Yesterday, I received an email plea from a friend’s daughter. She asked that it be widely distributed, and it is worth sharing.
I am writing to you because I am very interested in who is elected as the next Governor for the State of Indiana, and with the election just one week away, I hope I have not waited too long to speak up.
I have been disappointed on a few occasions over the last several months to hear other Democrats talk less than enthusiastically about John Gregg – not because they don’t like him, not because they don’t think he would be a great leader, not because they think he would move Indiana in the wrong direction – but because he’s not liberal enough.
We all know where we live, right? Of course he’s not liberal – we are in Indiana!!
Debating the qualities of our candidate is not helpful at this stage in the process! That ship has sailed. He IS the Democratic nominee for Governor and we need to do ALL WE CAN to make sure he gets elected.
Is he perfect? I think he IS for Indiana. We live in a very conservative state and he is a conservative DEMOCRAT. But more than that, he is an intelligent, articulate leader with experience working WITH Republicans and Democrats to get things accomplished – like balancing budgets, investing in public education, etc. He understands that governing is not about US versus THEM. It’s about all of us WORKING TOGETHER to make Indiana a better place.
The alternative, I believe, is frightening.
Please do not allow democrats to undermine John Gregg as the Democratic nominee for Governor by talking about how you wish he was different. The stakes are too high. He is what he is and he is ELECTABLE in Indiana.He’s gaining momentum and has a solid chance to win if we rally behind him and help to make sure Democrats get out and support him. His campaign will work on convincing the Independents, Undecideds and moderate Republicans that he is the right choice for Indiana – and it’s working!
Please go forth and elect John Gregg!
Amy’s plea touched a nerve with me. John Gregg is, indeed, more conservative than I am. But I have already voted for him, and I did so with enthusiasm. I have three reasons for that enthusiasm: John Gregg, Vi Simpson and Mike Pence.
John Gregg is not an ideologue. He understands the state, understands the legislative process, and is focused on the things that are really important, like jobs and economic development. Does he have some positions on social issues with which I disagree? Yes. Is he likely to take steps to advance those positions? No. Those policies are clearly not his priorities; furthermore, the Democratic base simply will not support measures to ban same-sex marriage or to outlaw abortion. Let’s be blunt: Gregg will not take positions that are at odds with those held by the majority of his own party. ( I always try to vote for people who owe allegiance to the least dangerous constituencies.)
If you have any doubts about where Gregg’s priorities will lie, just consider Vi Simpson. Gregg chose Vi to be the candidate for Lieutenant Governor. She is one of the smartest, most principled people serving in the Senate. A true culture warrior would not have chosen Vi as a running mate–and the fact that Gregg did select her was a clear message that we can trust him to avoid the divisive social issues that motivate and consume today’s Republican candidates.
And then there’s the best reason of all to vote for John Gregg.
I totally agree.
Unfortunately, I am reminded that there were many people in Indy who voted the Democratic ticket but intentionally did not vote for Kennedy. Sometimes (often) I think Democrats in Indiana shoot themselves in their idiomatic feet. Today, I filled in the ovals next to Obama/Biden, Gregg/Simpson, and other Democratic candidates – much more satisfying than filling in the single oval for a straight party vote.
Your friend’s daughter is right on target; many of us are disappointed in the manner in which John Gregg’s campaign has been presented – rather low key. He is still the best choice for Indiana to halt the sell-off and leasing to privatize local government business here. The bombardment of Pence ads due to the Indiana GOP having more money reaches voters who pay little heed to what they actually say or what has gone on in this city and state in recent years. John Gregg quietly embodies the real people in this state while Pence promises more of the same dwindling of much needed services in areas of public safety, public education and rebuilding collapsing infrastructure as well ending aid to those in need. Hurricane Sandy proves that Romney’s hair-brained idea of turning disaster relief over to states and privatizing it will never work. How could Indiana possibly deal with the massive destruction of cities and towns, water and sewer systems, demolished streets and roads and sources of electric and gas utilities we are seeing on the east coast? We cannot maintain normal daily wear and tear because tax dollars go to build roads we do not need and support sports venues. John Gregg wants to bring our tax dollars back into our neighborhoods, our schools, our physical safety, into our very lives, by meeting the needs of the majority of Indiana residents, not the few who live high on the hog while the rest of us pay for it.
There is NO WAY I will vote for a republican. No way, no how. I can’t bring myself to. I’ll vote for a libertarian before a republican but even those are too radical against humanity these days. I really hope Pence is not voted in but living in Indy makes me think he will. sigh.
As an unrepentant bleeding-heart liberal, I would suggest that even here in Indiana, more Hoosiers dislike the idea of a ‘liberal’ than would disagree with our policies – when properly explained, rather than caricaturized.
That being said, liberals have a choice of supporting less-than-perfect candidates or letting the government drift further and further into the hands of reactionaries who want to return to the idyllic past that never was. While I have policy disagreements with John Gregg, my main complaint is the weakness is his campaign. Still there is no question in my mind who would be better for the citizens of Indiana and there is no question whom I support for Governor – John Gregg will get my vote