Several people have asked me whether or not the Delusional Duck will be endorsing candidates this year.
The short answer to that is ‘yes.’
Over the course of the last few years, I’ve come to know many of the candidates running for office. Until very recently, most of them did not know that they knew ‘The Quack’ from Delusional Duck. Some still may not know. For those candidates that I don’t personally know, I do my homework. I go see these candidates speak, I read their literature, I get put on their e-mailing lists, I follow them on social media, I speak to them, their supporters and their opponents, I even attend their fundraisers. For those with websites I probably, personally, make up the majority of their webpage hits. I say all this to explain that unlike other endorsements, I do not have these candidates come to me seeking an endorsement, fill out questionnaires or get grilled by panels asking them industry specific questions. I am making my endorsement by who I have seen make the biggest effort to change our community for the better and who displays the qualities I think are best suited for the office they seek. Most candidates spout off the generic rhetoric of supporting education and public safety, improving transportation and the environment and increasing fiscal responsibility—any candidate who came out against those things surely would have no chance in hell. The candidate I look for is the candidate that has a plan to facilitate an improvement in those areas and who has actually participated in the process in some capacity over the years.
With that, I have begun making some of the selections for the Primary Election that the Delusional Duck is endorsing. My list is not yet complete.
On the main page on the right-hand sidebar, under the title ‘2010 Local Elections’ you will notice some of the candidates’ names are now highlighted in yellow. Those candidates’ names highlighted in yellow are the candidates the Delusional Duck is supporting in the Primary Election on September 14, 2010.
Over the next few weeks I will add to the list. You will also soon see all endorsements for candidates on the 2010 Elections Page. If anyone has a question as to why I chose to endorse a specific candidate over another, I will answer all those questions.
Any questions regarding Delusional Duck’s endorsements of any local candidate can be answered here.
Please allow adequate time for me to respond to any questions you may have.
“I am very grateful to the Delusional Duck for this outstanding and very important endorsement! As the most widely read blog in Southern Maryland for politics, news and information, the endorsement from the Delusional Duck is truly an achievement our campaign is very proud of! Thank you to the Duck staff, administrators and all their readers, bloggers and visitors!”
Not to offend anyone here at DD, but in my humble opinion, endorsements are stupid, and should be banned.
Just look at how unions use endorsements to sway, and influence their membership into voting for “THEIR”
candidate.
If anyone here needs to know who is endorsing who, to convince, make, or win over your vote, you should
give up your right to VOTE!!!!!
You as a citizen shouldn’t care who endorses who, you should vote for who you believe in, whether they’re
a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or whatever your/their party affiliation is, it’s your decision, no
one else’s’.
Go out and do your homework, check-out the candidates running for office, check-out who “YOU” think will
do the best job for you, not who will do the best job for SOMEBODY ELSE!!!!!!!!
IN OTHER WORDS BE A LEADER, NOT A FOLLOWER!!!!!!!!!!!
Not to offend anyone here at DD, but in my humble opinion, endorsements are stupid, and should be banned.
Just look at how unions use endorsements to sway, and influence their membership into voting for “THEIR”
candidate.
If anyone here needs to know who is endorsing who, to convince, make, or win over your vote, you should
give up your right to VOTE!!!!!
You as a citizen shouldn’t care who endorses who, you should vote for who you believe in, whether they’re
a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or whatever your/their party affiliation is, it’s your decision, no
one else’s’.
Go out and do your homework, check-out the candidates running for office, check-out who “YOU” think will
do the best job for you, not who will do the best job for SOMEBODY ELSE!!!!!!!!
IN OTHER WORDS BE A LEADER, NOT A FOLLOWER!!!!!!!!!!!
You are certainly within your right to have your opinion about this. I for one do like to know what others, to include organizations in the know think of candidates. Since one of your previous posts gave the impression that you think it is time for change in the Sheriff’s Office, one can only assume you feel this way because your choice for Sheriff was not endorsed by either the FOP or the DD. Instead of beating around the bush, why don’t you just say what you want to say. I for one want to thank DD for doing their homework and endorsing the candidates they feel are best for Charles County. I can’t imagine what the DD has to gain or loose with their endorsement. Is the DD a special interest that I am not aware of?
Just a Citizen is absolutely correct. Endorsements are like cattle drives. Endorsing organizations are simply seeking to exert control over the herding instinct in the electorate. Most voters can’t or won’t do the work necessary to determine the qualifications and honesty of the candidates. Hence the current morons in the Whitehouse and Congress. Voters tend to vote in blocks so they have some identity. I cannot for the life of me figure out why regular folks can seem to realize that politicians have the rest of us in a crossfire. Wake up!!!!!!
I have to agree; endorsements cause the ignorant voter to vote for the candidate(s) who they think are being backed by an intelligent person or group, but believe me people, the so called intelligent person or group usually isn’t that intelligent.
First off, I am a candidate during the upcoming election.
I currently have no endorsements nor am I fishing for one here.
So here are my thoughts on this topic. I think endorsements are a valuable tool for some voters. Not everyone is able or willing to do the research needed to make an educated choice when casting their vote. I think if they do trust and align themselves to an organization they may also want to trust that same organization as a source of information and recommendations. Endorsements come in many ways, some are from organizations such as unions, political parties, or blogs and others could be your family, co-workers, or churches. Don’t take that as the optimal method in my opinion.
One of the things I hope to do if elected is to develop information that will help people make smart choices in the voting booth. I want to educate my fellow citizens on what each office they vote for does. I have found that many people have a general idea of what their representatives do, but I would like to help everyone (including myself) understand what they are supposed to be doing. I would like to examine every office and produce detailed information on its role. Then the citizens will be able to decide who is best qualified to hold that office.
First off, I am a candidate during the upcoming election.
I currently have no endorsements nor am I fishing for one here.
So here are my thoughts on this topic. I think endorsements are a valuable tool for some voters. Not everyone is able or willing to do the research needed to make an educated choice when casting their vote. I think if they do trust and align themselves to an organization they may also want to trust that same organization as a source of information and recommendations. Endorsements come in many ways, some are from organizations such as unions, political parties, or blogs and others could be your family, co-workers, or churches. Don’t take that as the optimal method in my opinion.
One of the things I hope to do if elected is to develop information that will help people make smart choices in the voting booth. I want to educate my fellow citizens on what each office they vote for does. I have found that many people have a general idea of what their representatives do, but I would like to help everyone (including myself) understand what they are supposed to be doing. I would like to examine every office and produce detailed information on its role. Then the citizens will be able to decide who is best qualified to hold that office.
Mr. Depew, your statement that “Not everyone is able or willing to do the research needed to make an educated choice when casting their vote” disturbs me, voting is one of our most precious rights here in the United States and every citizen should do their homework when it comes to voting for a candidate.
If as you say some voters aren’t able to do the research on their own, and only follow what someone or some group tells them about a candidate they can only make a lopsided, perhaps bias, or possibly even a prejudicial decision that influences’ who they vote for.
Something else you said about a Church endorsing a candidate bothers me too, I have to agree with good old Thomas Jefferson on this one”Religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God”, not between a church and their candidate.
In closing, I for one don’t even follow who my “Central Committee” endorses, I vote for the person that has my best interest in mind.
In closing, I for one don’t even follow who my “Central Committee” endorses, I vote for the person that has my best interest in mind.
Just remember that in your pursuit for office.
A central committee doesn’t endorse candidates. They are obligated to support all candidates of their party equally. If you take that equal support of candidates as an endorsement, the republican central committee endorses all republicans and the democratic central committee endorses all democrats.
Viper - 25 July 2010 11:21 AM
your statement that “Not everyone is able or willing to do the research needed to make an educated choice when casting their vote” disturbs me, voting is one of our most precious rights here in the United States and every citizen should do their homework when it comes to voting for a candidate.
It disturbs me too, BUT its reality. Go to the St. Charles Towne Center today and randomly ask 10 county residents, of voting age, if they’re registered to vote. Then ask those who are the names of our current Commissioners. I’d be willing to bet that only 3 of those 10 are registered to vote and can name even two Commissioners. Ask them then to name the Senators from Maryland to the U.S. Senate.
Not everyone who has the right to vote, exercises that right. Not everyone who exercises that right, does their homework before they do vote.
First off, I am a candidate during the upcoming election.
I currently have no endorsements nor am I fishing for one here.
So here are my thoughts on this topic. I think endorsements are a valuable tool for some voters. Not everyone is able or willing to do the research needed to make an educated choice when casting their vote. I think if they do trust and align themselves to an organization they may also want to trust that same organization as a source of information and recommendations. Endorsements come in many ways, some are from organizations such as unions, political parties, or blogs and others could be your family, co-workers, or churches. Don’t take that as the optimal method in my opinion.
One of the things I hope to do if elected is to develop information that will help people make smart choices in the voting booth. I want to educate my fellow citizens on what each office they vote for does. I have found that many people have a general idea of what their representatives do, but I would like to help everyone (including myself) understand what they are supposed to be doing. I would like to examine every office and produce detailed information on its role. Then the citizens will be able to decide who is best qualified to hold that office.
Mr. Depew, your statement that “Not everyone is able or willing to do the research needed to make an educated choice when casting their vote” disturbs me, voting is one of our most precious rights here in the United States and every citizen should do their homework when it comes to voting for a candidate.
If as you say some voters aren’t able to do the research on their own, and only follow what someone or some group tells them about a candidate they can only make a lopsided, perhaps bias, or possibly even a prejudicial decision that influences’ who they vote for.
Something else you said about a Church endorsing a candidate bothers me too, I have to agree with good old Thomas Jefferson on this one”Religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God”, not between a church and their candidate.
In closing, I for one don’t even follow who my “Central Committee” endorses, I vote for the person that has my best interest in mind.
Just remember that in your pursuit for office.
Viper, I have to go with Mr. DePew here. Ideally, every citizen would consider the right to vote precious and would educate him/herself appropriately before pulling a lever; however, this is simply not the case. It is less to do with whether they are able to do research on their own - I suspect it’s a combination of laziness and ignorance for the most part that prevents them from doing it. And endorsements are only one example of where uneducated voters get their information - most of it comes from sound bytes - mainstream media, passing comments, talk radio, neighbors, fellow congregants at church and who knows what other sources. Further, there is nothing wrong with a church endorsing a candidate; the separation of church and state is to keep the electorate from endorsing a church, not vice versa.
Lastly, I assume your central committee is not my central committee. We don’t endorse any candidates until after the primary elections.
If you want to check out the veracity of my statements (and Mr. DePew’s), I would invite you to listen to C-SPAN in the mornings when the lines are open and people call in. You might be amazed. I know I am, every time there is a “hot” political issue on the national level and people call in with opinions that are based on who knows what. In contrast, I consider myself a fairly educated voter and try to listen to C-SPAN when they broadcast actual commitee proceedings, debates, discussions and votes on legislation and confirmation hearings. Hearing it from the “horse’s mouth” instead of from an AM radio spinmeister puts things in a different perspective. If you listen to the people who call in, you’ll see that easily half of them don’t make the effort or take the time to get information from a reliable source; instead they lap up whatever the spin du jour is from their favorite celebrity talking head.
I agree a Central Committee “SUPPORTS” all candidates within their party affiliation, it’s an old man thing when I used the word endorse, what I’m trying to relate is that I’ve voted for candidates that weren’t members of my party many times in the past.
Maybe things like this are why the DD endorsed Sheriff Rex Coffey
