Subodh Chandra has a big problem

[OzarkDem]

Dem candidate Subodh Chandra sounds like he needs to switch parties.

In the latest edition of Cleveland SCENE Magazine, he responds to a favorable article written about him in the previous issue. For some strange reason, he takes this potshot at the Dem Party at the end of his LTTE - straight from RNC talking points:

"Finally, as someone born and raised in Oklahoma, I do object to the characterization of those in southern Ohio as "rednecks". The Democratic Party would be wise to learn that values do matter and that, unless we start discussing them, we will be, and deserve to be in the wilderness forever."

Busted, just another Republican in Dems clothing from Cuyahoga County prosecutor Bill Mason's stable. Adios, Mr. Chandra.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. I'll defend just one thing he said

"redneck" is a racial slur. Plain and simple. If we are the party of diversity we should no more refer to human beings as rednecks as we would call them the N word.

But the lines between Dem and Rep seem to have crossed over somewhere and I agree with the rest of your post.

[Frances]

2. Values do matter

Democrats should take this fight head on because we win every time.

Here's my list

Repubs value sending good jobs overseas; Dems value keeping good jobs at home to make this country stronger.

Repubs value giving a higher and higher ratio CEO compensation to worker pay and benefits while Dems value a fair deal for workers.

Repubs value a system with a few super rich and a shrinking middle class while Dems value a strong middle class.

Repubs value a reverse affirmative action program that gives government jobs to the president's unqualified friends (the last head of FEMA) while Dems value giving jobs to the best qualified (the head of FEMA under Clinton).

Repubs value Public Relations photo op government while Dems value actually keeping the country safe.

[Kolesar]

3. You are over reacting

It would be nice if you linked the article or letter. In my book, redneck is pejorative.

[MeDeMax]

4. i concur -- n/t

[schandra]

5. Subodh Chandra has no problem! :-)

Sorry if my letter commenting on Cleveland Scene Magazine's positive profile of me was a little unclear. (You can find the original article through http://www.chandraforohio.com/html/articles.html, and the letter can be found in the September 14 issue, which will be available for a bit at http://www.clevescene.com/Issues/mostrecent/letters.html).

My main point was similar to the writer here who understands that we need to reframe our themes as values issues. Here's a clear example that I have been talking about on the campaign trail.

When I was Cleveland Law Director, Cleveland faced (and continues to face, as does the rest of Ohio, I have learned) a huge problem with predatory lending. This is where unscrupulous lenders cheat the elderly and vulnerable out of their homes with shady deals in fine print that no one could survive.

Ohio's elected officials passed a "law" to "deal with" the issue. That is, they passed a law written by lending lobbyists. They sold Ohioans out.

So Cleveland passed its own law to actually protect our elderly. Guess who sued us--no surprise--the lenders. Guess who joined them--Jim Petro, your Attorney General.

He chose private interests over the public interest. That is a VALUES issue. He showed by his actions that he apparently values people who cheat other people for a living over people who need protection from loss. (I'm proud to say we beat him in court--but he's filed yet another brief before the Ohio Supreme Court choosing private interests over the public interest.)

Now there are other values that "Republican" historically have claimed as their own but do not have a corner on. I believe in personal responsibility. Many Republican politicians talk a good game about it, but don't stand up for it when it comes, for example, to protecting people from hate crimes. (See the "Articles" section again of www.ChandraForOhio.com for information on how while I fought for personal responsibility as a prosecutor, I also sought justice for the innocent.) Many Republican officeholders also talk a good game about fiscal responsibility, but the biggest federal deficit in history and the hundreds of millions of dollars lost at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation show they don't really share those basic values with the electorate. Many Republicans talk a good game about family values, but don't show they value families--and their opportunities to advance in life--when these politicians destroy our public-educational system.

We need to be prepared to engage Republican and independent voters about values. Because politics is ABOUT value choices. We share much common ground and we need to find it and learn how to communicate better. It's how President Clinton won twice on a message of "opportunity for all, responsibility from all, and a community of all."

We as a party have to avoid becoming too smug that somehow we know what's best for people without at least trying to understand where they are coming from and communicate better. Please take a look at http://www.intentblog.com/archives/2005/09/cornfield_conve.html for an anecdote about my efforts to engage just one Republican voter. Now if only I could engage all of those in the middle who are looking for leadership.

(By the way, you could help me mass communicate by going to www.ChandraForOhio.com and making a donation! Now THAT'S a great VALUE.) :-)

[Kolesar]

6. You can add another bullet to your "Noe" summary on your webpage

He laundered stolen BWC money and used it to bundle ~$20,000 in contributions to the Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign (as a "Pioneer"). I recall that most of the "individual donors" $2000 checks to B/C were written from the same checking account. Sherrod Brown referred to this as "electioneering". Welcome to our message board and go tear 'em up, candidate!

[OzarkDem]

7. We all agree that R's have a deficit of values

and that Dems have a lot of hard work in trying to educate voters who think values are about gay marriage and not theft of taxpayer dollars.

But I'm still concerned about your comment that Dems are somehow to blame, that we are too "smug" or the implication in your Scene LTTE that we don't understand what good values are ourselves.

Most of the Dems I know, are not shy about bringing up Republican hypocrisy when it comes to "values".

Can you clarify further which values you feel Dems don't think matter, or what we should be doing that we haven't already?

Thanks.