Posts Tagged ‘local elections’

Report from Louisiana: This and That

Posted: February 21, 2022 by Pat Austin in Uncategorized
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By: Pat Austin

SHREVEPORT – A bit of this and a bit of that this week.

Tech Issues: I am so sympathetic to the tech issues that your trusty blog host, DaTechGuy, was having not too long ago. We have been going through some computer upgrades at the office which on one hand is great; we have super fast lovely new computers, but for a solid week we couldn’t access email accounts. Not good. After extended conversations with GoDaddy and then with the tech company that did the upgrades, we finally got email access again.  But, there’s a catch: those of us in the office can only access our email at our work stations. Not on our mobiles and not remotely from home. And it gets better: we can’t change our password and we aren’t allowed to know what our password is!

So, you can’t log out of your email because you can’t log back into it without a password. And anyone who sits at my workstation, for example, can read my email, or even more strange, can send out emails under my name.

What the heck is this all about?!

I have no idea, and it’s already problematic as I received a time sensitive message before the weekend and was not able to access it for two days until I went back to my desk. Not good.

Really, tech upgrades are always a problem from where I sit. I’ve never been through a new phone, computer, tablet, router, whatever, without multiple hiccups.

Here’s hoping this gets resolved soon!

Local Elections: Speaking of hiccups, we have a mayoral election coming up this fall in Shreveport. Our current mayor, an inexperienced Democrat who has been nothing but a disaster, is running unopposed as of this writing, and … you guessed it…the Republicans are splitting the vote with multiple candidates. This is exactly how this clown won his first term. Beyond aggravating.

We can only hope the Republicans get together before the actual election and everyone not leading the polls needs to drop out. If our current mayor wins re-election you can get out your erasers and take Shreveport off the map. Done. Lights out.

Facebook Jail: With all this drama, we needed a little laugh around here which we handily found when my husband landed in Facebook jail a few days ago. It was his first offense (miraculously) and so it was only 24 hours, but he spent his time in the hoosgow singing prison songs (think Merle Haggard). I told him it is a badge of honor to be in Facebook jail these days and not to worry about it. He really doesn’t care, so I expect he will be a repeat offender.

Other than all this organized chaos, things are relatively quiet around here given that it is Mardi Gras season and we are all running about catching parades and hanging cheap plastic beads around our necks with stuffing our bellies with every variety of King Cake we come across. Bavarian, cream cheese, strawberry, traditional cinnamon, even boudin stuffed King Cakes are readily available. Lent will be here soon and hopefully things will settle down to more somber and dutiful ways.

Until then, take care and be kind.

Update Fitchburg 1:30 p.m.

Posted: November 2, 2010 by datechguy in congress, elections, opinion/news, politics, special events, tea parties
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I’ve been to every precinct in the city so far and this is what I saw.

In ward 6 where two years ago I stood alone a group held signs for republican candidates

Republicans in 2010 Ward 6

The only candidate on the democratic side promoted was Tom Foley for Sheriff

The only democrat signs in 6

I have never in my life seen more people holding signs for a question than for a candidate

Anti Question 1-3 electioneering

I was so struck by that I interviewed a gentleman there

Foley has drawn a fair amount of support. I’ve met him personally and I’m not surprised by that.

The man on the right is a republican but he is for Foley

There was a group of FSU students interviewing people for a government project, I asked them why they didn’t cover the Gunn event at the college, none of them had been told even though every teacher got an e-mail about it.

Where were these college folks when Gunn was on Campus?

In Ward five the turnout was VERY high, particularly in 5a

Ward 5 very busy

I talked to David Roth who I knew from high school, he was a year ahead of me.

In Ward 4 it was the same story

Two Poll workers in Ward 4

Ward 2 also had a very steady stream, their totals were already over the primaries before noon

Posing at the machine in Ward 2a

In ward three there were two big surprises. My mother who works the polls told me it was very steady, in the second ward the numbers were already over 800 by 12:30 p.m.

Ward 3 the busiest ward in town

In both wards 6 and 3 there were Democratic poll watchers checking to see if they needed to get their people out if they hadn’t voted. Two people I met at the Mayday march were also in 6 and 3. We disagree but they are very nice and I’m always pleased to see them.

I ran into John Olver in Ward 3. I still think he is dead wrong but I’ve learned to respect him as a gentleman who has never treated me with anything but respect. He has run a clean and honorable campaign.

John Olver and supporters in Fitchburg on election day

Ex Mayor Mylot was there as well, he was supporting the republican ticket. The men on the left holding signs for Lew held them for Bove in the primary at the same spot.

Ex Mayor Mylot in ward 3

The Shock of the day came as Bill Gunn showed up at the same time and he and Congressman Olver posed for a picture together.

Bill Gunn (r) and congressman John Olver (D) civil and honorable opponents

This was the picture of the day, although I think it will be a close race both have run positive, clean and issue oriented campaigns, it’s been an example to the entire nation.

In ward one the trend of incredible numbers continued:

Ward one with a full house

And the electioneering continued, the most popular democrat in the area is clearly Foley

Signs for foley in ward 1

Republicans signs were in every place except for ward 4 downtown.

Republicans holding signs in ward 1

Bottom line all signs point toward huge turnout and if the Scott Brown trend of January is a barometer, then I’d be worried if I was the left

A conversation with Rich Bastien: candidate for Worcester 2nd District

Posted: August 7, 2010 by datechguy in elections, local stuff, tea parties
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Rich Bastien is running in the 2nd Worcester district in the statehouse, I talked to him at the Bill Gunn Town Hall in Leominster Last week.

If his story is being repeated statewide the times they will be a changin’!

Jen Flanagan and Neal Heeren at the Tea Party Candidate Forum

Posted: June 29, 2010 by datechguy in elections, opinion/news, short films/interviews, tea parties
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Here is the video of Jen Flanagan and her opponent Neal Heeren at the Twin city Tea party on the 28th

I recorded these in about 10 minutes swatches based on my camera and the space on my two cards:

I actually think she made a good presentation. I thought her answer on “Tea Party Extremism” was a safe answer, but I think her answer on NH was week.

She did meet with people privately and talked for a while, as I said before she deserves a lot of credit for showing up.

Here is her opponent Neal Heeren

I missed the start of his speech as my batteries needed switching.

Without a question Heeren was a weaker speaker, he had to refer to his notes quite a bit on opening and seemed very uncomfortable on stage, rather odd for a lawyer. On the issues he was more correct but you have to be able to make the case to people. That’s a skill he can develop but if Flanagan keeps showing up and manages to make credible explanation and presentations it will be harder for him.

This more than anything illustrates why Flanagan’s presence was smart! Rather than avoiding the Tea Party in fear she confronts it directly. Were all her answers good enough? Likely not but you can’t beat something with nothing. She is an experienced pol and a personable lady. There is no reason why she shouldn’t make a good impression on the people she represents.

If what you believe is right it can stand up to argument. Liberals in fear of the tea party have conceded that argument. If they follow the example of Flanagan for good or ill that might change.

I’ll have Jen Benson and Kurt Hayes up later tonight

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