Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

[Tonio]

More than any other politician, she represents the best argument for public financing of political campaigns. (Or at the very least, a great reason why the FCC should require that broadcast TV and cable set aside free time for candidates.)

After eight years as lieutenant governor, Marylanders still know virtually nothing about her politics or her achievements. All we know is that she is Bobby Kennedy's daughter.

She has managed to raise millions without any kind of public campaign. I don't think it was as simple as flying up to the Kennedy compound to pick up a suitcase of money, of course. But she has the Kennedy mystique and Kennedy connections at her disposal.

I don't know if publicly financed campaigns are the answer. I don't know if non-consecutive terms (like Virginia's governor) are the answer. I do know that as a nonaligned voter, it's outrageous that money and connections matter more in elections than the will of the people.

[Sharon (Premo)]

I've knew someone would start this thread ever since KKT's formal announcement. I think she'll be worse than Spendenning. She should go back to Taxxachusetts with the rest of the clan.

[Kyle (Premo)]

Originally posted by jetmonkey
It totally blows chunks how PG County and Baltimore get to dictate to the rest of the state like that. MD was FLUSH with cash before Spendenning took over and looted the treasury.

Hell, Schafer did a job on MD too! And now he's our State Treasurer!

:)

Everytime one of them leaves office the States Taxes are increased and the deficits increase.

[Clare_Whitbeck]

Believe it or not, Maryland has public financing of gubneratorial campaigns. Remember that box on your Maryland tax return? It provides money for a governor's race. How much? I don't know. What are the conditions? Again, I don't know. There is even a study going on now to determine whether Maryland Delegate and Senatorial campaigns should be publicly financed.

[Tonio]

Believe it or not, Maryland has public financing of gubneratorial campaigns. Remember that box on your Maryland tax return? It provides money for a governor's race. How much? I don't know. What are the conditions? Again, I don't know. There is even a study going on now to determine whether Maryland Delegate and Senatorial campaigns should be publicly financed.

Good point, Clare. I was thinking more of the British system, which involves NO private donations. Each candidate must put up a deposit, and the candidate loses that money if he or she doesn't get a certain percentage of the vote.

Would that work here? I think it's worth a try on a statewide level.

[Clare_Whitbeck]

Keep your eyes on the Capital Newpaper (Annapolis, they're on the internet) and follow this issue. There should be announcements of who is appointed to the committee, and by next fall some results of their study.
The British systems works for them. I'm having a hard visualizing American candidates accepting something like that. But I like the idea.

[Sharon (Premo)]

Setting the record straight on who is not endorsing the wannabe gov. candidate.

http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20020619-271939.htm

Innocent mistake or lies in the making...hmmmmm?

Let's face it... whether it's a Kennedy on the ballot or not, whoever is running as the Democratic candidate is going to win, money or not. The fact that she is a Kennedy just makes the Libs druel harder as the envision Annapolis becoming a new Camelot. :)

[firefighter6]

If you want to know more about her, here is her website http://www.friendsofkathleen.com/.

For those of you who live or work in Southern Maryland I would like for you to know that we (Maryland) have one of the best EMS (Emergency Medical Services) systems in the world. It is all paid for by the State. Year before last we almost lost it. The budgeted amount that we get would not have supported the cost to keep it active. If you have an accident and you are badly hurt, you are first taken care of on scene by EMT's (emergency Medical Technicians) and Paramedics. Which are trained by a state organization. Then if your injury are severe you are taken to a Maryland state police helicopter (again paid for by the state) you are then transported to a Trauma center (also paid for by the state). This is because the current administration has given us the funds to keep our system active. If we had lost the money, we would have lost training, helicopters, and trauma centers.

If we had to take you to a local hospital and they decided you needed to go to a trauma center you would have to pay 3-8 thousand dollars just to be flown there. If the MSP helo takes you from the scene of the incident you pay nothing.

[vraiblonde]

Sorry, Firefighter, that's not a good enough reason to elect a vapid liberal as Governor. Certainly Townsend will win because of her touchy-feely verbiage but she is merely Parris-lite.

Take her education rhetoric, for example - she goes on and on about how to improve our school systems, forgetting entirely that it was Glendenning's policies that ran them into the ground in the first place. She's just another ignorant liberal who thinks money grows on trees. "Accountability" is not a word in Ms. Townsend's vocabulary.

She talks a lot about all the money she wants to funnel into schools, health care, etc. but she doesn't say a word about where this money will come from. So I think we can safely say that she's all talk.