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Thursday, April 24, 2008
Am I a “radical?”
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
Photo courtesy of here.
Guest article by Nathan Wissman
Recently, in a blog posting, Hamilton County Republican chair referred to myself and other Democrats who spoke out at our party’s County Central Committee meeting as ‘radicals.’ What were we doing? Well, a coalition made up of myself, former congressman Tom Luken, activist Jenny Edwards, attorney Tim Mara, and trade unionist Mike Wood spoke out against what has been come to be known as ‘the deal.’
’The Deal’ was an arrangement made by the local Republican and local Democratic Parties to disenfranchise the voters of Hamilton County. Democratic Party chair Tim Burke agreed not to field candidates in the race against Republican Greg Hartmann for county commissioner, as well as for county prosecutor or for 10 of 12 races for municipal court. For this, the Republicans agreed not to run a candidate against Democratic Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune or Hamilton County Coroner Dr. O’dell Owens.
Crosby Township Trustee Chris Dole protested this undemocratic deal by circulating petitions in order to become Greg Hartmann’s opponent in the November election. Chris Dole is a registered Democrat and enjoyed the party’s support in past elections to Crosby Township’s board of trustees.
The coalition that I was a part of, the one that Mr. Triantafilou referred to as ‘radicals’ tried to break this deal that attempts to limit voter’s choice. We tried to override the decision of our party boss to not field a candidate in both of the races for county commissioner by asking the Democratic Central Committee to formally endorse Chris Dole for County Commissioner.
Our coalition lost the vote for endorsement, but Chris Dole remains on the ballot as Greg Hartman’s sole opponent in the November election. So what makes us so ‘radical’ according to GOP chairman Triantafilou? The fact that we believe that our political party has a responsibility to field candidates in every single race for office on the ballot from the top to the bottom of the Democratic ticket? The fact that we think that the voters of Hamilton County deserve the right to vote on who represents them in local, state and federal government? Are we ‘radical’ because we think that the decision of the voters is more important than backroom deals made by our party bosses?
If you think that perhaps we are not radicals, but mainstream Americans who believe that they have a right to choose who represents them in government, I urge you to either write to the Hamilton County GOP via their blog at: http://hcrp.blogspot.com/
Even better, I urge you to write a letter to the editor of both our largest local paper, The Cincinnati Enquirer and our largest local news magazine, City Beat.
To send a letter to the editor at the Enquirer, go to:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/EDIT0202/302160003
To send a letter to the editor at City Beat, send an email to:
Thanks,
Nathan
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24 Apr 2008 at 04:37 pm | #
Yes, you are a radical. The word comes from “radix,” the Latin word for “root.” Your opposition to The Deal was an embrace of the root ideals of democracy. You are therefore entitled to say you have radically stood up for democracy. I congratulate you for that.
24 Apr 2008 at 05:54 pm | #
You are definitely right. I’m writing my letters this weekend.
24 Apr 2008 at 06:54 pm | #
You should take it as a compliment, especially coming from a fascist. If you are a radical you’re in good company.
24 Apr 2008 at 11:41 pm | #
Who cares what the GOP says? Let it ride. Next opportunity, have the rules changed if the majority agrees.
25 Apr 2008 at 08:57 am | #
What in the world is wrong with being labeled “radical”?
25 Apr 2008 at 03:32 pm | #
Dr. King, Gandhi, Ceaser Chavez, the women suffregettes, Frederick Douglas and the founding fathers were all radicals.
It’s better than being called status quo, which is what the backroom deal makers and those that support their undemocratic schemes are.
27 Apr 2008 at 01:03 am | #
Thank you very much for posting my letter about my “radical” politics. I am proud to be a radical in the tradition of people that have been mentioned in comments above mine. I guess the nature of my letter was more to ask “Does Mr. Triantafilou think that people who believe that they should be able to choose their government are radical?”