For the first time during the 2024 presidential campaign, Marilyn Rosche has hope. Although she keeps a dose of cynicism about politics handy, she is heartened by the aspect of a new choice.
“I’m so glad the country is being presented with a viable and exciting alternative to what seems like inevitable dictatorship if Trump were to prevail. Harris and Walz are a breath of fresh air in a race that had become increasingly stifling,” comments Rosche, responding to a Rochester Beacon reader survey on the 2024 presidential race.
The newfound national fervor for the top of the Democratic ticket in this year’s presidential contest resoundingly resonates with Rochester Beacon readers. Eighty-six percent of Beacon readers said they would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris if the election were held today. Nine percent said they would cast their vote for Donald Trump, the former president and 2024 Republican nominee.
A few readers (1 percent each) supported Libertarian Chase Oliver and the Green Party’s Jill Stein. Less than 1 percent backed independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West, and 3 percent chose the “other” category in the survey.
On Tuesday, Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, bringing into focus the Democratic ticket some 90 days before Election Day. Walz rose to the top of a short list, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a University of Rochester alum. Trump previously chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio to complete the Republican ticket.
Sixty-four percent Beacon readers who took the survey identified as Democrats, while 14 percent said they were Republicans. Eighteen percent were unaffiliated, and three percent chose other. Party affiliation among all registered voters in Monroe County is less skewed toward the Democrats; the tally in the county Board of Elections’ official fall 2023 enrollment report was Democrat, 42 percent; Republican, 26 percent; and unaffiliated/other parties, 33 percent.
In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden received 59 percent of the votes countywide, compared with 38 percent for Trump.
A new campaign
The 2024 presidential race was upended July 21 when Biden ended his bid for reelection. After Biden endorsed Harris, the Democratic Party quickly lined up behind her. The president’s decision to drop out of the race was unprecedented; a major party’s presumptive presidential nominee had never pulled out with less than four months until the election. It also came a week after another dramatic development: the attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Given her late entry as the Democrats’ presidential candidate, the timeline for Harris to choose a running mate was shortened to only a couple of weeks.
“My former House colleague Tim Walz is a proven leader who will work tirelessly alongside Kamala Harris to move our nation forward. I look forward to the work ahead to create a brighter future for every American,” Rep. Joe Morelle posted on X shortly after Harris’ announcement.
The Beacon reader survey was conducted Wednesday, one day after Harris revealed her choice.
For months, most national polls showed Trump leading Biden. With Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket, the race has taken a turn. An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll released Tuesday showed Harris leading Trump by 3 percentage points among registered voters. It is a four-point shift from a poll conducted late last month. The poll had a multi-candidate field that included Stein, Oliver, Kennedy and West.
A day before the Marist poll, a University of Massachusetts Amherst survey showed similar results with Harris leading by 3 points over Trump since becoming the Democratic nominee.
“While there are still three months to go in the campaign, the Harris campaign and the Democratic Party must like their chances to maintain control of the White House and to send former President Trump to his second consecutive defeat in his quest to return to Pennsylvania Avenue,” observes Tatishe Nteta, provost professor of political science at UMass Amherst and director of the poll.
Issues at stake
Despite the early enthusiasm for Harris, pundits warn of another razor-thin race where several concerns are top of mind for voters. The Beacon asked its readers which issues were very important as they decided whom to support in the presidential election.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents picked democracy and the rule of law as the most important issue.
“First & foremost, this election is about the future of democracy and the rule of law in the USA Other issues are certainly important like social justice, the economy, gun violence and health care, but preserving our democracy is paramount,” wrote Stephen Gaudioso.
Ethics in government ranked second in the reader survey, with 69 percent of respondents citing it, followed by climate and the environment (65 percent), foreign policy including the Ukraine and Israel/Gaza conflicts (64 percent) and personal character (also 64 percent).
“It’s noteworthy that ethics in government and personal character are two of the options in your list of priorities,” observed Loret Steinberg. “This election cycle, more than any other in my memory, has brought them forward—hopefully, voters will recognize the importance of these things as the heart of our consideration of any candidate’s qualifications.”
Abortion, expected to play a crucial role in the election, was cited by 60 percent of survey respondents. A year ago, nearly nine in 10 readers who participated in a Beacon survey believed the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong to overturn Roe v. Wade. When asked about the decision at the time, 88 percent said they disapproved.
Less than half (49 percent) of survey participants felt the economy and jobs were at the forefront. Health care (55 percent) and guns (53 percent) rated higher, as did global warming and environmental issues (53 percent), income equality and poverty (52 percent), and Social Security and Medicare (51 percent).
Slightly more than two-fifths of respondents listed racism as a decisive issue. Education, social issues, immigration, taxes and government spending were selected by 30 percent to 38 percent of Beacon readers. When it came to the experience of candidates, criminal reform, national defense, debt and deficits, roughly a quarter thought those were key. Only 23 percent said crime and inflation were deciding factors.
When examining the two presidential candidates’ ability to tackle some of these issues, the Marist poll found:
■ Abortion: Harris: 56 percent; Trump 41 percent
■ Preservation of democracy: Harris 53 percent; Trump 46 percent
■ Immigration: Trump 52 percent; Harris 46 percent
■ War in the Middle East: Trump 51 percent; Harris 47 percent
■ Economy: Trump 51 percent; Harris 48 percent
■ Role on the world stage: Harris 50 percent; Trump 49 percent
“For months, comments on the presidential race typically included the phrase, ‘baked in.’ That’s no longer the case,” notes Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. “Democrats have renewed enthusiasm and confidence with Harris at the top of the ticket, and the new matchup has ignited interest in the contest on both sides.”
Historic turn of events
Until a few weeks ago, Biden was the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party, facing no serious challenges in the primaries. Lingering concerns about his health and mental capabilities were brought to the forefront after a poor performance at an early presidential debate in late June. In July, after urging from party leadership, Biden withdrew from the race.
“This has been such a roller coaster of a campaign year. Biden has been a good president, but the focus had turned to his debate performance instead of his performance as president and the important issues at hand,” Steinberg says. “It’s rare that someone in power would do what President Biden has done in prioritizing our country over individual ambitions. Hopefully, with Vice President Harris running, we can all return to the most important issues at hand.”
If elected, Harris would represent many firsts for the office as a woman of color who also has South Asian ancestry.
Harris’ 17-year experience in California politics and her efforts early in the 2020 presidential primary, where she supported a ban on fracking and decriminalizing border crossings, suggests she aligns with the more progressive wing of the party. However, she has also received criticism from the left based on her time as a prosecutor and attorney general, and appears to have grown closer to Biden’s more centrist position while serving as vice president.
Political watchers say her selection of Walz indicates a desire to appeal to more moderate voters. Walz is a white male veteran and former school teacher from the Midwest who has effectively governed where his party holds the state Senate by a single seat. As a congressman, he voted in line with the conservative Heritage Action for America 15 percent of the time, twice as often as the average for his Democratic colleagues.
Still, when serving as Minnesota governor, he also achieved progressive goals by enshrining abortion rights, restoring voting rights for ex-felons, legalizing recreational marijuana, and mandating that utilities go carbon-free by 2040.
In the GOP primaries this year, Trump handily defeated all other hopefuls. He has enjoyed steady popularity among GOP voters since leaving office in 2021, with one analysis by 538/ABC News showing his favorability rating from 2021 to 2024 among Republicans never dropping below 75 percent. (Among Beacon readers who identified themselves as Republicans, 40 percent said they support Trump; 46 percent said they’d vote for Harris.) The failed assassination attempt of Trump in July also boosted support among his base, symbolized by many Republican National Convention attendees wearing ear bandages similar to Trump.
Walz, like his counterpart Vance, trends online. A Yale graduate and former Marine, Vance wrote “Hillbilly Elegy,” a best-selling memoir of growing up in Southwestern Ohio published in 2016.
A conservative who has opposed gender-affirming care for minors, abortion rights, in vitro fertilization, and funding for the war in Ukraine, Vance has been skeptical of the 2020 election results. At the same time, he has worked across the aisle with Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Elizabeth Warren on issues of insulin prices and regulating “golden parachute” payouts for big banks.
Vance was squarely in the “Never Trumper” camp in 2016, going as far as privately calling Trump “America’s Hitler.” He altered that position in his 2021 Senate race, however, walking back past criticisms and launching new ones at Vice President Mike Pence based on Pence’s actions certifying the 2020 presidential election.
Dissatisfied voters
While Beacon readers overwhelmingly gave the Democratic ticket a thumbs up, and 95 percent support one of the two major-party candidates, not all Beacon readers are pleased with the choices in this election.
James Redmond says neither major party deserves to win. He cites the mismanagement of the election process so far as a reason, calling it a national embarrassment.
John Calia wrote: “No matter who wins, I will be unhappy. The Republicans offer a candidate who has no understanding nor competence. And the Democrats offer unsound economics, weak foreign policy, and an immoral domestic agenda.”
For most readers, though, the choice is clear.
“The contrast between the tickets couldn’t be clearer this year: one ticket offers the type of thoughtful, bi-partisan policy-driven leadership that has been an asset to the US and the envy of the world for decades,” says Aaron Wicks. “The other offers an authoritarian, theocratic, fringe (dare I say “weird”) cult of personality type of politics that has never aligned with America’s values. Disagree with Harris-Walz on policy if you want—at least with them your views will be included in the debate. With Trump-Vance, the only thing that matters is that you pledge loyalty to them personally.”
More than 350 readers took part in this week’s Beacon survey. The following are the complete signed written comments of survey participants. Many additional unsigned responses were submitted. As a matter of policy, the Beacon does not post unsigned comments.
Readers’ thoughts on the 2024 presidential election:
For me this year’s presidential election comes down to personal character (integrity). I want a person who all of us can proudly claim as the president of the Country we love and cherish. Yes, the issues are important, but we need to deal with them with integrity and justice. Peace.
—Michael Bausch
It is crazy a felon can run for president.
—Whitney Hill
I am given a choice between two equally incompetent candidates. So, I will cast my vote for a candidate who will not win but I will not be guilty of voting for a major party candidate whom I do not feel it fit to lead the country.
—Robert Zinnnecker
Trump is guilty of treason and unfit for office.
—Clifford Smith
This election season underscores the importance of our local newspapers and the in-depth coverage they should provide on profiles and interviews of candidates running for House and Senate and State seats as well as the activities of the voters in Western and Central New York.
—Mary Suzanne Korneliusen
I am very impressed by Kamala Harris’ VP pick & also by her calm, thoughtful, & reasoned approach to issues (unlike her opponents who attack, but give no positive solutions to problems).
—Kathleen Cloonan
The difference in candidates could not be clearer to me. The Republican meme says it all, only it is missing a few words at the end. “Take America Back” should read “Take America Back to the 1950s.”
—Michael Thompson
No matter who wins, I will be unhappy. The Republicans offer a candidate who has no understanding nor competence. And the Democrats offer unsound economics, weak foreign policy, and an immoral domestic agenda.
— John Calia
Kamala Harris is a great voice to raise up against the hateful vitriol being espoused by the other party.
—Tom Ward
Regardless of issues or policies, persons wholly unfit in character should never be allowed to be President of the United States.
—Jim Trowbridge
Just sit back, enjoy the political humor that the candidates bring us, laugh at the hysterical memes on social media, lighten up for a moment then go vote for whomever you want to.
—Rich Calabrese
The 2024 Election will determine the direction and future of our nation. Will the USA remain a Democracy, for ALL not. We must Pray and Vote.
—Martha B. Colburn
Hope for sustaining our Democracy is foundational to the Harris-Walz candidacy and election.
—Bill Wynne
No thoughtful, informed citizen could vote for a man who openly says he would be a dictator from day one. Trump openly supports Putin and is supportive of Project 2025, a blueprint for a dystopian, non-democratic future. He’s responsible for appointing corrupt, self-serving SCOTUS justices, and would add more if elected. Then there is the issue that Trump is mentally unstable, and his running mate is unqualified for any public office. This race isn’t between Democrats and Republicans. It’s about what kind of future we want.
—Frank Orienter
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz represent a new generation in politics. We have watched a stalemate in the federal government for 20 years where nothing gets done because of political division. We need health care reform, gun control laws, and updated immigration plan, and forward thinking for all Americans. If the Democrats win all houses we will get some change on these things. Surveys show that a majority of Americans believe change is needed in these areas and the Republicans are unwilling to listen. Then there is the fact that Donald Trump is not fit to govern. He is driven by anger, and has promised to demolish our system of checks and balances by installing his people everywhere, and implementing Project 2025. He may deny a connection to it but the lead on that project is now on his transition team. This is not an existential threat to democracy, but a real down to earth threat. He and the MAGA universe need to rejected soundly.
—Donna LaMura
I hope for civil dialogue between the candidates. No more name-calling or personal attacks. Deal with the issues with possible solutions. Character does matter when I vote.
—Bill Graf
Lies v. Rationality. When will this McCarthism be over.
—Nic Nichols
We cannot afford to elect Trump given the Republican (Trump) platform. Our democracy as we know it might not survive.
—Larry Broser
Our future generations should be our primary focus.
—Mike Rudnick
The contrast between the tickets couldn’t be clearer this year: one ticket offers the type of thoughtful, bi-partisan policy-driven leadership that has been an asset to the US and the envy of the world for decades. The other offers an authoritarian, theocratic, fringe (dare I say “weird”) cult of personality type of politics that has never aligned with America’s values. Disagree with Harris-Walz on policy if you want—at least with them your views will be included in the debate. With Trump-Vance, the only thing that matters is that you pledge loyalty to them personally.
—Aaron Wicks
It is vital our voices are heard! We need to unite vs separate.
—Sally Caprarelli
Most importantly, I am concerned about the tone of divisiveness and lack of respect for all people that is taking hold in our culture. In my opinion, our political leaders must demonstrate a high level of decency and respect for others. Outside of the campaign, I believe most of us are concerned about the same issues but differ in our opinions on how to address them. Our leaders should encourage constructive discourse and stop the attacks and name-calling.
—David Powe
Neither major party deserves to win given how mismanaged this election process has been so far. It’s a national embarrassment.
—James Redmond
I am grateful that the Dems put country before party, The People before one person. I am hopeful, now, whereas before I was without hope.
—Tracy Hughes
For the first time during this campaign, I have a feeling of hope. Although I always retain some cynicism about politics, I’m so glad the country is being presented with a viable and exciting alternative to what seems like inevitable dictatorship if Trump were to prevail. Harris and Walz are a breath of fresh air in a race that had become increasingly stifling.
—Marilyn Rosche
At last we have a ticket we can get excited about! I would have voted for Joe no matter what, but I was shocked at how many young people might have been willing to stay home. I think the fear of a world without choice and bodily autonomy is too abstract for many young people. Plus they must have slept through their History of the 20th Century classes. Trump must be beaten, there’s no perfect candidates and the Supreme Court must be re-aligned.
—Martha Bush
Harris started her public career demonstrating progressive values, which she again repeated Sept 6. Her positions were strategic, holding back to get ahead. That’s smart. I hope she will be free from mid-course pressures after Biden’s term has ended. I hope youth will be enthusiastic and get out to vote.
—Richard Rosen
I am worried about election fraud and discrepancies. I liked the way the old system worked when everybody voted on one day unless you were sick or had a good reason to mail in an early ballot. It worked better than it does today with different dates and early voting, etc.
—Ellen Lerner
First & foremost, this election is about the future of democracy and the rule of law in the USA Other issues are certainly important like social justice, the economy, gun violence and health care, but preserving our democracy is paramount.
—Stephen Gaudioso
IMO the Republican ticket is just too freaking mean. Thank you.
—Tony D’Aiuto
This has been such a roller coaster of a campaign year. Biden has been a good president, but the focus had turned to his debate performance instead of his performance as president and the important issues at hand. It’s rare that someone in power would do what President Biden has done in prioritizing our country over individual ambitions. Hopefully, with Vice President Harris running, we can all return to the most important issues at hand. It’s noteworthy that ethics in government and personal character are two of the options in your list of priorities. This election cycle, more than any other in my memory, has brought them forward—hopefully, voters will recognize the importance of these things as the heart of our consideration of any candidate’s qualifications.
—Loret Steinberg
So why are Robert Kennedy, Chase Oliver, and Jill Stein included in your phony survey, but NOT Dr. Cornel West??? LET ME GUESS!!! https://www.cornelwest2024.com/platform
—Howard J. Eagle
I would vote for a potted plant rather than that sad, damaged, sociopathic wreck of a human Donald Trump.
—Scott Nickerson
The choice couldn’t be clearer. One party is genuinely concerned with making people’s lives and our country better and safer. The other party is only concerned with making Donald Trump and his rich buddies better.
—Richard Moss
I wholeheartedly believe that the outcome of the 2024 election is pivotal to retaining our democracy. Go, Harris/Walz!
—Yvonne Hylton
We need to come together as a country. The current social and political divide keeps us from making progress as a United States.
—Michael Bleeg
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor. Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist. The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. Submissions to the Letters page should be sent to [email protected].
The Rochester Beacon has been great because it allows the readership to usually speak out with their opinions. I find it eerily coincidental that only 9% of the readership support Trump and 86% support Harris. It reflects a similar percentage of the media. Maybe Trump has a point when he claims media bias which is the real “threat to Democracy”.
Josh, I’m afraid if one doesn’t know Harris’s record that’s on the individual. It’s not hard to find out. As former LEO I like her record as a DA and AG, she understands the value of rule of law. Her senate record is public, liberal yes, flaming liberal no. She is certainly left of center but not as much as the right wing media would have one believe. Flip-flop? An overused term. Do politicians change their positions to meet the demands of their constituents? Sure, isn’t that some of what we want from a representative government. I’m not clear on what she’s flipped on that was so out of line with changing circumstances and information. The Republicans had a chance to put up a candidate who wasn’t unhinged and they let it pass. It’s hard to understand how they fell in line behind their guy when they had better choices. I agree Afghanistan was awful, yet I haven’t heard a way we could have gotten out without the turmoil. A lesson like Vietnam, there’s no good way to pull out of a lost war. All of this considered who do think would be the better choice?
“UR – SPESL” NY Auto License Plate, (seen in Rochester)
Democrats must assure the voters that everyone counts. Votes count and people count.
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I am very concerned that the Democratic Party is still not fighting against the Trump threat, by every means, possible. Democratic messaging, for Harris, is still not waking up enough voters.
They might have “Idea Contests” asking people to submit messaging ideas, that can be tested on sample voters, in swing states. Find what really wakes up voters, and repeat, repeat… thanks
Len, then again, considering the inaptitude of the RCSB, and congress, perhaps the framer were onto something leaving government to people who actually know what they’re doing.
Perhaps my interpretation of the minutes of the Constitutional Convention differs from yours. Agreed that the framers wanted men of “virtue” making decisions, the primary purpose, as you state, was to give small states voice. It was a method to protect minority interests. It’s a Federalist System, made up of both individuals and states. One should not be forsaken for the other. As individuals our voice is carried through the state. We as a state decide what candidate the state supports. I’m not convinced a national popular vote would be more “fair” when it would disenfranchise lesser populated states and their citizens. Regarding direct election of senators, the framers were cognizant of the dangers of populism and wanted a buffer to ensure the Senate didn’t become just another House of Representatives, which in some ways it has. Too many senators take populist positions being worried more about popular opinion than right action. With it’s flaws I still think the EC is a more fair manner to determine the presidency. I’m not convinced the change in senate selection was necessarily for the better. Indeed, Canada recently rejected a similar change to its senate for this very reason. But I could be wrong.
For better or worse the RCSB is the voice of the people. It’s why the framers wanted a republic and not a democracy. Pogo.
The blind leading the blind to be, without end. God help us all.
As an FYI, the type of “republic” created by the Framers had damn little to do with the People controlling their government and far more to do with the 18th. Century “elites:” having the power. It’s why they kept the election of the president and the US Senators, along with control of the federal judiciary, out of the hands of the People. While also refusing to make waves by creating a national template for voter rights, enfranchising women, blacks, those under 21, and non-property owners.
I think it depends on perspective whether our Constitution was a good template. Some see it as elites keeping power, shutting out others, exclusive in nature. Looking backwards it was the elites keeping power from others. sure many of the framers were “elites”, men of virtue as defined in that time. Yet many of the framers were of humble beginnings. Considering the state of governments throughout the world, generally absolute monarchies or theocracies, at that time it was a huge step forward. There would be no monarch, no pope, no emperor, only citizens. The idea of a democratic republic was new. It was the beginning of something the world had not seen. The blending of the advantages of a republic with the advantages of democracy. Imperfect yes, yet it was indeed the template, the guide, the new pattern that America would follow expanding rights to more people. Templates are guides, not end products. I admire what the framers did. The type of republic the framers created did have to do with the people, but in a way that guarded against the threat of populism we see raising here and abroad. I may disagree with you on these points, I think an independent judiciary is a key to a free society. Also, prior to voting being based on property one of the flaws during the Articles of Confederation was “voters” travelling district to district to vote. It was simply a residency requirement, as we have today. The 21 year old vote? Not convinced it was such a good idea. we now know the human brain isn’t fully developed until we’re almost 25. And the last development is to the prefrontal cortex, the area where long term consequences are considered. Are we sure people who don’t have the capacity to understand long term consequences should be voting? Here’s the science: https://www.healthline.com/health/teen-brain-development
Regarding the comment, in the main story, attributed to Whitney Hill: “It is crazy a felon can run for president.”
No, Whitney … what’s ‘crazy’ is some citizens not recognizing blatant lawfare.
Blatant? How so?
Trump was involved in all sorts of legal conflicts before he ran for president. He always bragged about how he could engage in inappropriate and illegal acts. Maybe it just caught up to him.
Do you believe in a secret coordinated conspiracy against him?
I never thought the rise of Trump was much about policy, as opposed to appealing to some Americans worst emotions and fears. Residents of NYC and Albany always knew who Donald Trump was and he was not popular and still is not. The rest of the country received their view of Trump from a ten-year popular TV show called ” The Apprentice.” The show was fictional that made him a successful businessman in his own right, he wasn’t, and the words he spoke were not his. They came from scriptwriters and producers. This was never a difficult decision, even without Trump’s thousands of lies and the hate he spews. He was and continues to be supported by the KKK and the American Nazi Party, as well as their subordinate groups such as the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, etc. When you see them marching with Nazi flags, Confederate flags, and harassing Blacks, Jews. and non-white immigrants, those are Trump supporters. The billionaire class, Koch, Musk, big banks, big oil, the one percent support Trump. It is easy for me and goes back almost a century to the battle of coal miners against the Coal Barons and the coal miner’s song, ” Which Side Are You On.”
May we see the number of responses in each category of the Beacon poll? Percentages are great, but if the response is small, it may be meaningless. I also want to point out that the poll appears to have been conducted only by e-mail and on relatively short notice.
Thanks for your question, Jeff. As noted in the story, more than 350 people took part in this survey (the exact number is 352). The number of responses for each candidate are:
Harris: 312
Trump: 32
Stein: 3
Oliver: 2
Kennedy: 1
West: 1
For Beacon surveys, we use a defined survey population: Beacon Weekly Review email subscribers. As the story also noted, our readership is not a microcosm of the local population. Among Beacon readers, there is a higher percentage of Democrats than Monroe County overall. (The percentage breakdown by party affiliation this time was similar to previous Beacon surveys.)
We conduct all surveys by emailing the Beacon subscriber list. This survey was conducted 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
With such a huge Democratic Party majority as readers of the Beacon, let me ask a question. Why is it that all you Democrats just ignore the educational failure in urban Rochester? Can’t place the blame on those darn Republicans. You own that failure, big time. Let me take a little Howard Eagle approach to this decades old problem….could it be that racism resides in our education system and is a Democratic Party problem? Could it be that all you Beacon readers live in the county and could care less about your fellow Democrats in the City of Rochester? Could it be that you only concerned about the county school system and could care less about those inner city kids? ALL KIDS HAVE INNATE SKILLS AND OR GIFTS…ALL. So why are you not livid about the educational failure?! Decades of it and it continues to fail at an alarming rate. I’m challenging you, all of you, but in particular the Democratic Party and the educationally blind followers and supporters, to give the urban kids a chance to be in reach of the American dream. Give them a chance to “make it” in society. You don’t get that accomplished by turning a blind eye toward the urban plight. You do that by demanding that the RCSD and the RCSB and the teachers Union with it’s 40 plus year leadership under Adam Urbansky, make it happen. Show me what you got! One billion dollars is their budget! Think about that. Howard Eagle may be confrontational and yes, he could be more diplomatic, but I can see and understand his anger with all of you for not giving urban kids a chance to taste success. Semper Fi.
You are spot on the Dems own the RCSD issues, but I’m not so sure it’s a race problem. Look at the composition of the board. https://www.rcsdk12.org/boe
The drama, amateurism, and pettiness are more likely culprits.
Setting aside that the performance of the Rochester City School District board isn’t a presidential issue, what do you think about Trump’s promose to disband the Department of Education?
You don’t think that a failing school district will have any influence on the direction of our nation in the future. You are willing to look the other way when it comes to a local educational failure? Let me tell you that the presidency appears to have zero, nada, none, concern for me. They, the politician, at that level could care less about Rochester’s educational delenda. And that’s precisely why you should care. They are too busy spending and spending and do some more spending of our hard earned dollars. They spend it like it was leaves on a tree. That goes for both Dems and Repubs!! I know that hatred for one gives the other votes. And then to add to your question of disbanding the Department of Education. What good is it doing for Rochesters educational failure today….today? Zero, nada, nothing. Ever hear of States Rights? Just like this all important abortion issue….it’s NOT a federal issue. It is a States Rights issue. Please read up on the latest. I could go on but I’m sure you are, in your mind, well informed and know just what ought to be accomplished. Ever serve? Tell me about the military? Ever immigrate to America? No, well tell me all about the immigration situation. Ever fill a career in medicine? No, so tell me how that works. As a former Marine, and an immigrant lucky enough to apply, stand by and wait for the opportunity to come to this nation, as a medical imaging MGR. of large private practices and hospitals, I happen to be somewhat familiar with those issues. Those are areas that will need to be addressed, mainly because they haven’t been addressed, period. There is a hotel being remodeled right under your collective noses that will be populated by hundreds. That will be a drain and ultimate looming disaster. I’m out of time. Semper Fi.
Len, answer me this, what has the Department of Education done for the RCSD? Have they made any difference for the urban kids? If this Department of Education was on top of things they would be in Rochester and addressing this decades problem. It’s back to States Rights and the fact that this NYS is responsible for educating our youth. The NYS Department of Education doesn’t even address the failing RCSD. It’s right there under their collective noses. I would say they, at the State level, don’t even have any control of, nor any apparent interest in, addressing the decades of urban education failure. I know, what would you do Josh? Well, for openers replace the RCSB with competent individuals. Volunteers from local institutions of higher learning. Then replace Adam Urbanski’s leadership and let him wallow in the millions of dollars he has “earned” over the years in doing nothing, zero, nada, to move the educational needle in a positive direction. Then, reintroduce Rochester to a first class vocational high school. That’s for openers. But guess what? The politicians don’t seem to care. They will walk away from any challenge that could have them lose their position of comfort. They are indeed cowards when it come to doing things right and certainly when it comes to doing the right thing. Finally, sorry to say, but the vast majority of those responsible for educating our youth are Democrats, because they own the city and much of the county. I know I won’t hear anything because those raving about the upcoming election are to busy promoting the Party. Semper Fi.
Recently the Georgia state board of elections has amended its rules so as to give local election boards a greater opportunity to interfere with the process of vote certification. Adding this to similar moves by other Red states, it becomes clear that Republicans, instead of repeating their laughable attempts in 2020 to use the courts to reverse their losses may now be looking to handle the hijacking of the presidency in a more direct manner, with GOP GA leading the way.
At the risk of being branded a conspiracy nut, here’s how that hijacking can easily be accomplished.
Assuming that Harris wins the 2024 electoral vote, with that vote being as close as we all expect it to be, the next move will be for the certifying officials in one or two Red states carried by Harris to decline to certify her victory The reasons can be fabricated as needed. With enough electoral votes in dispute (see the election of 1876) neither candidate will receive the requisite 270 electoral votes, thus throwing the election of the president into the House of Representatives. Within the House, the balloting will take place with each state casting one vote. Given that Republicans currently control the congressional delegations in 26 states, the balloting will be short and sweet. Actually, short and sour.
The solution? An overwhelming vote for Harris.
’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish’d. But of little value given that the US is still shackled to the antiquated and useless Electoral College which renders national popular support for a candidate to be all but meaningless. And as I outlines above, the popular vote in any state controlled by the GOP but won by Harris will be meaningless if/when the election officials in that state cobble together a claim that “voting irregularities”, no matter how imaginary, make it impossible for them to certify their election results. And given that there is no legal challenge or other process for disputing a state’s refusal to certify the vote, how do we prevent the GOP from stealing the election?
Len, The Electoral college has it’s drawbacks, but it’s better than a national popular vote. A national popular vote could disenfranchise huge swaths of America. Our Federalist System guards against large states running roughshod over small states. Imagine being a resident of a small state in a national popular vote. Instead of swing states we could have swing cities. An Electoral College weighted by population still seems the better choice.
Afraid you have it backwards. It’s the Electoral College, not the popular vote, that disenfranchises tens of million of voters. Under a popular vote system every vote carries equal importance. Under the EC, those who vote for a candidate who does not carry a state have effectively thrown away their vote. And in five instances (including 2000 and 2016), the candidyae rejected by the voters was nevertheless “elected” president by a few hundred electors. I’d also point out that the Framers of the Constitution designed the EC, not so much to protect those Poor Little States from the Big Bad States as to keep the election of the president out of the hands of the uneducated, unwashed masses and leave it in the hands of the educated, sweet-smelling elites who, as you may know, were not obligated to cast their electoral vote in any manner other than as their conscience dictated. And let’s face it, that idea of protecting the Poor Little States from the Big Bad States was never a rational argument. And has become even more of a bad joke since the Civil War. State irrelevancy is just one of the reasons why the Constitition was amended to take the election of federal senators (originally kept out of the hands of those same uneducated, unwashed masses) away from state legislatures and turn it over to the People.
What is she?
What does she stand for?
What is her record?
Will she ever face the media? (who is overwhelmingly Liberal and are complaining about her lack of access to them)
All I know at the moment is what she wasn’t.
I don’t know what she could be. (she has flip flopped on many issues for political expediency)
K.H. as Commander in Chief? Could it be she will follow the lead of her political partner J.B. who botched the Afghan withdrawal….big time?
The world is waiting for K.H. to be elected so that they can have their way with these United States of America.
Semper Fi.
(and please, please don’t mention the name D.T. Not a fan of the individual but will feel much safer with a conservative of sorts administration)
Lying, cheating, and violence will NOT make America great again. Telling the truth, the rule of law, and using democratic processes will.
The days of gaining political power by polarizing the electorate is over as we are shifting to a politics of inclusiveness, equity, justice, and compassion. People are slowly realizing that the path to greatness is in transcending divisiveness and respecting and including us all in our great nation. Together we can make a better society. Divided we will destroy it.
Thank you for a good review of the political map of the Rochester, NY region.
Anyone thinking Harris is not strong enough to be president unable to handle our adversaries, should watch her handling of protesters at her rally. That “Mom” stare and “I’m speaking” made me sit up straight.
….and I was worried about her ability to rule to roost. Just sitting up and paying attention did that? I’m no longer worried. I remember when I entered Parris Island for my bootcamp journey. All they did was look us in the eye and said, “I’m speaking” and it made us sit up straight as well. That’s all there was to it and 13 weeks later we were Marines. I don’t know why it has to be so difficult. Ezie breezy. Semper Fi.
First morning at the police academy, “You may say three things, yes sir, no sir, and sir I have a question.”