by Jeff on 03.21.2010
Show the Ohio Democratic Party and Jennifer's primary opponent that you object to any state party endorsement in the U.S. Senate primary by replacing your Facebook and Twitter profile photo with this image. Just right click the image at right and select "download image," then upload it to your Facebook and Twitter accounts as a new profile photo.
Take a stand with Jennifer - NO ODP ENDORSEMENT!
by Jennifer on 03.20.2010
On May 4th, I am competing against the state's Lieutenant Governor for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat now held by retiring Sen. Voinovich. Polls show each of us has strong support for the nomination.
The Ohio Democratic Party has so far remained neutral in this primary. Just last week my opponent delivered a letter to the state party asking for its endorsement.
The Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee meets Wednesday, March 24, 2010, and its bylaws require endorsement consideration to move forward. Early voting begins in just 10 days on March 30th.
Until now, the party has remained neutral. We need your help to keep it that way--not just for me, but for Ohio.
A state party endorsement at this late date provides no conceivable benefit for anyone but my opponent. As Democrats, we're all in this together. A party endorsement would alienate supporters of the candidate not endorsed and hurt party unity after the primary election.
Let's face it, the real fight here is against electing Rob Portman, whose record of free trading and hard core conservative voting as a Washington insider in Congress has lost jobs for Ohio and will take us backward not forward. Help us keep the Democratic Party unified and stop an endorsement in the U.S. Senate race in Ohio. Please sign our online petition for NO ENDORSEMENT in the U.S. Senate primary on May 4th!
Please forward this to your friends and family and have them sign, too! Tell the Ohio Democratic Party to let the voters decide. Sign the petition now.
Many thanks.
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State and
Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate
PS - Remember history: In 1982 there were contested Ohio Democratic primaries for Governor, Secretary of State and Treasurer. The state party decided not to endorse in any of these races. Democrats went on to capture all statewide offices in the fall. But in 1994 the party broke with tradition and endorsed Joel Hyatt over Mary Boyle in the contested U.S. Senate primary. Mike Dewine defeated Joel Hyatt. It took 12 long years to get this seat into the capable hands of Sen. Sherrod Brown.
After signing the petition, please volunteer, tell your friends, contribute to our campaign -- and vote in the primary election on May 4th!
by Jeff on 03.19.2010
Yesterday evening the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats voted to endorse Jennifer in the U.S. Senate Democratic primary. Coming on the heels of her endorsement by the Stonewall Democrats of Summit County, this endorsement is particularly significant because Cleveland is the home of her primary opponent and the endorsement was actively sought by both candidates. According to the by-laws of the organization, the endorsement required a 60% or higher vote.
Jennifer has long been an outspoken advocate for marriage equality and against employment and housing discrimination on the basis of gender identification or sexual orientation, and she has called for the repeal of the Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy. She received the RISE (Recognition in Strengthening Equality) Award at a candlelight vigil for equal rights for the GLBT community last July in Worthington, Ohio.
Upon learning of the endorsement, Jennifer described it as "fantastic news" and said she was "extremely grateful."
UPDATE: Here is a statement from Robert Rivera, President of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats:
"After serious and thoughtful discussion and debate that reflected support for both candidates, the members of Cleveland Stonewall Democrats voted to get behind Jennifer Brunner, an advocate for full LGBT equality her entire political career, and to work for her victory on May 4th and in November."
by Jeff on 03.18.2010
Congratulations to Jennifer on her induction into the Hungarian Hot Dog Bun Walls of Fame at Tony Packo's! Awards and recognition are nothing new for our courageous Secretary of State, but enshrinement of one's signed hot dog bun is a rare honor indeed.
Tony Packo's is a legendary Hungarian-themed restaurant in Toledo, world-famous not only for it's chili cheese fries and cabbage roll combos -- and as the spiritual home of Corporal Max Klinger (the M*A*S*H character played by the late Toledo native Jamie Farr) -- but for its collection of hot dog buns signed by celebrities, duly framed and proudly displayed on every available square inch of wall space.
Although Farr triggered the restaurant's world-wide fame by working it into several episodes of M*A*S*H, the bun-signing tradition actually began when the owner's daughter lured Burt Reynolds into the establishment while he was in town to film "The Rainmaker" in 1972. Burt signed his hot dog bun on impulse, and the tradition began. Now there are hundreds upon hundreds of celebrity-signed buns on display, from Hollywood stars to presidents -- and soon the first woman to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.
The next question is, what will be featured in the hot dog combo that gets named for Jennifer?
by Jennifer on 03.16.2010
Yesterday I was at the rally in Strongsville where President Obama eloquently and passionately exhorted Congress to pass health care reform. He pointed to the hand-wringing going on among Democrats in Congress over the political consequences to them of voting for health care reform. A woman in the audience shouted out, "We need courage!" The President paused and flashed one of his fierce smiles. "That's what we need," he agreed, as the crowd roared its approval. "That's why I came here today. We need more courage."
I agree. The President needs more courage in Congress.
Monumental challenges like the health care crisis cry out for solid, decisive action by our government. The voice of one woman in the crowd captured the essence of what all of us must do--stand with courage and move forward. Yet, at this historic moment, when fundamental health care reform is almost within our grasp, Democrats across the country watch in stunned disbelief as their elected Democratic representatives dither and fret, worried about the consequences of their votes for their reelection. With voting set for this week, many Democratic members in Congress are still hedging on whether or not they will vote for health care reform.
This is a time for courage. A courageous leader does all that he or she can for the good of the American people, because it is for people that we work, not for our reelection. A courageous leader pushes forward with a focus like I saw in the President yesterday, on getting things done to make people's lives better--because we must. A courageous leader stands up for the millions who can't afford and can't get decent health care coverage, or whose insurance has been canceled, even when they're sick. A courageous leader is armed with the facts and stands strong against the attacks that are aimed at just one thing--to preserve the power of the few for the demise of many.
This is a time to lead, and leadership takes courage.
Continued in the extended entry
by Jennifer on 03.16.2010
After President Obama's speech about the health care reform plan yesterday I spoke to a couple from Strongsville who are strong, well-educated Democrats. They loved the speech but one was having difficulty remembering the three major points that he made about the plan, and we agreed that a visual listing would be a helpful part of presenting it. Here is a simple, clear list:
THE PLAN:
1. Reform health insurance
a. Pay less for health insurance (up to $3000/year/person)
b. Lifetime ban on disqualifying children for pre-existing conditions
c. Can't drop you when you're sick
2. Choices for insurance
a. Keep your present insurance if you like it
b. Buy a new plan
i. plan is as good as Congress gets
ii. if you need help, you get a tax credit to help you pay for it
c. If you buy a new plan, you get:
i. freedom from lifetime or annual coverage limits
ii. free checkups for preventive care
iii. Coverage for your son or daughter until age 26
3. Regular Medicare coverage and cost stays the same + no doughnut hole
HOW TO PAY FOR IT:
1. Going after fraud, abuse & waste extends Medicare solvency 10 more years
and pays $1 trillion of deficit in 20 years
2. Get rid of tax payer subsidies going to insurance companies
3. Fees on insurance companies that make money on new buyers of insurance
by Jeff on 03.11.2010
Visit our new Brunner Bazaar page on ActBlue to get your Brunner for Senate gear. Lapel stickers, Courage cards, bumper stickers, and T shirts - all featuring our Courage logo with Rosie the Riveter.
T shirts come in Medium, Large, Extra Large,and Extra Extra Large.
Get some for you, and get more to hand out to your friends and neighbors. Show the world that you stand with a Senate candidate with courage!
by Jeff on 03.10.2010
Here is a letter from Jaladah Aslam, President of the Youngstown Warren Black Caucus, fourth from the left in the photograph, endorsing Jennifer in the race for the U.S. Senate:
Dear Secretary Brunner,
It is with deep pride and affection that I can announce to you that the members of the Youngstown Warren Black Caucus have decided to endorse your candidacy for United States Senator from Ohio.
Very few public officials have embraced and encouraged diversity like you have in your professional career. Whether it was your time on the bench in Franklin County or your excellent service to our great state as Secretary of State, you have proven yourself an advocate for civil and human rights of all people.
We are proud to stand with you in this campaign and are committed to assist in any way we can. Please feel free to call on us as you continue your journey to victory on May 4 and then in the General election this coming November.
Sincerely yours,
Jaladah Aslam, President
Youngstown Warren Black Caucus
by Jennifer on 03.08.2010
Right now, there are only 17 women in the U.S. Senate out of 100 Senators. Ohio has never had a woman U.S. Senator--not even one nominated in a contested primary. We have a chance to change this.
Of the admirable women who have run in the past, none has held statewide office before running for the Senate. I do--elected in my own right with a 15% margin of victory and winning in 52 of Ohio's 88 counties. I've been told, "It's not your turn." But I know differently, and I believe you do, too.
A woman in the U.S. Senate from Ohio, the nation's 7th most populous state, will mean:
* Stronger representation on health care concerns unique to women,
* Practical, collaborative and focused approaches to helping small businesses and to creating jobs,
* A zeal for public service to help retool our manufacturing and construction economy to make Ohio a leader in clean energy jobs, and
* Fighting for the working conditions and concerns of our growing group of service workers in the health care and retail industries, many of them women.
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| People and horses draped in black walk in a procession of 100,000 in memory of the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of March 25, 1911 in New York City. |
Today, March 8th, is designated as International Women's Day. It is observed officially or unofficially in many countries throughout the world. In the U.S., it has been a basis for commemorating the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City in which 146 garment workers, most of them women, lost their lives as a result of the fire and 70 others were injured. Most of the factory's 500 workers were young Italian and Jewish immigrant women who normally worked nine hours a day during the week and seven hours a day on Saturdays. It was the worst workplace disaster in New York City until the horrific events of September 11, 2001.
International Women's Day is not officially celebrated in the U.S. Yet, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire brought the increased political involvement of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, and it helped inspire Frances Perkins, who had actually witnessed the fire from the street below, to push for comprehensive safety and workers' compensation laws as the future U.S. Secretary of Labor in Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential administration and an early woman leader in U.S. government.
We need more women in the U.S. Senate. And we need more women who understand that things in the Senate must change. Politics is not a game--it is how we get things done for real people--to help them provide for their families, to make sure our food is safe to eat, our water clean to drink, our workplaces safe and our homeland secure.
And maybe the U.S. could even begin to recognize International Women's Day. Please help me get to the U.S. Senate by volunteering, telling your friends, contributing and voting.
by Jeff on 03.05.2010
Last night at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Wood County Democratic Party, Jennifer Brunner received the county party's endorsement in the May 4th primary election by the solid margin of 28 votes for Jennifer, 20 votes for her principal primary opponent, and 5 abstentions.
Jennifer and her primary opponent were both present for the endorsement meeting. Her opponent had attempted to influence the Executive Committee members by means of a robocall prior to the meeting, and at the meeting itself his surrogate demanded a roll call vote instead of the customary voice vote followed by a stand-up vote if necessary. This old-school intimidation tactic was unavailing, as the majority of members present responded favorably to Jennifer's message and showed that they had the courage to go against the wishes of the party establishment.
More than 75 people turned out to hear the candidates' presentations at the meeting.
UPDATE: Here is a statement from Wood County Democratic Party Chair Mike Zickar, via Glass City Jungle:
Last night, the Wood County Democratic Party Executive Committee endorsed Jennifer Brunner for United States Senate. Committee members heard presentations from Ms. Brunner, Lee Fisher, and Charlena Wells-Bradley as well as asked them questions relating to health care, promoting small business, and recent Supreme Court decisions. Democratic Party Chair Mike Zickar said, “Wood County Democrats have had a long tradition of giving equal time to all candidates, no matter how well known or obscure. We give everybody an equal chance to win our endorsement.”
The committee voted 28 for Brunner, 20 for Fisher, with 5 abstaining. Zickar said “Democrats are blessed with two great candidates, Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner. Our committee voted for Brunner and will be enthusiastically supporting her in the May 4th Democratic Primary.”
by David on 03.04.2010
In two months Democratic voters will go to the polls in Ohio to choose a candidate for the U.S. Senate. They will have much to consider as they make their choice. They will think about critical bills like health care reform and clean energy legislation and banking regulation reform that have stalled in the Senate, despite the commanding majority held by the Democratic Party. They will think about the lifelong Democratic politicians in the Senate who have repeatedly backed down from their principles and compromised away the heart of the Democratic agenda, worried about their political careers and squeamish about displeasing the corporate interests who have bankrolled their campaigns. And reflecting on all of that, they will reach one conclusion:
The Democratic Caucus in the U.S. Senate needs a little more courage.
Fortunately Ohio Democrats have a candidate in this primary election who can fill that need, and you can help her win this primary. Jennifer Brunner has cleaned up Ohio's elections as Secretary of State and won the John F. Kennedy Library Profile in Courage Award for her success in protecting our votes. She has taken courageous stands on the issues that matter most to the people of Ohio. She is determined to put people ahead of corporations. And she has pledged to do what she knows is right, every time, without regard to how it affects her chances for re-election.
Opportunities to elect a leader with Jennifer Brunner's vision and resolve are rare. Please contribute $100, $50, or even just $25 to help elect a true progressive champion as the first woman to represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.
Continued in the extended entry
by Jennifer on 03.02.2010
Last week retiring U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), managed to halt an emergency extension of unemployment benefits and COBRA assistance, even though he knew they'd expire on Sunday night. He punched hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Americans right in the gut.
What's wrong with this guy? By threatening to vote against "cloture" (closure of filibuster debate) he stymied the efforts of the rest of Congress to help hard-hit American families muddle through a little longer on unemployment benefits until the recovery from the worst economic crisis in generations finally reaches them. Sen. Bunning is so out of touch he complained that maintaining his opposition caused him to miss a college basketball game.
Despite his claimed concern for the deficit, I'd say Sen. Bunning's real game has been the money game. Banks get bailed out, CEOs get their bonuses, but when it's time to help American families, federal deficit means no relief for them. Sen. Bunning and the party that has historically taken us in the wrong direction are using the 1994 playbook once again on America. If power and self aggrandizement is your real game, you'll take money from the highest bidder, and it's to your advantage to sack progress even if it means you miss a basketball game.
There are signs the economic recovery is stirring, but the recession has cost our fellow Americans eight million jobs. The unemployment rate remains staggeringly high, and in reality is higher than reported because it doesn't account for Americans who've stopped looking for work.
No matter what a lame duck Kentucky Senator thinks, I know Ohioans are hard working. They are frustrated, because they just want to work. When Senators are as out of touch as Jim Bunning, it's a sign of the times. How long will an unresponsive Congress whittle away at the middle class and push down hard working Americans who just want to work and take care of their families?
Continued in the extended entry
by Jennifer on 02.26.2010
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| Job losses under the Bush and Obama administrations: which got us headed in the right direction? |
"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it."
-- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
1. Question: Which U.S. president was the first to push annual federal spending across the one-trillion-dollar mark?
Answer: Ronald Reagan (Republican), in 1987.1
2. Question: Which U.S. president was the first to push annual federal spending across the two-trillion-dollar* mark?
Answer: George W. Bush (Republican), in 2002.2
3. Question: Which U.S. president was the first to push annual spending across the three-trillion-dollar mark?
Answer: George W. Bush (Republican), in FY2009.3
4. Question: During the 57-year period 1948-2005, under which party's presidents was the average annual growth in pre-tax family income greater?
Answer: The Democratic Party.4
Continued in the extended entry
by Jennifer on 02.26.2010
As the chief elections officer of Ohio and a former judge, I was sickened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s actions in moving up an issue not even ripe for determination and pushing the conservative activist majority rule of the court on the American people. It’s such an irony that the ruling that stands to gravely hurt the American people is entitled, “Citizens United.” It’s clear that the purpose of the decision is to water down the collective power of living, breathing American “citizens united” such as we saw in President Obama’s unprecedented and precipitous election in 2008.
One of the most exciting things about the 2008 presidential election was the sea of new faces of all colors, nationalities, and backgrounds who had never before in their lifetimes been so excited about being part of the political process. I knew that in this next generation, many of these first-time campaign workers would become candidates themselves, changing the face of our elected officials at all levels to look and think more like the rest of us.
Then along came the Roberts U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United, working in stealth and behind closed doors to dash the very hopes of so many for a new kind of politics that is inclusive, netroots fueled, and demanding greater personal contact, authenticity and honesty.
Continued in the extended entry
by The Brunner Team on 02.23.2010
There are just ten weeks to go before the primary election, and Jennifer Brunner's historic grassroots campaign for the U.S. Senate is in full swing. We know that personally talking to as many Democratic voters as we can in this year's primary election is critical to winning, and one of the best ways to do that is by phonebanking.
This past Saturday many of Jennifer's supporters gathered at campaign headquarters in Columbus for a Phonebank Party, with refreshments and conversation and a visit with Jennifer, herself. We made hundreds of calls and spread our message to hundreds of voters. Watch the video as Jennifer encouraged and joined our phonebankers!
We know in these times when finances are tight, it can be difficult to contribute money. But in a grassroots campaign, your time and talent are just as valuable to us. A Phonebank Party is a great way to support a candidate like Jennifer who will make sure that we win, too. You can help by hosting or attending a Phonebank Party. It's easy and it's fun, and you and your friends will be helping to make sure we have the strongest Democratic candidate to take a progressive Democratic win all the way home in November!
You can use our online form to sign up to host a Phonebank Party or to attend one in your area. We'll provide instructions and call lists. You invite your friends and ask them to bring their phones. Set a starting and ending time and see who can make the most calls!
Our campaign is about people like you. This is our chance elect a great U.S. Senator who gets it that politics is about people first. We're proving that with our campaign, and she'll prove it time and time again in the Senate with courage and tenacity. Let's change the face of politics in our state. Please sign up today.
Thanks for your help.
The Jennifer Brunner Team