Support of All Local Democrats - Press Release

July 13, 2007: Toledo, Ohio. Karen Shanahan, Democratic candidate for Toledo City Council - District 2, announces that she remains committed to the Lucas County Democratic Party and all local Democrats. She looks forward to working with all party stalwarts - leadership, elected officials, other candidates and volunteers - and to move the party forward together, ensuring victory for Democrats in 2007 elections and in the all-important 2008 Presidential election.

Vote of Conscience Not Coercion

The Blade article about Mr. Irish resigning http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/NEWS09/707130399/-1/ARCHIVES30
When I suggested to the Blade that the Central Committee should meet to vote on the retention or dismissal of Mr. Irish, I also was adamant that the vote should be taken by secret ballot to ensure a vote of conscience and not of coercion. I have been advised that the National by-laws of the Democratic Party do not allow a secret ballot.

I now understand why nothing ever changes in the LCDP. The comments and subtle threats and innuendos that when along with the recent issue are enough to train a person to only take the safe position and never disagree. Since there are differences of opinions on every issue, the voters then have elected officials and candidates towing the line of mediocrity with the hope of not offending anyone.

There is a chance the party can move forward if the next vote by the Central Committee is made by secret ballot. An interesting experiment would announce a secret ballot vote (I bet more members would attend) and once the ballots are collected, do the same vote by raise of hands. Do you think the results would be the same?

By the way… my vote is for Ellen Grachek to lead the Lucas County Democratic Party!

Lead the LCDP

I just watched McNamara again about the "stripper" incident. He keeps calling for John Irish to resign. Does anyone know who he recommends for the position? One usually does not call for a resignation if one does not have someone lurking behind the scene ready to jump into the task. Would really like to know.

Ellen Got it Right

Ellen turned a negative into a positive over the improper conduct of a young lady at the LCDP golf outing by requesting the party to take corrective action though by-law changes and working more diligently to recruit women for office. I wonder why Wade didn't speak with someone at the event and request immediate action when he witnessed the inappropriate behavior. It would not have received the media response, but it would have effectively prevented the continuation of the behavior. Had Wade addressed the incident when it was taking place and they refused to put a stop to it, I could understand creating the media frenzy which ultimately took place.

A Mind of Her Own?

I happened to listen to about 10 minutes of the conversation between Frank Szollosi and Fred LeFevre on 1370 as I was driving to work which took place the day after the Council vote on the President of Council. Much to my amazement, Frank bluntly stated that Mark Sobczak had done an excellent job of pulling Wilma Brown over to his view. Why do men presume that women of authority who don’t agree with them must have received divine guidance from another man? I assure you, Wilma Brown makes up her own mind and does not march to the drum of anyone else.

This was a ridiculous remark and indicative of the paranoia that exists today between the 2 fractured segments of the Democratic Party (or is 3 segments now, A-team; B-Team; Wilkowski-Team). Wilma stood her ground on the appointment of Phil Copeland and was sanctioned along with the rest for her vote. Wilma stood shoulder to shoulder with Frank and the other A-team Democrats during the Mayoral race but refused to demean anyone on either side. But now, those same A-teamers have turned their back on this same community leader, if the A-teamers want to berate the B-teamers for being mean and divisive, I think it is time they really look at their own conduct. They are not behaving any better. In essence, Frank is inferring that a Republican would be a better president of Council than a woman with 30 plus years of service to Toledo through Girl Scouts, School Board (president a number of time) and now City Council, a woman who votes her conscience regardless of the consequences. In essence, Frank is stating that Wilma is not capable of reaching her own conclusions nor capable of making good choices.