his race against Rep. John Boccieri (D). Renacci, who owns a Chevrolet dealership, nursing homes, real estate investments and sports teams, among other interests, has faced a string of lawsuits related to his businesses.

Democratic operatives circulated a report in April that Renacci owed nearly $1.4 million in unpaid state taxes, interest and penalties. Renacci fought the assessment, believing the money he was holding in a trust was free of state tax liabilities. But after losing a dispute over his liability, Renacci paid everything he owed, said his campaign manager, James Slepian.

"This is a story that the DCCC was pushing pretty hard," Slepian said. "It's unfortunate that John Boccieri has chosen to conduct his campaign by slinging mud from behind Nancy Pelosi's desk rather than talking about the issues that really matter."

But Democrats say the strategy paid dividends in the May special election for the Pennsylvania House seat of the late Democrat John P. Murtha. Republican Tim Burns framed the race as a referendum on Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), both unpopular in a district that Obama lost to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008. But Democrat Mark Critz won handily after tailoring his message to local concerns and attacking Burns for saying he would protect tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.

"Some years you ride the wave, and other years you paddle your canoe," Democratic strategist Paul Begala said. "Democrats, they've got to paddle like ****. So what you do when you're paddling is, as the Republicans seek to nationalize, you localize and personalize."

It has become a sad fact of life in today's world that mudslinging is a staple in politics. Candidates should give voters a reason to vote for them, rather than a reason to vote against the other guy. If you can't win on your own merits, there really is no reason for you to run.

That is one reason why so many Americans, including myself, detest negative campaigning. So, here's my advice to potential future candidates, although it applies to everyone: live your life in such a manner as to not have "skeletons in the closet", and (if a Christian) always in a manner that pleases God. If you do so, you will have nothing to fear.

Political Theatrics: "Blitzkrieg" Does Not Equal "Holocaust"

Politics oftentimes results in over-dramatic misrepresentations of statements by political adversaries. Quotes are taken out of context, or applied to things that don't even remotely apply.

Sometimes, I just get tired of the sensationalizing. And frankly, I'm not afraid to call out my own side of the political spectrum when I see the need to.

Take this, for instance, from the New York Daily News:

Vice President Biden is out with an alarmed e-mail cash appeal warning that the GOP will mount a “blitzkrieg” against Democrats in the fall.

Comparing GOP tactics to the fast-striking forces of Nazi Germany, Biden warns in a message sent by the DCCC today: “As things heat up, you can expect House Democrats will be hit with a GOP blitzkrieg of vicious Swift-Boat-style attack ads, Karl Rove-inspired knockout tactics, thinly veiled attempts at character assassination and tea party disruptions.”

And while the GOP is mounting a blitzkrieg, Democrats are the allies.

“Our Democratic allies in the House need your help, and the President and I hope we can count on you to come to their defense so we can hold onto our Democratic Majority and continue moving American forward in a new direction,” Biden writes in the appeal.

Subtle? Not so much.

Update: Republicans were not amused by the implications of the e-mail.

Kevin Smith, spokesman for Minority Leader John Boehner, e-mailed a comment that seems sure to get under Democrats’ skins: “When will Democrats learn that invoking the Nazis’ crimes against humanity in a political debate is simply inappropriate?”

Herein lies my problem with the statement by Smith: the Nazi German blitzkrieg tactic had absolutely nothing to do with the Holocaust.

Blitzkrieg refers to the strategy that the Nazis used early in World War II, namely the use of concentrated tanks in swift-moving offensive campaigns in coordination with air power, artillery, and motorized infantry. The blitzkrieg wasn't related to the Nazi's horrific Holocaust war crimes.

Can we stop with the political theatrics, and focus on the issues, please?