Democrats for Congress debate economy, Iraq

PINELLAS PARK -- The three Democrats competing to challenge Rep. C.W. Bill Young for his congressional District 10 seat had their second debate tonight.

The candidates are Samm Simpson, of Dunedin, who earned 34 percent of the vote against Young in 2006; Max Linn, of Treasure Island, who ran for governor with the Reform Party in 2006; Bob Hackworth, who is the mayor of Dunedin.

Here are some highlights:

On immigration:

Simpson: The North American Free Trade Agreement sent subsidized corn into Mexico and starved families. “If we’re going to change immigration we have to realize that we’re part of the problem.” She said immigration is an issue of economics and labor. If we have more jobs and food, people will get along better.

Linn: Immigration is part of America, but immigrants are taking American jobs and stressing social services. The impact on social services is the biggest problem. “What we need to do is set the standard if you’re going to come over here and work it has to be legally and you have to contribute to the system,” Linn said.

Hackworth: Agreed that immigration is part of American social fabric and said he supports Barack Obama’s plan for comprehensive immigration reform. “We also have to recognize those who are here, even those who are here illegally, must have path to citizenship.”

 

On Iraq and talking to hostile countries

Hackworth: Said he supports Obama’s positions both on careful withdrawal from Iraq and talking to foreign leaders.

Simpson: Said she has felt the same way about the Iraq War all along, “I just grieve a little bit more today. We absolutely have to be out of Iraq.” She also supports talking to foreign leaders.

Linn: Said he’s seen the atrocities of the war at Walter Reed and through the Military Families Foundation. “We need to get out of there no matter what the military leaders say,” Linn said, adding he will hold Obama to his promise to withdrawal because he met with Obama for about 15 minutes in 2006 to talk about Linn’s unpublished book on the candidate.

 Why they’re the best candidate to face Bill Young

 Linn: argued he’s the only one who has changed policy statewide through his fight for term limits. “I think I’m the only candidate who realistically can beat Bill Young. If I’m lucky enough to get your vote on August 26 I will squash Bill Young like a tomato come November.”

 Hackworth: Beating Young won’t be easy, and he’s the only one who can talk about what he has done, rather than will do, as an elected official. “That’s going to be an incredibly important distinction in the general election.” He said whoever wins the district, which is mostly Republican, will have to win independents and Republicans. “That’s the math,” he said.

 Simpson: Said she showed leadership and vision by challenging Bill Young in 2006, when she won 34 percent of the vote. “I’m the only person up here who’s been a Democrat longer than six months. I think that qualifies me to be a Democratic congressperson.”

On healthcare

Linn: Supports a single-payer universal healthcare system. “I think in Obama’s heart that’s where he wants to go, but I think he’s playing the political dance.” He added,“Healthcare is a right not a privilege.”

Hackworth: Said he supports the idea that Americans are entitled to affordable, universal healthcare. But he said he’s willing to work with Republicans to compromise and offer something better. “I think part of the problem is the insistence on a single idea.”

Simpson: Said she supports single-payer healthcare, or H.R. 676, as a candidate who’s been endorsed by the National Progressive Democrats of America. She agreed to be open to other ideas, but added that America should foster the health of its people in addition to addressing the issue of healthcare.

On the economy

Hackworth: Would invest money into rebuilding infrastructure and improving mass transit. “It will work because it’s worked in the past,” he said.

Simpson: Supports fundamental monetary reform and questions why credit cards can charge huge interest when a user misses a payment but banks can borrow cheaply. She suggested Congress should control the printing of money instead of the Federal Reserve. Also wants to make sure “that these lenders and these congressmen that created these kinds of loans need to go to jail.”

Linn: Said the economy is his No.1 issue as a former financial planner. He wants to put up tariffs to keep jobs from flowing overseas. He said the middle class is growing in China and India and diminishing in the U.S. “Unless the people stand up and say we need fair trade, not free trade, we’re going to continue in a deep, deep recession.”

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[drman321]

Hackworth wins immigration. It no longer makes sense to keep beating our heads against the same immigration wall over and over again. The sooner we allow these people to become citizens and join us in pursuing the American dream, the sooner these people can become a legitimate part of society and help contribute to it through tax dollars.

Hackworth again on Iraq and Foreign policy. The other two had basically the same message but with a little added pandering. Hackworth just said it straight here, I have to give him credit for that.

Tie between Hackworth and Linn for best candidate to face Bill Young. Neither one said anything spectacular but, Simpson is the clear loser here, her only credentials for why she is the best candidate is that she lost two years ago by a 2 to 1 land slide, she also seems to think that being a Democrat for longer than six months entitles her to a spot in Congress.

Again Hackworth wins the healthcare round. His message is similar to the others with one crucial difference, he is willing to compromise and work with everyone to make a universal health care system a reality with a cash strapped budget. The other two seem to have a "come hell or high water" attitude with HR 676

And finally it is a three way tie on economy, they all lose. Hackworth thinks the way to a better economy is to build more roads. Last time I checked that wouldn't do a whole lot to strengthen the dollar or reduce energy costs. Simpson thinks we should wrest control of our monetary system from a group of incompetent jackasses who have made finance and banking the main study of their life, and give it to a group of incompetent jackasses that can't figure out how to balance a budget. Linn loses because he thinks we should finish detroying the middle class with tariffs, thereby making the goods the middle class can still afford completely unaffordable. For someone who starts his economic talk by saying he used to be a financial planner, Linn shows an almost criminal misunderstanding of macro-economics.

In the end I suppose Hackworth comes out on top although I doubt it matters, in District 10 it seems that as long as Bill Young wants to run, Bill Young will be our representative. It's comforting to see though that the Democratic is still trying to put up a fight.

[Reality Check]

Samm Simpson and Max Linn were the clear winners in this debate.

Simpson's passionate and powerful presentation of the issues dominated the night. And her line that "I'm the only person up here who's been a Democrat longer than six months" absolutely electrified the room, and floored her two opponents.

Max Linn was at his best with commanding responses to the final two questions -- on Helath Care and the Economy. They played to his strength and he exuded unmatched confidence and expertise in speaking to those two issues. Perhaps if those questions had been asked earlier in the debate, he would have dominated the proceedings.

Hackworth was an enormous disappointment as a candidate. He appeared unsure, unready, uncertain of his responses (except to say "I agree with Obama" whenever possible. He seemed to be just a small-town Mayor, a "not-quite-ready-for-prime-time-player", moving up in the class and being overmatched as a result.

Which of these candidates gives Democrats the best chance to beat Bill Young? That's the question District 10 Democrats will be pondering between now and August 26.

[drman321]

I was speaking merely on the issues and what each candidate had to say. I, along with the majority of the voters was not at the debate so I did not see how each of them delivered their message. As far as the content of the candidates positions though, Hackworth seems to show a lot more substance and common sense.

[Reality Check]

If you were there, drman321, you would have seen that Hackworth was out of his league and over his head.

Don't forget, brochures, position papers, and softball appearances before receptive audiences can all be effectively orchestrated by the very competent professional staff that Hackworth is paying.

It's too bad Hackworth doesn't measure up to the quality of excellence the people behind his candidacy are able to project.

[Kevin]

The real question is; whomever comes out of the Primary on the D side… will CW show up for a substantive debate with them, or will he simply send a hack… as usual?

The only winning part of that debate was when it was over. A great "America is the problem" debate.

kevin your mom is a hack. max linn is a moron, like a tomato

drman321
You obviously were not at the debate!
Hackworth looked like a kid being presented with a pop quiz! Someone has coached him to answer everything, with Obama. He is a brand new democrat, and really doesn't understand that not all democrats are Obama fans. It was painful to watch him seach for the next word he was going to say, very unsure of himself. After all,this democrat stuff, is real new to him. I'm sure that if he would have came there as himself (Republican) He would a least looked like he was confident with what he was saying. Obama is not the answer to all questions.

[MBFLA]

Not impressed with the two wanna be Dems Mr Linn and Mr Hackworth. Mr Hackworth makes drying paint look exciting and misquotes Obama constantly without having one original thought. Mr Linn has original thoughts: I have enough money to beat Bill Young. Sorry, Max, we have enough guys with money in Washington and we need someone who actually understands the issues!
The real Democrat on the ticket is the very articulate and passionate Samm Simpson who knows the issues inside out and speaks from her heart AND her brain. The "gentlemen" try to ignore her because she is the real threat to the good old boys taking the seat and doing the same old thing in Washington. She is the only one of the three to have been a Democrat longer than 6 months. The men are raw opportunists!

Stop it with the "who can win the race" talk and vote for the most qualified candidate who will actually focus on doing their job in an honest and forthright manner.

She will serve us well!

Keep up the horse race talk and good decent people will continue to believe they "can't win an election" and shouldn't bother running for office.

Don't let good candidates go to waste because they don't fit the mold of a "successful politician" because we don't need any more "successful politicians" making policy for our nation, our communities or our people.

We need good, kind, honest, decent people with BRAINS shaping policy!

Simpson fits that description.

I think Hackworth will be the stronger competitor against Young.

I personally like Samm, and she is undoubtedly the keeper of the flame. Max Linn seems out of place, his dissonance with the democratic crowd overshadowing whatever pluses are there that you have to squint hard to see. Hackworth emerges as the leading candidate who has the greatest ability to turn a scratch in Young's armor into into a more devastating indictment on the failures of the Bush Administration.

Young many get away with dismissing Simpson or Linn, but dismissing a Mayor of a city in your district who has a good record will look like he's avoiding scrutiny. The fact that Hackworth is a moderate who has defected from the Republicans only underscores Young's blind ties to a failing Administration that has failed our country miserably. When I learned more about Hackworth's record in the community and how long his family has supported important human rights issues, I felt much more comfortable with him as a Democrat, since those community and human values were always there with him.

The most important thing isn't to tear people up in the primary, and I get turned off by people who insist on attacking Simpson. We need to be realistic and focus on the groundwork to weaken Young now and to set up a Dem victory in 2010, if not 2008.

[Kevin]

"The "gentlemen" try to ignore her because she is the real threat to the good old boys taking the seat and doing the same old thing in Washington."

Bottom Line! But will CW "My kids need a job" Young come out of hiding for a real debate?

St. Pete Times,

You can do your usual "spin" on this debate, just remember, that there were people there with video.
You also mentioned that this was the second debate, but you forgot to mention who won the first one.

Answer: Samm Simpson, and she got the endorsement of that club.

As for last night, If you would have asked the people who where there, who they thought won.

Answer: Samm Simpson

This is not because she knows how to do a debate well, it's because SHE knows the issues, inside and out.

Maybe this time around you can redeem yourselves, simply by writing the truth. You have already tried ignoring her, in hopes that she will go away, obviously that didn't work!

Samm Simpson, the winner??? If she is such a die hard democrat why did she want to change her affiliation to Republican in January to vote for a Republican? Her pro-life stance surely isn't democratic. I really saw her for the nut job she is last night. "someone walking down the stairs with shoe laces untied holding onto a rickety banister, why fix the banister when the stairs should be fixed. Makes no sense, why not just tie your damn shoes. Her analogies made no sense. Instead of fixing anything we should buy birdseed. birdseed? Are you kidding me. Did she take drugs before the debate or is she really that out of touch with the American people?

For Independents in District 10 who would consider voting against Rep Young I would suggest that the Democrats are not giving us a reasonable choice.

Personally, Hackworth and Samm are not viable options based on their immigration views. We must enforce the law and base immigration rules on what benefits the nation not the ethnic special interest groups and cheap labor employers.

Hopefully Linn will be able to evolve as a candidate in such a way as to become more competetive otherwise I suspect myself and many others will vote Young again.

9:45
I couldn't agree with you more! The Dems need to understand the only way to TRULY win, is by backing a person of the people, not the " chosen one"

9:46 comment that Hackworth is more electable, but I like Samm. That's crazy! Hackworth is only more electable because people like you are too damn lazy to do the hard work that is involved to get the peoples voices heard. Obviously the status quo, is good enough for you, but maybe others are really ready to make a real difference. If you are uncomfortable being true to yourself, than you don't deserve to have a true representative in the office.

I am a true Republican, yes there are still some out there. I was at the debate last night. Samm Simpson was the clear winner, she has the knowledge to take this postion, but I am certain that all of you Democrats, know this as well, but you will continue to back who you think is more "electable", and we will continue to reap the benifits, of your ignorance.

He has the best chance because he is the mayor of a city in district 10???? do you think about the things you say, he is the mayor of a town of 36,00 people, probably only 18,000 registered votes, the population of the 10th district is around 900,000. that is not even one percent of the population of the 10th district.

Hack probably won't even carry dunedin that strongly as much of Samm's grassroots team is registered to vote in Dunedin.

Had he been mayor of clearwater or st petersburg your statement would carry more merit.

10:08
If you didn't understand her analogies last night, then maybe we should tell her and her people, that they need to "dumb it down" so people like you can keep up.
I guess you're more inline with, How would Obama respond, or what postion can I buy next?

[D-10 Voter]

I don’t know about you all, but;

I have seen many… “electable”, “viable”, “well-dressed”, “well-funded” politicians standing in front of the courthouse and behind their lawyer, who ties to explain away the corrupt behavior.

I’ll give Samm a chance!

MBFLA

Samm is not a TRUE democrat like you say. She threw out there that she is the only candidate there that has been with the party for 6 months BUT that's pretty hypocritical of her to say cause she has only been a dem for 3 years. How does that make her a better candidate? I have been a life long Dem raised in a family of Dems, would that make ME a better candidate than her? She herself was about to jump ship and throw Dems out the window to go REPUBLICAN for Ron Paul? Really? Come on! People do not fear her because she is a threat. They fear her because she is a hippy wack job and her campaign is full of conspiratorial thinking nutts due to her far out messages. Some we all can agree on but then most issues ..... she goes WAYYYYYYYY out there.

you forgot to mention who won the first one.

Answer: Samm Simpson, and she got the endorsement of that club.

As for last night, If you would have asked the people who where there, who they thought won.

Answer: Samm Simpson
------------------------------------
Were you at the same debates? Samm was not the clear winner of any of them. She got the endorsement of pinellas dems because she has been going there for many years and has a lot of supporters there. She did not get the endorsement because she "won". First debate she failed to properly answer health care and just ramble off about aspartame not saying 1 solution to the problem and got called out on it. Last night Samm and Max were definitely the strongest there. Again though, she tends not to give real solutions. Instead she was talking about falling down stairs with your shoes tied and having birdseed to hand out in beautiful meadows full of lillys and fluffy white rabbits...the 70's were nearly 40 years ago...She needs to get with the now.

Hackworth seems to think he is the only one who can reach across the isle.If the statement is true that Samm was ready to jump ship to become a Republican to vote for Ron Paul, then I think she is more credible for reaching across the isle, when it comes to restoring our Constitution, and getting out of Iraq.
Conspiratorial thinking, hippy nutts? Look at what she was saying in 2006. Bush and Cheney are war criminals. The American people were tricked into a war. Change is needed in the healthcare system . People are going to start losing their homes. The middle class is disapearing. People in government are making big money off of this occupation. Scientist who talk of global warming, have been shut out.
Conspiracy? I think NOT!
I would rather be considered a hippy nut job, than have the attitude that, what the American people don't know, can't hurt them.

11:26 Where did the rest of my statement go? I had the statement above,11:26 and somehow the rest of it was edited out? If you notice the ----- in between, and not a clear solid _________ that is between each persons comments. No wonder people are considered conspiracy thinkers. Sentences get dropped, and formats get changed. Everyone on this blog can clearly see this. You obviosly have the ability to edit this site.

11:43

You go to further my point...Instead of thinking logically that I copy/pasted a portion of your post to quote it. Then put a ---- as a divider to separate my post from yours. You think it's a St. Pete Times conspiracy and I have admin rights to edit your post and control the boards so the people don't get the "truth"!!! O NO! Please think and don't listen to the drugs in your head :)

Why do you feel the need to copy and paste? It was all there in plain english. As you can see the other refer to each other as the time they have posted. You made sure to leave out the fact that she knows the issues, and you can't deny that!
No drugs in my head, and I have chosen not to drink the kool-aid either.

Sorry to confuse you.

I am a usual forum poster. New to the blogs. The way we quote the forums is quoting portions and responding. I didn't want to have a big wall of text.

[It's all a joke]

I want to know the real issues, like how many bike races was Mr. Hackworth in?

hackworth has announced that if he loses he plans on challenging lance armstrong to a bike race, he thinks he is the most qualified to win that bike race because he is the mayor of dunedin pop. 36,000

Kevin:
the "kids" have a job. it's mid-morning, you obviously are the one that needs a job. Maybe Young could help you out, loser.

Other than his position on the war, Ron Paul is an anathema to any self respecting Democrat: whether Progressive, or DLC.

As such, Ms. Simpson's support for his candidacy shows she is still a one trick pony and, should she win the nomination, would be destined for the same fate if not worse as that experienced in '06. With the relative strength of Democrats at the top of the ticket this cycle(Obama/McCain is much better for the D's than Davis/Crist) such an outcome would bolster the perception of Rep. Young's invincibility as well as that of the Democrats inability to field a serious candidate against him. I wasn't there, but the comments about metaphorically using terms such as stairs, and bannisters, and birdseed, do not surprise me. Rather, they only serve to reinforce my point.
Hackworth or Linn, in that order, and for entirely different reasons, at least have the opportunity to prove they are credible, and give Rep. Young the competitive, and possibly even successful race that the Democrats' advantage in this cycle demands.

[drman321]

What all of you Simpson fans need to realize is that she is out of touch with the electorate as a whole. Last election there were just under 200,000 people who voted and they OVERWHELMINGLY went with Young. Now I ask you folks, how many people were at the debate? A hundred, surely not more than 200. And the majority of these people who were in attendance were much more involved in politics than the average joe, therefore not terribly representative of the population.

In an election year like this one you need someone who can reach out to everyone and someone who is charismatic enough to grab people's attention. None of the democratic contenders are a particularly good choice but Simpson is hands down the worst.

The 34% of voters she got last year are probably the highest numbers she will ever see in a general election. She is able to motivate a certain fringe base, and of course there are those who will vote for a democrat no matter what, other than that though she is done. She turns too many people off because her values and ideas are so far out there. I know that some of you truly feel that she is best for this job but think about it for a moment and realize that Americans are looking for someone who is stable, they don't quite want a revolutionary. Samm Simpson is too in love with the idea of being a revolutionary to appeal to the electorate enough to actually win.

As far as you people who are saying that electability isn't an issue; you must not understand how American politics works. We have a winner take all system. It does not matter how honest and brilliant someone is if they aren't able to get elected, this is the problem with the Democratic party. If you keep beating your head against the wall over things you don't need to then you will never get anywhere. Honesty and competence are a must but so is electability, without that you have a candidate who is worth less than nothing.

10:08... Let's take this point by point:

You wrote: "If she's such a die hard Democrat, why did she want to change her affiliation to Republican in January to vote for a Republican?"

This issue has been addressed at length on her blog at www.sammsimpson.com, but in a nutshell, she DIDN'T change her party, the Republican she was referring to was Ron Paul, and she wanted to support his lonely stance on the Republican ticket as the only candidate who was talking about ending wars of imperialism, calling the Patriot Act out for it's attack on civil liberties, the scam that is the Federal Reserve, and the power grab that the executive branch has pulled off during the Bush administration -- with the help of Mr. Young. Plus, she didn't feel that any of the Democratic Presidential Candidates were literally dangerous to the safety of the constitution, while there were several on the Republican side who very well may have been.

You also write: "Her pro-life stance surely isn't democratic." What about "safe, legal, and rare" isn't Democratic? Actually, there's a very interesting Youtube clip from 2006 that lays her position out quite eloquently.

And you had a problem grasping the analogies... The birdseed analogy was crystal clear to everyone I spoke with about it. And it showed she was totally in touch with the American people. Very simple: when you have plenty of birdseed in the back yard, birds of all colors and breeds exist peacefully. If you're short on birdseed, they fight. That's what's happening right now with the immigration situation. Too many people chasing after scarce resources when it comes to the working class. And as a result, the working class starts hating folks who are different than themselves. Prosperity breeds peace, and we should have economic policies that that insure that working class folks aren't gouging each others eyes out to stay afloat.

The stairs reference... Agreed that it needed clarification. One of the dangers when you speak in metaphore.

But I'll guarantee you that she has a much firmer grasp of the intricacies of the federal reserve, the Military Commissions Act, the Patriot Act, and the other legislation and policies enacted by congress and the Bush cabal that have fundamentally damanged freedom, liberty, and the persuit of happiness for the average American than either of her opponents, or her eventual opponent, Mr. Young.

[bmi]

Samm Simpson was the clear winner of last night's debate. Linn thinks his past financial business experience makes him a credible candidate for congress. One doesn't need to be too intelligent to know that we don't need another business man in Congress. Hackworth thinks being the Mayor of Dunedin qualifies him for Congress. We don't need to be too intelligent to know it isn't another politician we need in Congress. We need a courageous, independent minded human being in Congress who will speak for the people. Samm Simpson fits the bill. She will be a voice for the people and she will speak truth to power in the halls of Congress when she is elected this November.
This nation is falling apart before our eyes. Forward minded people like Samm Simpson is our only hope to avert the catastrophe that awaits us if real change doesn't come about in our government. Ms. Simpson is the only candidate that will work for real change. She is also the only candidate that is standing up for us. The other candidates are our there for themselves. Samm is out there for us. Elect a patriot. Elect Samm Simpson.

[Reality Check]

The classic line "don't confuse me with the facts" certainly applies to drman321 and his attempt to spin "electability" as the key determinant in the CD-10 Dem race.

On paper, Bob Hackworth may appear to be "electable." But in person, the overwhelming consensus of the room was that he was floundering for words and absolutely overmatched on the issues.

The sense of defeat was extremely apparent on Greg Wilson's face.

I understand you're being told to "spin" for your candidate. But let's have a little Reality Check when it comes to the issue of "electability."

As I recall, that was John Kerry's trump card in winning the Demm nomination in 2004. And we all know how that worked out!

The smart money said George Allen was far more electable than Jim Webb (Too honest, too outspoken, etc, etc) in the 2006 VA Senatorial race. We know who won that race, too.

Don't underestimate Samm Simpson's appeal. She's got the power, the passion, and the positions that 2 out of every 3 Americans endorse!

Seems pretty mainstream to me !!!!

drman321:

Samm's 34% in 2006 -- the best run Young had seen since 1994 -- was due to her lack of name recognition and exposure, not her platform.

What's out of touch with Dist 10 voters about saving social security; healthcare for all, taking care of our veterans (she's endorsed by The Veterans Post AGAIN); not bankrupting our country and damaging our military with imperialistic wars; insuring that your private information and correspondence remains private; that you have access to a fair and impartial judicial system; that we don't live in a Monarchy -- regarless of what the Bush Cabal tells us -- and that we have 3 equal branches of government; that impeachment is so important to the security of this system that it's mentioned 6 times in the constitution; that our oil addiction must end; that we're a government of, by, and for the people, not the corporations; and that we all owe it to each other to try to make the world a better place for all?

These are all mainstream, 50%+ positions.

No, Samm got beat last time because people didn't know of her message.

And kudos to the St. Pete Times for recognizing it's civic duty and following this race.

And before the money lovers here start typing, let's remember, there are losing candidates every race who have radically outspent their opponents.

Ground game CAN beat money, so long as the message is populist -- and Samm's is -- and the candidate is likeable and sincere. No question, with the exception of a few folks who post here whose parents evidently failed at teaching them the value of civility, most folks see Samm as the kind of gal you'd like to have as your next door neighbor.

And she's the kind of PATRIOT that this country needs. She's the only candidate of the 3 who regularly states she's willing to GIVE HER LIFE to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, and the rights, freedoms, and liberties for ALL Americans described within.

That's "crazy" like Jefferson, Madison, Paine, and their contemporaries. And that's exactlty the kind of courageous leadership this country desperately needs.

Samm will fight to remind us all that this is supposed to be government "of the people, by the people, for the people", not the corporations and the hyper wealthy.

Hardly "conspiracy crowd" stuff. Just good, solid, citizenship. And I have to believe that the people -- not money -- will make the difference.

But then, I'm not a professional campaign type who is dependent upon the money that has corrupted this system. I'm just a concerned citizen. How about you?

"Hardly "conspiracy crowd" stuff. Just good, solid, citizenship. And I have to believe that the people -- not money -- will make the difference."

Form you post to God's ears!

samm simpson is going to ride on hackworths handle bars to the interstate where max linn lands his plane because she thinks she is seeing a ufo

[drman321]

I'm with you on the whole concerned citizen stuff, I just think realistically Samm Simpson doesn't stand a chance in a general election. She appeals to most dems. That will net her around 30% of the vote just fine, maybe a little more since nationally the dems are doing so well right now. The problem with Samm Simpson is that she doesn't play well at all to Republicans or Independents. Nobody can win the 10th district without broad appeal across the board, the numbers of republicans and democrats are too evenly matched. Over the years Young has done fairly well with all but the most liberal dems and even with the Bush stink sticking to him a bit, he was never a big name associated with Bush's shenanigans so he won't be hurt too bad by it.

And for the record I am not spinning for any particular candidate, I am merely calling it as I see it. I have absolutely no interest in propping up an unworthy candidate. Take that for what you will.

11:02 and 1:25
Hillary was said to have been the more "electable" and look what happened.
The times they are a changin'

I think Samm is hot!

[drman321]

Time will tell but I am calling it now, Simpson will win the nomination but will be hard pressed to beat her 34% showing in 2006, I won't even say I told you so when that happens, just keep me in mind.

4:34, have you ever seen Samm in person? she is FAR from hot.... more like strung out

"Take that for what you will."

Coming from a dude who goes by a teen chat room screen name... I'll pass thank you very little!

I still say Samm is hot!

[drman321]

Original Quote by:

"Take that for what you will."

Coming from a dude who goes by a teen chat room screen name... I'll pass thank you very little!

_____________________________________________________________

Now that's a valid counter-argument

Immigration will be the sleeper issue in the ’08 elections, and no candidate is on the right side of the issue.

Immigration will be the sleeper issue in the ’08 elections, and no candidate is on the right side of the issue.

[jmt]

Max Linn's ego is so big, How big is it?He actually said, "For those of you who are fortunate enough to work on my campaign." He may have just got a wee bit tongue tied, or it could have been a freudian slip? It is however, very obvious that he does not lack in the ego dept!

bill young is on the right side of the fence issue, i mean immigration issue.

[drman321]

what is the right side of the immigration issue? I am not asking a rhetorical question, or trying to be sarcastic, I am legitimately curious as to how you feel it should be dealt with.

[MBFLA]

Whomever is coaching Mr Hackworth might have mentioned to him that there were likely as many if not more Hillary voters (who are not over their bitterness) as Obama fans in the room last night hearing him incorrectly try to parrot the Obama mantra. That was very poor judgement.

Immigration is a huge issue, relating to jobs, but nobody says anything about outsourcing, that's where the jobs are going. Large Corporations are at fault, but everyone wants to play it safe, and not rock the boat.

[drman321]

If you stop outsourcing then you stop trade, if you stop trade then we will have to manufacture goods over here and everyone not directly involved with manufacturing those goods will be worse off. If you have to suddenly pay 5000% more for labor than you were before the cost will be passed along to the consumer. I don't know about you guys but I am not wild about paying $10,000 for a tv or $100,000 for a car.

People focus on the negative of outsourcing but they usually turn a blind eye to the positive effects of it. Because of outsourcing we are able to maintain the standard of living we currently enjoy, without it we would definitely be in a recession right now if not a flat out depression.

Nearly everyone who has a graduate level of understanding of economics agrees that an end to world trade and outsourcing at this point would completely destroy the middle class. They would lose the current level of utility they enjoy with the amount of money they have.

The fact is that right now we have some growing pains to go through as we transition to a purely global market, but going back to Mercantilism and hard line Nationalism will only increase the pains the middle class is already feeling.

So Samm got beat because people did not know her message? Correct.

Answer: It takes money to get a message out. 200ppl at a club are not the vote.

Whoever wins the primary must have the money for the general election. So far none of these candidates has the money to go into the general, outside of a bump they will get from small donors. DC is not investing in this race.

Greg Williams? Well well well. That is a guy who has 21 clients in S. Fla.
Politics sure is different when only a dem can get elected in that area. Easy. Perhaps it is Greg Wilson that is out of his league when he works close to home? He should be embarrassed. How much did he sink Hackworth for?
They way Hack kept sighting Obama, he must have had children who come in and do "cookie cutter" politics. Did Greg Williams approve this?
Greg's focus is S. FLa, and that's too bad for Hack! It's easy down in Broward
Greg just needs to get to know Pinellas where he lives!!! Why did he set Hack up with all the repub turncoats in our party? Neither Hack, nor Greg understand Pinellas.

Who ever has big buck in the general has the only chance. that is just the way it is. You can't do ANTHING in this country without money. So don't complain Samm's messgage did not get out in 06. It didn't. It takes money, honey to do that. You must reach outside of the 200 party hacks.

[jmt]

" You must reach outside of the 200 party Hacks" Which is exactly what Samm's all vol. army is doing.

Every election cycle we see winnes dramatically outspent by losers.

Samm spent $.59 a vote last time.( less than Young) If it's going to take 125,000 votes to win, then that means, she needs to raise about $75,000. Very do-able once the big donors come out of the woodwork where they are hiding until after the primary.

Add her ground game into the mix,and she wins, HONEY!

Samm should ask Linn how to scam people for money. He is a pro at that.

DRMan:

You wrote: "The problem with Samm Simpson is that she doesn't play well at all to Republicans or Independents"

Since there's never been a scientifically valid survey of the electorate to gauge this, I'll just go with the experiences I've had volunteering with the campaign....

Sign waving event in 06 where at a single corner we had registered Dems, Repubs, Libertarians, Greens, and NPA's.

She was actively recruited by the Pinellas County leadership of the Veterans Party before her second run.

Numerous volunteers have changed party to vote for her in the primary.

As political pontificator, I'd argue her approach to the war in Iraq/Middle East Relations, personal freedom, access to the courts, three equal branches, balanced budgets, an end to no bid contracts, an end to big money running the system, an end to corporations paying no taxes with offshore shelters, yet getting federal contracts, impeachment when necessary, and enforcement of documented work force laws already on the books plays VERY well with libertarians, greens, and centrist repubs, as well as the Move On Repubs out there (and yes, there are plenty of them).

She's also a Jimmy Carter style Christian -- she can "out God" any of her opponents, scripture and verse while still having an open mind and respect for all religions. She has Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, UU's, Quakers, and agnostics on her volunteers list. This plays well with every human, except for the freakish American Taliban fundamentalist Christians, and the fundamentalist Atheists, of which few are Repubs.

Her volunteers also include Caucasians, Native Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics. (Notably missing: Asians. But her campaign is reaching out there, as well.)

And perhaps most importantly, she's a woman in a district dominated by registered female voters. At a time when "the sisterhood" has been energized by the Hillary run, and at the same time stymied by her loss, they're primed to make some history by sending the first woman ever to Washington from this district. That plays REALLY well with female indendents, and with the non-fundamentalist Christian Republican Women.

Of course, if Bill Young can effectively scare those Republican Women into thinking that there's a terrorist around every corner, the female R's might not come Samm's way.

But the foundation for an upset is definitely there.

"Of course, if Bill Young can effectively scare those Republican Women into thinking that there's a terrorist around every corner, the female R's might not come Samm's way."

whoever made this comment, Samm, is way out of line. There are thousands of terrorists in this country that are being monitored every minute of everday by the FBI. It's Bill Youngs job to keep us advised of this possibility and I personally appreciate, not only for myself but for my grandchildren. You might want to separate yourself from this person before they do any more damage. We all know the terrorist threat is real, and this person obviously doesn't.
"The foundation for an upset is definitely there" and this person is going to see to it that the "upset" falls on your shoulders.

[samm simpson]

Some of my comments on immigration were not included in the paragraph on this blog, so I'll fill it in. It is a complex issue. NAFTA allowed our corn and other manufactured products to flood the Mexican marketplace, and millions of families were affected, including farmers who could no longer make a living. This greatly increased the numbers of illegal immigrants - see this article for reference http://borderbattles.ssrc.org/Portes/
Combine this with an administration that does not control the border, does not enforce existing immigration laws, gives tax breaks to corporations who offshore jobs and dismisses U.S. engineers with foreign workers entering HB-1 visas, a President that has not once said, " It's illegal to cross the border without following proper channels, an impotent Congress, and the drive for the North American Union, http://www.eagleforum.org/topics/NAU/ - and it seems that the "people in charge" have little interest in fixing things.

At the same time, immigrants who have lived here for years are terrified of a knock at the door and there are privatized jails for women and children, just waiting to be filled. http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Cover_Story/2008/06/19/Locked_and_Loaded/

Immigration - illegal or not, is big business for Homeland Security, private jails, and corporations who hire illegally and drive down wages.

What I tried to express at the debate was the sense that we must take some responsibility in the creation of this problem, and first look at NAFTA, which created such disasters in Mexico that forced starving families northward. We must use laws already on the books and make employers accountable - and this doesn't mean a "showcase raid" on meat packing plants where we line up 300 immigrants and toss them in jail. Why does the onus fall on the immigrant, and not the corporation that hired them? Immigration is an economic issue and a labor issue, fundamentally. If we all had decent jobs and had some sense of confidence about the future, we wouldn't be as livid. And that's what I meant by the "Birdseed analogy," When there's lots of birdseed, bluejays, cardinals, doves, woodpeckers and other species show up and graze. When there's little food, there are fights.

Of course, we must protect our ports and borders, enforce VISA overstay and internal enforcement laws. Some consider that an amendment to the Constitution is in order - where the birth of a child to illegal immigrants is NOT automatically a U.S. citizen. It is a big issue with many many pieces. There has to be a humane and lawful middle ground - complete amnesty isn't the answer, nor is deporting 13 million individuals. It is incumbent upon the next Congress to wrestle with this and find the answers the American People desire, not the corporate interests. I hope this helps clarify my thoughts. I am open to yours.

[D-10 Voter]

Rock on; girl!

You got my vote the last time, and you'll get it again.

Due respects to CW, but change is needed across the board.

[DavidFL10]

Samm, it is refreshing to know you are willing to take the time personally to make sure you are understood. It is always good to hear directly from the candidates and not through surogates.
For the record, I heard and understood what you meant about the birdseed at the debate, but thanks for clarifying for those who only read about it.
If you have time, would you likewise clear up what you meant about being told your shoes are untied in the midst of falling down the stairs? I'm not sure I got that one.

stephanie, please note in future stories the venue where the debate took place. this one happened to be at the Greater Pinellas Democratic Club, the oldest and largest Democratic club on Florida's west coast. thanks

Are you people all dumb? How can you possibly think that Samm Simpson has even the remotest chance of beating Bill YOung. She got 34% of the vote last time, guess what, every democrat that has run against Young has gotten 30%. Her "victory" was far from anything special. She is way out there and needs to just step down and let the credible candidates do what they do best, win elections. She doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of doing anything.
How can you possibly say she won the debate? she talked about birdseed and stairs for god's sake. We should just print money and crush our cars, are you kidding me? get a grip. That far left hippie stuff doesn't sell anywhere. She needs to get over it and go back to doing whatever it is she did before.

Yes, the dems are that dumb. Now you all see. This is not a targeted race and money is not going to come after the primary, for that is an inside operation in itself. AGAIN: THIS SEAT IS NOT TARGETED
All the candidates will get a "bump" if they win, but not much. There won't be time either. So look at the money now, none of them have it. Unless Max will spend 1 mil, but then he is not the candidate that money would benefit.

All the candidates in this race need to get over it.

[drman321]

Samm I don't know how regularly you check this so I don't know if you will be able to respond or not but after reading your post about NAFTA and immigration I have a serious question. With all do respect, what do you plan to do about it? In your post you stated that there was a problem and that something reasonable needed to be done about it. I get that, I think most of us do. What I think we are looking for in a candidate though is someone who has a solution for these problems I would be curious as to what your thoughts are on that.

[bmi]

For those of you who feel that Samm Simpson really is the best candidate, and would vote for her but find her electability questionable... Do the right thing at the polls. Don't play into the system that is self destructing and taking us down with it. Vote for Samm Simpson because it is the right thing to do. She is the only candidate that has the vision, the courage and the intelligence to be the change necessary in congress.
And if you are worried about her electablity, get involved. Visit her website at http://sammsimpsonforcongress.com/ and be a part of reclaiming our democracy.

Samm:
"With Age comes experience". Please don't fall prey to this rag otherwise known as a "blog". the St. Pete Times gets off on seeing the maybe 6 people who stay on this blog fight and name call. Their paper has been failing a long time now and the "rag" affect is something they are hoping to boost their ratings. It's not. If you look over the past year and a half, it is basically Susan Smith, (who is a loser from Tampa), Gene Smith who thinks he knows everything, Michelle and probably 5 or 6 others. You are wasting your valuable time and I can guarantee you Bill Adair and Adam Smith really get a good chuckle over their coffee breaks seeing a candidate jump on here.
Do what you have to do to campaign, but don't let the Times make a fool out of you.
Let Max Linn and his annonymous blogs do that. He deserves the insult, not you.

Samm, here are my thoughts....Bill Young will help decide the answer to these problems in the next Congress....

He always does, that's why he has been re-lected for the last 38 years.

Snnnnifffff... I smell republicon fear!

CW "Hey; can I buy my kids a job with your money?" Young... is going down.

sniffff - ain't gonna happen, my pretty! your kids aren't probably smart enough to be employed.

Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan Smith of the Hillsborough County executive Committee:
I see the anger management classes are having a zero effect on you! Not good for your blood pressure or your weight gain.

Hey Susan Smith: Have you ever thought about taking your show on the road, Jerry Springer perhaps, seems right up your dark alley.

Hey CW: Have you ever thought about making you kids get their own job, instead of using my taxes to buy them one?

2:57: It really bothers you that Youngs sons are college educated and got jobs. It takes a really twisted adult to keep making comments about ANYONES children. You are not a very nice person and his childrens jobs have absolutely nothing to do with you.

10:48:
Don't worry about it. I think Susan Smith made a pass at Young along time ago and he rejected her and she has been trying to get even with him ever since. Nothing worse than a woman scorned. But she ought not be bringing his children into her harrassments. She reminds me of "Fatal Attraction". One weird Lady. I hope Young doesnt' have a rabbit.