Talk:Politics

From Pete Ashdown Campaign Collaboration Wiki

"Both major parties have plenty to be ashamed of."

Which is why I choose not to align myself with either. If an independent candidate had a fair shot of getting elected, I wouldn't run with any party at all. I feel so strongly about opposing the two party system, though, I refuse to run under the banner of either party. Republicans no longer stand for fiscal responsibility and the limitation of government power, and the Democratic party seems bent on socializing everything. For now, I'll run as a Libertarian. The party line seems a bit too enthusiastic about reducing the role of government, but I think it provides a necessary balance. Government has been over-stepping from both sides of the aisle. Somebody has to stand up in opposition to the growing influence of government in America. Dilvie 22:07, 14 September 2005 (MDT)

First off, are you running? If so, could you link your campaign here? "If an independent candidate had a fair shot," is precisely the way I feel. However, consider the impact a Democrat winning this race would have. Nobody in Washington or the national party is betting on this race and that is fine by me. However, if I am elected, think of who would be dictating to the party then. Who would they be listening to? The "professional election losers", or the guy who just won in Utah? The most effective change is change from within. Right now I feel it is easier to steer the Democrats back to John Kennedy than it would be to steer the Republicans back to Teddy Roosevelt. --pashdown 23:13, September 15, 2005 (MDT)

I'm not running for the same office, but I'll certainly run for a state seat. I need to meet with some people before I make an official announcement, but I'll probably endorse your campaign. --Dilvie 18:16, 20 September 2005 (MDT)

I have officially filed my declaration of candidacy for the Utah State House District 24, as a Libertarian. Dilvie 11:56, 17 March 2006 (MST)

I think that it would be very politically helpful to Utah if a Democrat won a federal position here. Right now Democrats feel that Utah is not worth their time since they can only get local candidates elected in a few places like Salt Lake City (the city, not county) and Park City. Their chances are so low that Utah is not worth their time, money, or attention. By the same token, the Republicans feel like they comfortably have Utah; therefore, they do not need to invest a lot of money, time, or attention in the state. Thus, the national arms of both major political parties do not focus on Utah -- to our detriment. If Utah puts a Democrat in federal position (like Senator Hatch's seat) or in the governor's office, both parties might pay more attention to the Beehive State. The Democrats just might think that they have a chance for success here, and the Republicans might think that they were not as dominant as they thought. That is why I hope that we get a Democrat into either the governor's office, US Senate, or US House of Representatives.--Anhhung18901 21:00, 13 December 2005 (MST)

[edit] Democrats: The People’s Party

My grandparents were immigrants from Norway. The arrived in the 1920s, and they came to this country to help build up Zion. They were newly married when the stock market crashed and The Great Depression began.

My entire life, whenever I entered my grandparents home, I was greeted with a portrait of FDR placed high on the wall in my grandparents entryway. When asked about it, my grandfather would point up to it and exclaim, “This was a great man. He saved us. He was a man of the people. He was my President. Oh, how I loved him.”

Now, if one studies much of history, one will know that FDR’s origins certainly weren’t from the working class. In fact, many of the peers of his “class” snubbed them (and Eleanor—how dare she tramp about the South condemning the conditions for the poor?) for caring too much for the people.

A few years ago, I was at a Newly Elected Officials training for the Utah League of Cities and Towns. The League’s legal counsel, David Church, and I were talking politics (what else does one do at an Elected Officials Training?). David said that his father was a Democrat. He is a farmer and always voted for the working class people. David said, “Now, my poor old dad doesn’t know what to think! He still votes Democratic, but he’s not sure that Hollywood is from the working class.”

I’ve thought about that so much since then. How did the “People’s Party,” the “Working Man’s Party” turn into scorned liberals and glitzy Hollywood? Or has it? Are the Republicans simply better marketers recreating their image to be in the best interest of every day Americans?

I don’t know.

But, I do know that Pete Ashdown is of the people. He is one of us. He exemplifies the “American Dream” of working hard, working smart, and building a successful life.

He will represent us well.

Loretta Gale

[edit] A New Democrat for a New Time

Pete Ashdown is exactly the kind of Democrat I can identify with. The exact reason why I am a Democrat is because I believe that there should be no poor class in America. As a society we are judged by how we treat those of less fortune. Other issues like fiscal discipline are also extremely important to many of the voters. Being able to identify as a Democrat that listens to the people is exactly what Utah needs from Democrats. Too often Democrats get termed as "tax and spend liberals" or "out of touch with American culture". Worse we get termed as "hollywood types" which immediately conjures up an image of hippies trying to save the sky through some backwater religious practice. I think Pete Ashdown eradicates the typical conception of a Democrat. He has vision, he has knowledge of the issues, and more importantly he has policy goals that will attach to the sensibilities of a large group of voters.

Remington Johnson, Young Democrats of Utah President

[edit] Wikification

Pete, can you follow the links that I just created and give us some background on what you learned from Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower, etc.? I think that might help define for the voters of Utah just how far out of the mainstream the current Republican Party is. Chadlupkes 14:22, 13 December 2005 (MST)

Chadlupkes, not sure what you were trying to link but it didn't come out right. If the links are red, the links are dead.--pashdown 22:19, 4 January 2006 (MST)

They are the links to Teddy, Lincoln and Eisenhower. Chadlupkes 20:22, 17 February 2006 (MST)