The 11th Congressional District special election has a surplus of candidates.
Emphasis on the word âsurplusâ â as in there are 13 candidates in this race, only around half of whom have an overt understanding of policy. Even fewer of those have any shot whatsoever at winning.
That was abundantly clear during the cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer editorial board endorsement meeting Wednesday. Twelve of the candidates were all in one room taking questions from the Editorial Board and it showed a clear pattern of what the talent in this race is actually like.
Through numerous forums and in-depth interviews, itâs become increasingly clear that only a handful of the 13 who will be in the Aug. 3 ballot have any real policy chops. Tariq Shabazz, the 27-year-old Navy veteran and activist is definitely a wonk and conceivably has a political future. Former City Councilman Jeff Johnson also has shown a high level of understanding and detail when discussing issues like criminal justice reform and economics.
Their problem, however, is they havenât been able to crystallize that policy knowledge into a message that reverberates.
Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown, whom many thought would be in a dogfight with Turner just seven months ago, has slipped tremendously. She figured to have all the establishment help she could ask for when she first announced, but the necessary gusto hasnât seemed to coalesce.
It was evident during the editorial board interview, with many of her answers sounding repetitious. Talking points are important to a campaign, but being unable or unwilling to deviate from those talking points simply isnât going to win over voters.
The fact of the matter is, based on interviews, public appearances, fundraising, endorsements and most other metrics, former state Sen. Nina Turner looks like sheâs running away in the race. It certainly looked that way at the Editorial Board interviewÂ
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The short of it, at this point, is that Turner is the most comfortable under pressure and has the ability to clearly deliver her pitch to the audience.
Take, for example, a question from the editorial board about bipartisanship and working across the aisle in the currently toxic political environment. Most of the answers, especially from previously elected officials, were full of platitudes about finding common ground and reaching compromise, some of them pointing to examples of them working with Republicans in the past.
Working together is a great ideal, but the reality is Republicans have shown little interest in working with Democrats in the House since losing the chamber in 2018. Turner was one of the only candidates who wanted to acknowledge that.
âI would say working with is a two-way street,â Turner said. âThough it is absolutely noble to say we would work with our Republican colleagues where we can find common ground, it remains to be seen whether or not we can find common ground. I would not cede any territory to the Republicans in the spirit of working with when it comes to justice issues.â
A lot of this comes from her time in the national spotlight, but it appears to be working on voters in the district as well, if Turnerâs internal polling is to be believed. A survey released just a couple weeks ago showed Turner with 50% support while the rest of the field was struggling to even break into the double digits.
Others will say Turner has a baked-in advantage through her national fundraising contacts. Or that her association with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders gives her an instant leg up. Or that she has a press advantage, via her frequent appearances on national television. (Though, if you ask many of her supporters, theyâll say the media is out to get her.)
Those things are all true. Itâs called âpolitics,â and literally any other candidate who wants to win this race right now would trade places with her.
Here's the full interview. It's a master class in how to handle questions–from voters or the press–about debt, deficits, and government spending. https://t.co/82yPtN2qGN
The #MORENA majority legislature in the State of #Sinaloa has voted to legalize same-sex marriage, making it the 21st state to do so. A conservative majority had rejected it in 2019.
An excellent example of the party taking the lead at the state level.https://t.co/3fILTxSKQi
— Kurt Hackbarth đč (@KurtHackbarth) June 16, 2021
Her majestyâs court will rule next month if Venezuelaâs democratically elected government can use the gold thru UNDP to buy desperstely needed medical supplies
So clowns wearing wigs will decide if the kingdom should keep pretending Guaido runs #Venezuela
It's not just the "rival leaders" part that's absurd, it's also "who is in charge". Who is in charge? The one who runs the gov't and armed forces, speaks at the UN, pays public sector wages, etc., or this prolific infomercial host? Surely we need a "High Court" to find out… pic.twitter.com/4IUQWSgefW
— venezuelanalysis.com (@venanalysis) June 2, 2021
he has to know this will up the ante. so happy he is in and being brave.
#Peru's president-elect Pedro Castillo plans for the state to take a majority stake (70%) in its mines, using the proceeds for health and education.#Mexico should follow its lead, as well as nationalizing its lithium stores before foreign multinationals get their mitts on them. pic.twitter.com/FaOlGg0bHn
— Kurt Hackbarth đč (@KurtHackbarth) June 17, 2021
oh.
PencilPencilPencil @tejmuk · 21h âoh no sorry I was talking about castillo. he’s taken a decidedly “moderate” pivot in the last few weeksâ
so he may have changed his tune. wonder if there was any âno recountâ deal. cynical đ€š me.
This is why public schools are the cornerstone of democracy. It's also a part of why they are under attack. Read the whole thread (beware the onions!). https://t.co/1c7qvNR0Fm
Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday is an important moment in understanding our country's history, and the horrors and lasting legacy of slavery. But real justice is when all Black Americans live free of oppression. That is not the work of a single day, but of every day.
One of the most powerful descriptions of lynching was penned by John Grisham in a novel called âSycamore Row.â It had to be done by a white Southern male who is also a gifted storyteller to get the absolute horror across to the reader. I read the book twice cos of that one section. Being born, bred, and educated in Mississippi, Grisham fits the bill. Whew, it was one very heavy read.
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of his writing, per se, but he’s an excellent storyteller. I can’t remember the title, but I read one of his books and about page 29 I almost abandoned the book (very rare for me), but I’m stubborn and told myself to give it a bit more time. Then he grabbed me, I was hooked, and had no choice but to finish reading.
He seems to have some good insight, at least that’s the impression he gives.
Whaaatt???? omg, LOLOL, I just got home from a brutal day of work, we’re moving our office and I had to box up cabinets full of files, move others to the closet, and others to the basement. I wonder when Helen here actually did any ‘work’?
(and this is our fiscal year-end month, may the gods give me strength, or, in this case a thumbs up from my fellow birdies đ love you! )
covid really hurt ownership. it’s so fracking frustrating for people on the edge. and people with good jobs seemingly can’t help themselves in their self satisfaction.
But the illiquidity that made houses a safe investment also made America less dynamic and mobile.
Oh no! You mean people actually settled for a minute and developed a community? The nerve of those peasants.
existing homeowners are reluctant to agree to development with unknowable effects on the value of their most precious investments. The result is less development â and sky-high rents for any residents not lucky enough to own their own home.
As institutional investors increasingly enter the housing market, however, the incentives begin to shift. Large investors can expand or redevelop their properties themselves, because they benefit from a greater number of overall tenants, even if rents themselves dip.
Make way for the developers! (or else you’re hurting your fellows)
Itâs a big week for leaked audio showing behind-the-scenes maneuvering to undermine democracy.
We have documents and audio showing an effort by the Bolivian ex-defense minister to pull off a second coup using U.S. mercenaries https://t.co/tzckuZaAiH by me and @laurieablair
But itâs worse than that. Not only do members question whether Congress can work, some of them donât think it should. Iâll have more on this in future pieces, but one of the âpay-forsâ in the bipartisan package involves privatizing the governmentâs assets, or selling off public assets to find the money to build the infrastructure. (This is sometimes called âasset recycling.â) That contradicts the basic bargain of the Biden presidency, that a muscular public sector can benefit everyoneâs interests. Thereâs this deep-seated belief that government canât do things it did routinely in the past, and only by creating private toll roads and selling water systems can we improve the countryâs infrastructure. Itâs untrue, but itâs part of a belief system that government shouldnât be a factor in peopleâs lives.
Today I wrote that the lack of faith in institutions has spread to the members of the institution of Congress, where Democrats simply don't trust that they can do any non-emergency big legislation. Some of them doubt that they should. https://t.co/16MSUpqZmW
With nearly all the 11th Congressional District candidates in one room Wednesday, Nina Turner showed why sheâs the front-runner: analysis
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Ms. Nina has also served Cleveland at the state level. She will be a powerful, experienced addition to the Progressive ranks! đđđâ
sounds like he is further center than Krystal, but i havenât been listening.
It’s hard to beat Ryan and Krystal.
Man, do I detest craporate-ese like the word âbrand.â đ€ź
https://www.c-span.org/video/?512625-5/washington-journal-rep-john-yarmuth-d-ky-discusses-president-bidens-fy-2022-budget-request
i wish it was the actual videoâi copied the âshareâ link.
global normalization will be awesome.
https://twitter.com/MC_of_A/status/1405858111609528327?s=20
Potentially disastrous for sure. Yet Adams is ahead in the polls..
đ§”
Hola Senor LD y Senorita JD! đ T and R!!đđłâźïžđđ
he has to know this will up the ante. so happy he is in and being brave.
oh.
PencilPencilPencil
@tejmuk
·
21h
âoh no sorry I was talking about castillo. he’s taken a decidedly “moderate” pivot in the last few weeksâ
so he may have changed his tune. wonder if there was any âno recountâ deal. cynical đ€š me.
One of the most powerful descriptions of lynching was penned by John Grisham in a novel called âSycamore Row.â It had to be done by a white Southern male who is also a gifted storyteller to get the absolute horror across to the reader. I read the book twice cos of that one section. Being born, bred, and educated in Mississippi, Grisham fits the bill. Whew, it was one very heavy read.
Grisham is one of the best, imho.
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of his writing, per se, but he’s an excellent storyteller. I can’t remember the title, but I read one of his books and about page 29 I almost abandoned the book (very rare for me), but I’m stubborn and told myself to give it a bit more time. Then he grabbed me, I was hooked, and had no choice but to finish reading.
He seems to have some good insight, at least that’s the impression he gives.
yes. he cares.
i was in the audience for a book talk at a conference about 10 years ago and I asked him where he got his story ideas. He said the NYT.
fer chrissakes.
Whaaatt???? omg, LOLOL, I just got home from a brutal day of work, we’re moving our office and I had to box up cabinets full of files, move others to the closet, and others to the basement. I wonder when Helen here actually did any ‘work’?
(and this is our fiscal year-end month, may the gods give me strength, or, in this case a thumbs up from my fellow birdies đ love you! )
{{{đ}}}
đđ
covid really hurt ownership. it’s so fracking frustrating for people on the edge. and people with good jobs seemingly can’t help themselves in their self satisfaction.
What a devastating outlook!
Oh no! You mean people actually settled for a minute and developed a community? The nerve of those peasants.
Make way for the developers! (or else you’re hurting your fellows)
yes. Known as âhighest goodâ in business circles. Makes it sound spiritual and right.
James from the internet ranted about this today.
frack
Pathetic
yes. and scaryâprivatization. greedy ghouls.