Friday, March 31, 2006

Note to Arcuri Supporter: I Am A Proud Lefty Upstart

The Arcuri for Congress campaign seems to be struggling with message control. At least I hope that's what is happening. Earlier this morning, the New York Liberal blog noted a recent trend anti-progressive slurs by supporters of Michael Arcuri. These Arcuri supporters, who I hope do not represent the majority of people behind the Arcuri for Congress campaign, seem to have forgotten that before Arcuri fight the general election, he has to win the Democratic primary. In order to do that, he has to win the support of actual Democratic voters. Insulting large groups of Democrats is probably not the best strategy for getting that support.

Since I started writing this blog, I have received many not very subtle messages from Democratic Party insiders, some from the 24th District, and some from other places around the country. These messages have been very plain in telling me that my job as a blogger should be to write in support of whatever position the party leadership takes - including its selection of annointed "recruits".

I've been told to "sit down", get back in "my place", "get in line", and "get out of the way". I've been told that I should just let the "important Democrats" do their job - picking a Democratic candidate for us all, without letting us have our say.

I can understand the kind of pressure that Bruce Tytler must have been receiving. If I, as just a pesky little blogger, get this kind of pressure to stop standing in the way of the Democratic establishment's agenda, what kind of pressure and abuse must Bruce Tytler have had to put up with? Bruce let that criticism get to him, I suspect, and that's too bad. I know from my lengthy interview with him last week that Tytler had a lot of great ideas to add to the campaign, and a good deal of serious thought about them. Tytler's campaign was not just a crass effort to advance a political career. It's clear that Tytler actually believed in something, and wanted to campaign in order to promote his ideals.

From over in Cortland County, Tytler's home territory, a member of the Cortland County Democratic Committee has left a comment here on the blog attacking Les Roberts as a "lefty upstart." Lefty upstart? Isn't that the kind of language that Republicans use? What's going on over in Cortland County that the county committee has people complaining about upstarts?

In a democracy, upstarts are to be welcomed. Ours is a nation of equality, where every citizen has the same right to participate in the political process. We Americans rejected the ideals of monarchy and aristocracy, and the claim that only the "right sort of people" should have the privilege of having a say in government. Let's not forget that the United States of America is a nation of upstarts.

In our system, today's upstarts are tomorrow's leaders. I'm not brave or selfless enough to ever want to go through the process of running for public office, but I do consider myself a lefty upstart, and am proud to be one. I do my bit, and that's what our citizenship calls upon us all to do - not to sit back and let the "important Democrats" make the decisions for us.

Lefty upstart? That's a compliment.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you want to know why people like me who support Mike Arcuri get disenchanted with the blogosphere than look in the mirror. Stuff like this, where people take something like one Arcuri supporter in one county saying something rediculous and spread it around the blogosphere like wild fire, KNOWING that it did not come from the campaign, KNOWING that there is no way that the candidate himself would say or think that. I have met and spoke with Les Roberts, I really dont' think he is that much of a lefty. Several of his positions are not that left. The problem is that you take some loudmouth from Cortland and blow it around the blogs and plaster the Arcuri name all over it to make him look bad. Arcuri supporters like me get upset because he is getting a very raw deal online. people make assumptions and then blow him away with it. And if you don't realize it then you are so caught up in yourself that you can't even identify it. This is supposed to be about issues and it is about crap, and I hope, sincerely hope that it either changes or that people realize that this is what it is.

By the way, it is very interesting that one of the contributors to your other blog Take Back Congress is the name Les CM (Les Roberts Campaign Manager Josh Lozeman, spelling?) You should be honest about that, because that makes you completely suspect as far as your unbiased ways go.

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work Jon. Stay on 'em.

24thIndependent said...

"Liberal for Arcuri",

One of the issues is the way that the candidate works the political process. It's a very important issue, because it tells us what kind of US Representative the candidate would be.

The Arcuri campaign shot itself in the foot when it refused to deal with people online. I tried several times to get in touch with the Arcuri campaign. I practically begged them to return my emails, but they didn't. Why should we believe that Michael Arcuri will listen to his constituents when there's not an election on, when he and his staff refuse to talk to Democratic voters during the campaign season?!?

The Les Roberts campaign did return my efforts at contact, and so did the Tytler for Congress campaign. I was in the process of preparing to publish an in-depth, detailed, issue-oriented interview with Bruce Tytler at the time when dropped out. But, the important thing is that Bruce Tytler, although some on his campaign probably urged him not to, got back in touch with me.

I invited the Les Roberts campaign to make blog postings on the Take Back Congress - New York blog AFTER they returned my initial communications. I would have done the same for the Arcuri campaign, if they had ever returned my emails.

You make Michael Arcuri seem like a big victim here, but the truth is that he's been his own victim. The Arcuri for Congress campaign has had an extremely arrogant attitude toward bloggers, and toward the Internet in general, and it has cost them, big time.

When the Arcuri campaign decided to pull its voter discussion forum out of fears that voters could ask questions that made Mr. Arcuri uncomfortable, they insulted the voters, and angered a lot of bloggers. Who's fault is that? Mr. Arcuri's, not mine.

I've interviewed Les Roberts on the issues twice. That's something I've also done for Bruce Tytler, and I've made an offer to do so to Leon Koziol and Michael Arcuri. Koziol and Arcuri both refused. That's their problem, not mine. I can't make a purse out of a sow's ear.

I challenge you to name one issue for which Les Roberts is to the right of Michael Arcuri. Name ONE.

You can't. For one thing, Michael Arcuri hasn't made very many concrete policy statements at all. Doesn't that trouble you? Vague statements are not enough. Being a "local guy" is not enough.

Look at the substance, will you?

Anonymous said...

This isn't just about Arcuri's supporters. The whole Arcuri campaign has been pointed in the right wing direction. Arcuri's public statements refuse to take on the war in Iraq.

Also, seems to me that Arcuri himself has gone too far with that "liberal fringes" comment.

What the hell was Mike Arcuri thinking?!?

Anonymous said...

"and I've made an offer to do so to Leon Koziol and Michael Arcuri. Koziol and Arcuri both refused."

Who are you to be interviewing anyone? Can you imagine if a candidate had to interview with everyone in the 24th. You are not a journalist...your biased blog proves that. No one wants to interview with you, unlike Tytler and Roberts, Arcuri and Koziol are being interviewed by real power brokers and publications like the NY Times, Post-STandard, Observer Dispatch, CNN, Etc...

24thIndependent said...

Who am I?

I'm a voter.

Furthermore, I'm a voter who's created a blog that is read by more 24th district Democrats than any other blog created for this race.

You seem to think it would be a terrible thing for congressional candidates to have to get in touch with the people they are asking to vote for them. I think it would be great. That's the difference between you and me.

Your comment only reinforces the perception that Arcuri and Koziol regard themselves as above contact with the voters. That's arrogant. If they want to promote themselves in such a manner, they ought to be prepared for the consequences.

Anonymous said...

"Your comment only reinforces the perception that Arcuri and Koziol regard themselves as above contact with the voters. That's arrogant. If they want to promote themselves in such a manner, they ought to be prepared for the consequences"


that is what I am talking about right there, because some yahoo spouted something out you tie it to Arcuri. You need to start seperating things that supporters say versus what the candidates. Stop associating like that, where do you think the perception that you are biased comes from, because you do that, especially toward Arcuri. In fact about a month ago a roberts supporter reffered to Arcuri as just another good looking laywer, and asked if we really needed another one of those in Washington (or something along that line). I didn't see you go and say anything about that or talk about tie Les Roberts to that statement like you have with Arcuri. Just be fare with this thing.

Anonymous said...

5:38 is a perfect example of what the hell is wrong with this country.

It's why the people in Minnesota elected Jesse Ventura or the people in California elected Arnold Swartzeneggar. They are so sick of "professional" politicians they'd actually prefer to elect people who's who life is an illusion and everyone knows it.

Unfortunately, all I see in Mike Arcuri is SSDD. He's an Andrew Cuomo wannabe. Fake, slick and motivated by God knows what.

Either prove he is different or prepare to lose in the traditional way politicians who are in politics for their own interest lose.

Anonymous said...

GREAT POST "A liberal for Arcuri"!!! We need to stop giving this guy the attention, because that is all he wants, 90% of the district knows nothing of this site, just the hard core politicals, and they don't win elections. I seriously can't wait till primary night, I gurantee this joker goes into Hiding. Arcuri doesn't even need to put up one sign, or even leave his house to beat Roberts.

Anonymous said...

this entire blog is pretty much an anti-arcuri blog. thats pretty unfortunate. look who the big guys are supporting, its arcuri. big money is going to roll in for mike arcuri and he will win and be the next congressman from new york's 24th.

Anonymous said...

Les Roberts sent me a letter and I couldn't read it without my magnefying glasses. Why don't candidates send mail with reasonable size print and make it bolder?