It's a sad thing that I cannot in good conscience support a Democratic candidate for office.

[CTyankee]

I never thought that would happen. But my city's Democratic mayor has driven me away from him and I cannot support him in this year's re-election bid.

Recently, the mayor threated the city's unions with layoffs all over the city (including schools, parks, elderly services, homeless, family services) unless they agreed to let him "privatize" the janitors. Their union said "no." He laid off a bunch of people that help some of the city's most vulnerable citizens. The union did the right thing. I shudder to think of what the people who sweep the floors and clean the toilets in public buildings would be paid in a privatized situation.

His incompetence in handling the promotions for firefighters,which resulted in the "reverse discrimination" case just heard by the Supreme Court, may deeply hurt the cause of affirmative action. He created a terrible mess that he could have avoided by using a testing system that truly works with the goals of affirmative action. He has re-ignited the flames of racial discord by his administration's stupidity. His name is on that case and it may be his "legacy" to the nation as a whole. Thanks a lot.

Of course, I will not vote for a Republican candidate but the Republicans may not run a candidate against him anyway. There is one other: a declared Green Party candidate. It may be my only option if I don't want to "sit out" the election entirely.

This is causing me lots of angst as a proud, lifelong Democrat. I am planning to work hard for my Democratic alderman and do whatever else I can for my party. I'm pretty sad about this...

[Mz Pip]

1. Having a (D)

next to the name doesn't automatically elevate the person to sainthood. There are plenty of people who shouldn't hold office or win re election regardless of their party affiliation.

It's important to have high standards for our elected officials. Painful though it may be, not voting for this guy sounds like a wise decision.

[Towlie]

True! Always remember that the party doesn't screen applicants and has no entrance requirements.

[I Have A Dream]

2. If I were in your shoes, I'd be doing the same thing.

It's all about voting your conscience.

I'd be sad too, though. If there were a Green candidate that would make a difference, I'd feel less sad.

:hug:

[CTyankee]

5. Thank you for the hug.

It is another sad thing that he's a shoo in for mayor again. I'm even at odds with some other great Dems here in town that I have known/worked with for years. Some of my buddies at Planned Parenthood, for instance.

The city union thing is bad enough. But the Supreme Court case is devastating. Simply throwing out the test results when he saw that the high scorers were all white was incredibly stupid. There were many other options available, including devising a better test in the first place. Unbelievable. I hope he has the decency to be ashamed that the name of that case includes HIS name (not the city's).

[Occam Bandage]

3. It's difficult when a Democratic candidate or politician is actually worse than

the alternative. I don't think there's anything wrong with voting for the Greens in cases when the Greens have a shot at winning, or when the Republicans aren't a threat, or when the Democrat is so corrupt or incompetent that the Republican would be an improvement. They caucus and work with Dems in office, and they support good policies for the most part.

[CTyankee]

11. I voted for this guy when he ran for governor against republican Jodi Rell

in 06 (he lost, obviously). And I voted for him in all of his bids for mayor in the past (he's been the mayor for many years).

The Greens here in NEw Haven are pretty good, as you would expect from such a liberal city. I cannot imagine them being this bad on the unions or the firefighters. But they don't have a chance. It's hard to believe the racist white voters who hate the mayor because of the firefighters case would vote for the Green Party, but without a Republican candidate they might. Still, it won't be enough to dislodge our mayor. This is a solidly Dem town.

[lunatica]

4. I feel the same way about Dianne Feinstein

I refuse to vote for her ever. Every since she voted for the Patriot Act.

[ZombieHorde]

6. Every large group of people will have some jerks.

Good for you for paying attention.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone.....

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." --John Quincy Adams

[aquart]

8. If you gotta, you gotta. AND TELL EVERYONE WHY.

ESPECIALLY your local Democratic party clubs.

Let them know they have a loser before the primaries.

If the Democratic Party in New York had remembered what it stood for, we wouldn't have a succession of Republican mayors.

[CTyankee]

15. Well, the sh*t hit the fan with the Supreme Court case.

The lead up to this election is going to be interesting. I think we'll see some defections from the uber progressives. A lot of Yale can't be too happy about this guy. We'll see. I have some friends who are currently sticking by him but may re-consider. I have other friends who've detested him for some time (I'm hearing a lot of "I told you so" from them).

[hfojvt]

9. privatized janitors, or non-union janitors?

I work for a city as a non-union janitor and the pay is pretty good. Same with the local school here, and I think they are non-union.

Our city elections are also non-political.

[CTyankee]

13. Well, non-union to me means "privatized" since they are currently in a

public union. The mayor wanted the janitors out of the union entirely. I can't believe he would pay them MORE if they didn't have union protection. These are not politically powerful individuals in the first place. The union lost some people that were more able to fend for themselves in the deal but protected the more vulnerable employees. To me, that is exactly what the union should do.

[shadowknows69]

10. I've voted against a Dem sherrif around here for several years

He's part of a very corrupt power structure up here and always mired in scandal. He's part of the reason Democrats have no power in Northern New York.

[Fla_Democrat]

12. Ya get use to it.

:hug:

[CTyankee]

16. It's really hard when you've been so proud of your city's progressivism.

If something bad happens to affirmative action on account of what the Democratic mayor of one of the country's bluest cities did, I will feel so ashamed.

[patrice]

14. It is necessary to draw a line somewhere and Labor is a fundamentally smart choice.