Nader for President

Boston Globe Terms World's Most Popular Sport "Obscure"

Thank You Grace Ross

Local soccer fans cheered Grace Ross' remarks that her favorite local sports team is the New England Revolution. The link above goes to a thread discussing Ross' remarks about the Revolution, which were reported in the Boston Globe. The writer disparages the Revolution as "the most obscure sports franchise in town".

As was pointed out in the Big Soccer site, more than 20,000 fans showed up for the Revolution's opening game, more than showed up for the Bruins or Celtics openers.

Thank God that there are people like Grace, who actually say what they think, and who pay no attention to people like Don Aucoin.

As was pointed out in the Big Soccer site, more than 20,000 fans showed up for the Revolution's opening game, more than showed up for the Bruins or Celtics openers.

Most obscure? Don Aucoin, you haven't got a clue.

Talk Show Host Fired For "Fat Lesbian" Remarks

WRKO radio talk show host John DePetro was fired yesterday for his remarks about Green Party candidate Grace Ross. The Google headlines posted in the extended section show how great the interest was in this story while the last debate of the campaign was taking place in Massachusetts yeserday at UMASS Dartmouth.

The candidates were surprisingly bold in their firm promises to bring commuter rail within the next four years and also promising other economic development funds for Southeastern Massachusetts. Grace Ross talked about the shame that Massachusetts has the second highest average salaries but still fails almost one-third of all its high school students.

As you can see from the Google news summary, very few of the reporters who attended were interested in the issues. They just wanted to know if Grace Ross, the Green Party candidate, was offended by a radio talk show host calling her a "Fat Lesbian".

I was there as Grace Ross laughed it off for a local FOX-TV station reporter, saying that it certainly was no news and that it wasn't up to her to chastise people like the talk show host. During the interview, she persisted in attempting to talk about issues while the reporter continued to try to get her to dish some dirt.

Michael O'Keefe-- Why is he running the D.A.'s office?

From what I can see, O'Keefe got the office back in 2002 because he had 20 years of "effective and thoughtful" experience as an Assistant District Attorney and he was annointed by the former DA. What I don't understand is why he is running unopposed in this election, especially given his controversial remarks about the Worthington case.

I have written elsewhere as to why I believe that Jim Dillon would make a better District Attorney. He has as much experience as O'Keefe and his experience as a defense attorney would help him to understand the accused. He would be able to sort out the truly dangerous from the frivelous. I urge you to consider writing in Jim Dillon for District Attorney.

1.) Editorial endorsement: Michael O'Keefe
Author: CAPE COD TIMES
Publish Date: October 28, 2002
Word Count: 657
Document ID: 0F707D5DC69C198B

With 20 years of effective - and thoughtful - experience prosecuting crime on the Cape and islands, First Assistant District Attorney Michael O'Keefe is the clear choice to take over the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office. O'Keefe has been a loyal employee of District Attorney Philip Rollins, coming up through the ranks, and many foresaw his eventual candidacy. But it's not as though he has been waiting quietly in the wings. In the

2.) O'Keefe: Welsh a good bet
Author: KEVIN DENNEHY and EMILY C. DOOLEY
Publish Date: April 20, 2005
Word Count: 931
Document ID: 1099981B1836D8E5

BARNSTABLE - Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe, who outraged some members of murder victim Christa Worthington's family when he called her promiscuous in a 2003 book, said it's a good bet he'd tap one of his top assistants, Robert Welsh III, to prosecute the case. While O'Keefe yesterday would not comment on Maria Flook's book about the Truro murder - which O'Keefe said "combined

3.) O'Keefe-author arrangement scrutinized
Author: KAREN JEFFREY
Publish Date: May 3, 2003
Word Count: 1443
Document ID: 0FACF6B66258C365

The jury is still out on whether Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe violated professional ethics or just made an error in judgment by giving an author inside information on the investigation into the murder of Truro fashion writer Christa Worthington. With O'Keefe's cooperation, she was allowed to examine crime scene photographs and was given details of the investigation otherwise withheld from the public.

O'Keefe says the

4.) DA isn't there to prosecute the victim
Author: JANE MACDONALD
Publish Date: May 29, 2003
Word Count: 749
Document ID: 0FB596691819CC6C

Maybe it's time to establish a Hall of Shame gallery or an Outrage of the Month citation here on the Cape. Our district attorney, Michael O'Keefe, could be both inducted and awarded. O'Keefe earned these accolades for his outrageous mishandling of the Christa Worthington murder case.

This is not about Ms. Flook's tell-all book. It's not about the dinner-dance date. This is not about splitting dogmatic or ideological hairs.

5.) O'Keefe wears Rollins' mantle after 20 years
Author: JACK COLEMAN
Publish Date: January 2, 2003
Word Count: 964
Document ID: 0F851D278F2DBDFB

BARNSTABLE VILLAGE - He is no longer the heir apparent, as many considered him. Yesterday morning Michael O'Keefe became the first new district attorney for the Cape and islands in 32 years when he was sworn into office by his predecessor and mentor, Philip A. Rollins. O'Keefe, 52, worked as an assistant district attorney for Rollins since 1982.

The ceremony took place at 10 a.m. New Year's Day before a standing-room-only crowd of 200 people in the main

6.) Family outcry shakes Worthington probe
Author: K.C. MYERS
Publish Date: June 21, 2003
Word Count: 851
Document ID: 0FBE1EC8ED473750

TRURO - Controversy spawned by a yet-to-be-released book on the Christa Worthington slaying - most notably the reported comments of District Attorney Michael O'Keefe - has forced Cape & islands prosecutors to change the way they're approaching the case. Cape and Islands first assistant district attorney Michael Trudeau said yesterday that O'Keefe would stay on the case, but that an assistant district attorney from Plymouth County will be added to

7.) Time is right for corrections reform
Author: MICHAEL ASHE, JONATHAN BLODGETT, JOHN LARIVEE AND MICHAEL O'KEEFE
Publish Date: February 8, 2006
Word Count: 719
Document ID: 10FA8334216F3828

In the wake of Gov. Mitt Romney's announcement in December that he will not seek a second term in office, Massachusetts is about to gear up for a 2006 governor's race in which law and order will be at center stage.With the three current major candidates for governor - Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, Attorney General Thomas Reilly and former Assistant U.S. Attorney General Deval Patrick - all having some criminal justice background, the time is ripe for a debate about the

8.) Preventing harassment, hazing
Author: MICHAEL O'KEEFE
Publish Date: March 22, 2005
Word Count: 575
Document ID: 10900F441FD7668F

I write to commend the editorial of March 17, titled "Promoting Teamwork." In it you recognized that all segments of our community must be involved in the effort to have kids realize that hazing, bullying and violence toward each other is not what school and athletics is about. We have to be mindful of the fragile nature of kid's emotions when they first get involved in new peer groups. Whether it is the introduction into a new school or athletic team, or a

9.) Fix DNA, forensic evidence systems
Author: MICHAEL O'KEEFE
Publish Date: May 7, 2004
Word Count: 553
Document ID: 10273C37E5D36146

The Governor has proposed the reinstatement of the death penalty in Massachusetts. What distinguishes this proposal from others is the linkage the Governor has made to the delivery of forensic evidence, including DNA. In his proposal, the Governor has set forth strict limitations, including the requirement of DNA evidence connecting a convicted murderer to the crime. I commend him for that.

It is important to take note of the occurrences, rare though they are, where subsequent DNA testing

10.) Fix DNA, forensic evidence systems
Author: MICHAEL O'KEEFE
Publish Date: May 7, 2004
Word Count: 553
Document ID: 1026FB2AEA46BCAA

The Governor has proposed the reinstatement of the death penalty in Massachusetts. What distinguishes this proposal from others is the linkage the Governor has made to the delivery of forensic evidence, including DNA. In his proposal, the Governor has set forth strict limitations, including the requirement of DNA evidence connecting a convicted murderer to the crime. I commend him for that.

It is important to take note of the occurrences, rare though they are, where subsequent DNA testing

The Ins and Outs of Write-in (Candidates)

The Ins and Outs of Write-in (Candidates) Can you vote for a write-in candidate in your state? In 2004, Business Week said "Regardless of which state you live in, voting for a write-in contender is much more complicated than scribbling whatever name you please on the dotted line at the bottom of the ballot. Thirty-five states require that a write-in candidate must submit some form of affidavit and, sometimes, a filing fee at least one month before the election. In North Carolina, these candidates must circulate a petition. Then their names are posted on a list at the polling place, though not on the official ballot. All other write-in votes are tossed. " In Massachusetts, the Boston Globe reports Write-in candidates face hurdle on paper ballots. Wikipedia reports there have been some successes however (including Strom Thurmond's election to the US Senate).

Don't worry. I'm not running for anything( but you can still write in my name in Massachusetts if you want.) I am interested in this question, however, having supported Ralph Nader's campaign in 2004.
posted by notmtwain at 5:16 AM PST on October 29

During the 2004 election after DeLay gerrymandered my district (Austin, TX), the Democrat candidate for my district was a write in. On the eSlate machine where there's an iPod-like wheel to enter the letters like you do when you get the top score in video games. The guy running had a not-that-easy-to-spell name and so he didn't have a chance.
posted by birdherder at 5:33 AM PST on October 29

Sounds like a Mickey Mouse system.
posted by BillyElmore at 5:54 AM PST on October 29

Alex Hightower reports "... with corporate and right-wing interests seizing all three branches of the national government, and with the Democratic leadership being either co-opted or inept, the flow of progressive energy has moved steadily out of Washington and (like water finding a new course) into grassroots organizing. In the past decade, these feisty groups using street actions, ballot initiatives, lawsuits, the internet, media exposés, local elections, radio, potluck suppers, festivals, satire, and every other tool at their disposal have become a powerful force on a wide range of issues, and they are changing American politics from the ground up. Let's take stock of some of the progress being made."

I would like to think that he is correct. Is there any evidence for this?
posted by notmtwain at 6:09 AM PST on October 29

birdherder, your point is quite valid. we still don't have a viable electronic voting system. how write-in candidates get treated in electronic systems is something I haven't even seen discussed before. Perhaps there should be a Google or Yahoo like search function so that you would put in a name and you would be asked "Do you mean "notmtwain"? I sympathize with those candidates with names that are longer than 4 letters or have non-English origins .

billyelmore, i don't doubt that Mickey Mouse has been the leading write-in candidate in many elections. I think that liberals should perhaps consider voting for someone more progressive like "Jon Stewart" or "Steven Colbert" instead of voting for the distressingly conservative Mickey.

Nader Supporters Yearn For Stronger Effort

http://notmtwain.typepad.com/adventures_in_matchland/

Ahem, now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their country.... Ahem...

Nader supporters yearn for stronger effort

By Nicole Dionne, Globe Correspondent  | October 24, 2004

Marshfield resident Jim Valianti remembers being impressed at age 17 with Congressman John Anderson's 1980 campaign for president. The Illinois Republican ran as an independent against President Jimmy Carter and challenger Ronald Reagan.

At 41, Valianti still believes ''people should be running as individuals," instead of conforming to the two-party system. That's why he is backing Ralph Nader this time around, even though he knows Nader has no chance of winning on Nov. 2.

As Election Day nears, some area Nader supporters seem ambivalent about their decision to stick with a sure loser. They are campaigning for him because they share his views on many issues, but they are also frustrated by the minimal impact he has made this year.

Nader has run for president four times and has never received more than 2.74 percent of the popular vote, as he did in 2000.

''Nader reminds me of a boxer that should have retired," said Michael Brown, political scientist and professor of politics at Emerson College.

Nader blames voter apathy for his political funk. ''We've become numb to the disintegration of our democratic society," he said during a recent rally at Harvard University.

And while Valianti agrees with that assessment of the political climate, he wishes the campaign had been more aggressive. He recalled telling Nader in April, ''I don't want to waste my time for you to only get 4 or 5 percent of the vote." Most polls show him attracting less than 2 percent of the vote nationally.

Valianti, who founded the Independent Association of Massachusetts, said, ''I thought if the campaign was done right and run seriously to win, he could help third-party people run and win; really that's what it's all about."

John Bescherer, 47, a Democrat from Mattapoisett, likes Nader's antiwar position, but also is disappointed by the candidate's campaign strategy. ''If you're running an active campaign there should be events," he said.

Bescherer has used a website to connect with other Nader supporters and is now a Nader group organizer for 40 cities nationwide.

Mike Richardson, 54, Nader's Massachusetts campaign organizer, said that an arduous petition drive and court battles to get on the ballot have left the campaign, in Massachusetts and nationwide, without the ''energy or resources that are put into a typical campaign."

Valianti said Senator John F. Kerry's supporters ''were brutal" during the petition drive to get Nader on the ballot in Massachusetts. ''If you asked 10 people, five would be belligerent."

The final tally was about 1,000 signatures short of the 10,000 needed, and Nader was kept off the ballot in Massachusetts. He is running as a write-in candidate.

Brown, who has taught politics for more than 30 years, said, ''A lot of people fear, absolutely fear, four more years of George Bush and that's why they're not supporting Nader."

Others resent Nader's decision to campaign in swing states, where any erosion of Kerry support could seal victory for President Bush.

Nader dismissed such complaints. ''I don't believe in safe-state, nonsafe-state discrimination. I believe in all-out," he said at a recent news conference.

But the stress of going all-out was apparently too much for some of his supporters. Richardson said at least 50 volunteers he worked with have quit because of harassment.

In 2000, Nader received 6 percent of the popular vote in Massachusetts, better than he did in most states. Still, Valianti believes he should have done better, noting that about half of the registered voters in the state are listed as unenrolled, or not affiliated with any party. Despite the challenges and relative lack of success, Valianti said, he believes an independent candidate will one day be elected president.

Brown said it won't be Nader. ''He needs to find a political happy farm to go to," he said.

But Mattapoisett's Bescherer is more optimistic. ''He is working for the right things, and if people really considered him, he would be viable," he said.

© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.

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Michael O'Keefe-- What does he have against fathers?

As the law is written in Massachusetts, General Law 209A relates to the prevention of abuse, which is desribed as physical violence in section 1 of the law. Somewhere along the way, however, judges, attornies and police officers started to enforce the law as if any contact, no matter how slight or unintentional, were physical and started treating those committing such slight contact the same as they would someone who had slashed a woman's throat.

My own case arose after my ex-wife decided to try and stop me from enforcing our divorce agreement. We had agreeed to move to Mattapoisett and stay there for the benefit of our kids. However, my ex-wife moved out of Mattapoisett and moved to Sandwich after only nine months to live with her fiancee, who she had left me for five years earlier. Her restraining order affifavit doesn't allege any violence on my part or even any threat of violence but it does say that I was annoying her and growing increasingly irritable.

That was enough for the judge and I was served with a restraining order when I went to visit my boys in early July.  I had never been in trouble with the law and I was flabbergasted, to say the least. I decided that the restraining order constituted an illegal violation of my 1st Amendment rights and decided to send an email to my kids telling them not to worry about the restraining order and that I would get it straightened out.

I was sure that I would never get arrested for sending an email, even though I realized that a pedant  could make the technical argument that an email could be deemed to be contact.

Naturally, I was wrong and my ex-wife had me locked up for a "violation" of the restraining order. The Mattapoisett police came in the middle of the night and got me out of my bed after the Sandwich police improperly issued a warrant for my arrest. The Mattapoisett Police were nice enough but spending a night in jail and being taken in shackles and chains to the Courthouse was quite an experience.

Last week, my trial finally took place.  Barnstable County District Attorney Michael O'Keefe's office  wanted to lock me up but unfortunately for them, the Judge didn't view sending an email the same as he would actually attacking a woman or threatening to attack her.  Barnstable County District Attorney Michael O'Keefe's assistant ignored the Judge's announcement that he would probably find me "Not Guilty" and blundered ahead.

I decided to request a jury trial even though the Judge seemed sympathetic because I had always thought that a jury of my peers could never send me to jail for trying to be a good father, and I could not afford to take the chance that the Judge would be bound by precendent to find me guilty.

We were nearly ready to impanel a jury when the District Attorney finally said "uncle". I think that O'Keefe finally realized that trying me three weeks before the election was not likely to enhance his reelection prospects.

So now that the restraining order has been lifted and the cases have been dropped, I am free to see my children again. Free to email them, hug them, hold them, take them for ice cream, you know-- the stuff that fathers normally do. As the saying goes, "It's all good."

Still, the cost to the Commonwealth of this fiasco, which I estimate to be at least $50,000, can never be recovered. (The police called in dogs and helicopters when I made the mistake of saying "I love you. Let's talk." in alleged violation of another restraining order taken out by my girlfriend, who freaked out after my ex-wife took her restraining order out. That case is still pending.)

Too bad O'Keefe's office didn't use the money to go after real criminals instead of going after fathers who just want to be part of their children's lives.

Why does Michael O'Keefe go after emails in the same way he goes after murder? If we want to control the ever-rising costs of government, don't we need someone with a little common sense? Isn't it time Barnstable County had a DA who understands the difference between jaywalking and mass murder?

I sure think it is. That's why I urge you to write in the name of my attorney, James P. Dillon, Jr. for the office of District Attorney on election day. I met Dillon the day that O'Keefe had me brought in chains and shackels into the Barnstable Court. I listened to Jim talk with other prisoners. The man listens. He knows the difference between murder and mischief. He knows what needs to be done. He has been practicing in Barnstable and Plymouth Counties for 20 years and lives in Sandwich with his wife and children. He is an old-fashioned small town lawyer and does everything by himself. He doesn't even have a secretary.

While he was skilled in representing me, a defendant, I'm sure that he would be just as skilled in prosecuting lawbreakers. He has sympathy for the victims of crime. He knows what needs to be done.

Give Jim Dillon a chance. I can't imagine how much good he could do if he actually had a staff of legal eagles working for him. While he may not win, you could at the very least send a message to O'Keefe to take a pill and learn how to tell the difference between the pen and the sword.

Current Elections in Massachusetts- Some ideas

On 8/30/06, John Bescherer  wrote:

Thanks in advance. I supported Ralph in the 2004 election campaign,
one of the best experiences of my life. We didn't swing a lot of
national voters in the end, but at least at one middle school where I
spoke, Ralph garnered 17% of the vote!

What can we do in 2006?

John Bescherer
Mattapoisett, MA

http://notmtwain. typepad.com/ nader_for_ president/

Hello, John -

The Green-Rainbow Party has a slate of four state-wide candidates:

Dr. Jill Stein, our 2002 gubernatorial candidate, is now running for Secretary of  the Commonwealth.

James O'Keefe is again running for  Treasurer.

Grace Ross is our gubernatorial candidate:

http://www.graceand wendy.org

Wendy Van Horne recently left the Lt. Governor race for personal reasons, and our replacement candidate is now Martina Robinson.

You can learn more regarding our state-wide slate at this URL:

http://www.green- rainbow.org

Additionally, I am running for State Representative in the Third Hampden District:

http://www.owenbroa dhurst.org

If you require more info, let me know.

Yours,

Owen R. Broadhurst
Green-Rainbow Party State Committee
GRP delegate, GPotUS National Committee

--
Owen R. Broadhurst
Candidate for State Representative
Third Hampden District
http://www.owenbroa dhurst.org

              

__._,_.___

 

Books, DVD's and More: Independence Gear

Link: Books, DVD's and More: Independence Gear. From Ralph Nader.

Howard Dean Wants Ralph Nader's Opinion

Link: Nader.org. Howard Dean recently sent out a "personalized survey" to the "active and engaged members of the Democratic Party", which included Ralph Nader. Ralph had some thoughts about what was missing and declined to be named as actively engaged in the party.

Impeachment is Not the Answer

Garrison Keillor wrote a column in Salon  called

Impeach Bush

I completely disagree. I think that any talk of impeachment would be a massive waste of time.

Impeachment is not the answer

Bush will never be impeached by the current Congress or by any Congress that will be elected come November. That is a completely unrealistic and unachievable goal.

Instead of wasting our breath on this, moderate and liberal candidates need to take back more seats in the Congress and Senate. I don't think candidates will win based on an "Impeach Bush" platform.

Issues like these may be attractive to many voters on both sides of the aisle:

-Forcing major employers to contribute to their employees health care costs (i.e., Walmart)

-Getting America's reputation back on track by sticking to the Geneva convention

-Rebuilding the devasted Southeast

-Not invading Iran and setting a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq.

-Improving disaster and attack preparedness and so on.

We are all in this together. We will never convince a majority of the people that what the President has done is unconsitutional. Let's work together and help make the changes that need to be made to get this country back on track.