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 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
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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.
 |
| 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.
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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.”
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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by Jeff on 02.21.2010
Jennifer's acclaimed Innovation Tour for Ohio Jobs continues on Tuesday with a stop at Twenty First Century (TFC) Energy LLC in Fairborn, Ohio. TFC Energy is a relatively new company that specializes in research and development, manufacturing, and distribution of efficient land based wind turbine systems for the conversion of wind power to electricity.
Having identifed untapped market potential in low-speed wind energy, TFC Energy has developed a practical, low-speed wind turbine that utilizes an innovative vertical axis design. Known as a VAWT (Vertical Axis Wind Turbine), this inexpensive device is optimized for low-speed wind conditions (4.4 to 5.6 meters per second) such as those prevailing in Ohio and is scalable from 10 to 100 kilowatt hours. Remarkably, it is not in direct competition with any current alternative wind energy solutions. The product is targeted for today's commercial and federal buildings as a supplement to their current electricity usage, but the company also envisions a light-weight, transportable VAWT for military use at forward bases.
TFC Energy has been working with the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) to optimize and independently validate the performance of its wind turbines.
Do you know an innovative enterprise or project in Ohio with potential to promote economic growth and produce jobs? Nominate it for inclusion on the Innovation Tour.
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by Jeff on 02.17.2010
Jennifer will visit Summer Garden Food Manufacturing on February 18th for the ninth stop on her highly successful Innovation Tour for Ohio Jobs, which continues to shine a spotlight on examples of projects and enterprises whose ingenuity is spurring job growth in Ohio.
A division of the John Zidian Co. and maker of the popular Gia Russa Italian foods and Mario Batali brands, Summer Garden Food opened a 50,000 sq ft state-of-the-art green food production facility on a 6 acre culinary campus in Boardman in 2008. The new plant adheres to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The facility has been recognized by the Youngstown Business Incubator as part of its Innovative Series, was awarded the 2009 outstanding Engineering Project by the Mahoning Valley Society of Professional Engineers, and has collaborated with Youngstown State University on innovative design concepts.
The Summer Garden Campus includes an 11,000 sq ft Research and Development Facility, a Food Safety and Quality Assurance Laboratory, a Good Manufacturing Process Engineering Development Center, and a 3,400 sq ft Culinary Arts Center. Workforce requirements include continuing professional education programs . The company is a Certified Organic, USDA, and FDA registered food processing facility.
Click here for more information about the Innovation Tour for Ohio Jobs (including an interactive map of tour stops) or to nominate businesses or projects for inclusion in the tour.
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by Jennifer on 02.16.2010
Last week I posted a challenge to Rob Portman, my likely Republican opponent for the U.S. Senate this fall. 
Former Congressman Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is headlining an "important and only major fundraiser of 2010" for COAST (Coalition Opposed to Spending and Taxes) on March 1st in Cincinnati. All fine and good--his business--until I read a "tweet" posted by the group that included this language about the late Congressman John Murtha on the day he died: "John Murtha dead at 77. Good riddance bad egg."
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported my comments about the former Congressman Portman's open support of this group (he's raising money for them):
"There can be no excuse, no minimizing and no equivocation of this kind of disrespect that has taken our country in the wrong direction," Brunner said. "If Rob Portman fails to renounce COAST and its hateful tactics, then Ohio has a very good indication of the kind of courage he will show as a U.S. senator."
Former Congressman Portman's response? His spokesperson called the comments "inappropriate" as distracting "us from finding solutions to our economic challenges and the status quo." Then the name calling began that Jennifer Brunner "represents a rubber-stamp for the Pelosi-Reid-Obama anti-jobs agenda."
To pile on, the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC) Press Secretary opened up with a torrent of comments in response to the article, with false accusations of my being "mired in questionable associations with several organizations." She said that "Ohioans will reject...partisan rhetoric and hypocrisy this November."
On this last statement, we agree.
This is the first time I have openly challenged Rob Portman to explain his actions (and now his failure to act). My opponent in the primary has been trying to land a punch on Mr. Portman for 6 months with no luck. Portman just says "jobs czar" and moves on. But as soon as we tell Mr. Portman to be decent and to show bipartisanship, the National Republican Senatorial Committee attacks with a data-dump of unrelated opposition research. Who are they afraid of?
Continued in the extended entry
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by Jennifer on 02.15.2010
Many of us have suffered over the last year and are concerned about what may lie ahead this year. More home foreclosures are expected. The housing market’s return to prosperity remains slow, and many who’ve lost their jobs can’t relocate to take another job because their homes are worth less than what they owe for them.
Americans are hurting because of a financial system that has rewarded unprecedented risk taking with other people’s money. Deregulation has allowed the financial system to evolve into a world where elite wizards exact exorbitant sums as must-have financial “talent,” even when they have miscalculated, stumbled and harmed countless individuals in the process by taking irresponsible and unconscionable risks.
In 2008 and 2009 Americans averted the equivalent of a crash down a cliff that could have kicked off a financial avalanche. Now, as more and more ordinary Americans lift up their heads from their daily grindstones, they’re smacked in the face by these very financial institutions they’ve saved that are paying exorbitant bonuses to their top “talent” to keep the financial wizardry churning. Their “thanks?”—higher credit card fees, tightened small business credit and near oblivion to the concept of shared sacrifice. The ever-escalating costs of campaigns keep Congressional candidates tied to the institutions they oversee, even though constituents are clamoring for real change that reflects their values.
As a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate for the open seat now occupied by Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), I am focused on shining some honest light on how we got into this mess and how we can get out of it. Changes in regulation must benefit not only sustained economic growth for our country, but must make financial institutions work better for everyday Americans.
Until Congress declares its independence from campaign contributions from the financial sector it regulates, Americans are not likely to see significant change. It’s not just Republicans giving Wall Street a free pass. The Washington Post reports that the Chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), is rushing to assure Wall Street political donors--such as hedge fund and investment bank executives--that they should not take Democratic calls for stricter regulation of Wall Street practices seriously. Despite the current outrage that Wall Street has engendered and populist calls from both Democrats and Republicans to reform it, Senator Menendez recently told a Post reporter, “I remind them that there is a difference between what is said and what is done.”
Continued in the extended entry
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by Jennifer on 02.12.2010
Last week I was honored to be a part of the re-opening of the Lancer steakhouse in Cleveland, because I know how important it has been to the African-American community in Cuyahoga County and beyond. For most of its 50-year history, the Lancer has been a meeting place for politicians, business people, civil rights activists, and regular people. The history of Cleveland's African-American political struggle can, in many ways, be seen through the lens of this important community institution. In early December, it burned to the ground.
February is Black History Month, a time to remember the struggles of our African-American leaders, especially during the Civil Rights era. Their brave and persistent efforts have inspired countless people from all races, often giving them the needed resolve to keep going.
In 2004, I watched when many people of color living in urban neighborhoods in Ohio endured long lines on Election Day, while other areas of our state did not suffer the same circumstances. I read Congressman John Conyers' report on the Election Day conditions in Ohio and got a knot in my stomach. At the time I was serving as a judge, and administering Franklin County's first adult felony drug court. I had made sure that the participants in my program knew of their right to vote, and most of them registered and did vote. It was at that time I made the difficult decision to leave the bench and run for my current office, Secretary of State.
"No more," I said to myself, setting my jaw and resolving to keep going. The 2008 Presidential election was not an easy one in which to be Ohio's Secretary of State. So many changes were needed--so quickly. Even now, Americans see that the change they wanted is not easy--and it involves them having to do their part. Are they willing? Are they ready? Do we continue to be inspired by the change we wanted so badly in 2008?
I'm sure our black leaders in the past experienced to a much greater degree what we see people experiencing now--walking down the path but not yet seeing the light, walking in faith that the better day can come, if we just keep going. We have each other, and the examples of those who came before us, and we must not forget this. The courage and resolve of those who have gone before us must never be taken for granted, nor should the gains they achieved for us with their sacrifices. I urge you to always remember the work they did that led to transformative change like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to ease barriers to voting for every qualified citizen.
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by Jennifer on 02.11.2010
Think about what Congress could be like if our members of Congress remembered that each is a person first and then and only after that, a partisan. It’s really not asking too much of them.
Many of us choose party affiliations because we agree with a general way of thinking and a general approach to how to solve society’s problems. As we examine our views and why we hold them, we may move to the “right” or “left” within our party, but we usually stick with our party as long as we have enough common ground that keeps us working together in a way we agree will accomplish our goals. Bipartisanship happens when opposing parties see each other as adversaries and not as outright enemies—when the competition is based on ideas and doesn’t get personal.
Bipartisanship comes from finding common ground, often higher ground, that both parties can agree on—even if at first just in concept. Problem areas can be parsed into smaller pieces to look for common ground. And in instances when there is not agreement, subjects of remaining contention are set aside while focus is on consensus on issues where it can be reached. Eventually, the last few sticking points may look different with other issues resolved, until there is at last compromise. That’s how cooperative adults do it—and succeed.
Imagine how sickened I was to hear that former Congressman Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, is headlining an “important and only major fundraiser of 2010” for COAST (Coalition Opposed to Spending and Taxes) on March 1st in Cincinnati. Imagine how sickened I was to see that COAST’s comment on Twitter included this language about the late Congressman John Murtha on the day he died this week: “John Murtha dead at 77. Good riddance bad egg.”
Continued in the extended entry
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by David on 02.10.2010
As you may have seen, our opponents have been raising money from special interests like crazy. As you also may have seen, it's not helping them too much. Despite their periodic boasts and counter-boasts about the size of their bank accounts, they just can't seem to get any traction.
We, meanwhile, continue to gain momentum by directly talking to voters. They spend their time asking the wealthy and powerful for money. We spend our time asking voters their thoughts and seeking their support. We advocate for people on the issues that are at the center of their lives. We challenge the status quo of a Congress that can't seem to get health care passed and that has so far failed to confront Wall Street, big banks, insurance companies, and other powerful interests that perpetuate a system fueled by yet more money.
What can you do? For starters, a lot. You can take on just a small piece of our campaign, and well, it becomes yours too. Our direct voter contact plan is working--we're knocking on doors and phonebanking--but we're just weeks away from the primary election, and there's still much to be done.
As we contact voters around the state, we're finding two interesting things: 1. We have a strong base of support that is much larger than our opponents', and 2. There are a whole bunch of "undecided" voters. As the May primary approaches, we're redoubling our efforts to make sure that we talk to each and every undecided Democratic primary voter in the state.
We can do this, but we need your help. We're setting up a special account to help us communicate as directly as we can with voters. Today, we're asking for contributions of $50, $100, or $250 to help us send direct mail, shoot videos, and equip our canvassers and phone bankers.
This is not just another email asking you to contribute money. We hear from so many people how tight money is for them, so we have other ways you can help. Phone banking from your home is a great way to contribute your time and effort, which to a grassroots campaign is like gold.
I've been asked by hundreds of people, "Where can I get a tee shirt?" We've got them. Today, we're offering "Courage" campaign kits with a tee shirt (pick your size), two Rosie the Riveter buttons, 25 "Courage" cards, and a signed "thank you" from Jennifer. Supporters who either donate $50 or make 1000 calls (it's okay if you get a little help from a friend making the calls) by Sunday, February 21, will get one of our campaign kits. The shirts are American made and as cool as can be, designed with our "Courage" logo, and come in M, L, XL and XXL. Please sign up for your campaign kit online so we know your shirt size and address and whether you are contributing or calling.
Continued in the extended entry
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