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]

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]

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]

Campaign Finance

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]

Campaign Finance

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]

More on KKT

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?

 

[Bruzilla]

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.

 

[vraiblonde]

Here's my beef with the Kennedy's and why the very name leaves a bad taste in my mouth:

Rich politicians are all the same - they cry about poverty and underprivilege and say that we must pay more in taxes to provide for those who can't provide for themselves. Yet how much of their own money do they donate to the cause? How much of Kathleen Townsend's trust fund went to buy books for a local school? What exactly does Caroline Kennedy do with her money and influence besides head up organizations and throw fundraisers to get OTHER PEOPLE to cough up? What is Ted Kennedy spending his inheritance on besides booze?

And don't get me started with these liberal celebrities. Martin Sheen gnashes his teeth about poverty and homelessness and tries to shame us into helping financially - all the while he lives in a multi-million dollar home and has a collection of expensive cars. The money he spent on just one of his automobiles would feed a family for a year. But no - he wants US to give them money out of our middle-income.

Talk about hypocrisy!

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Here's my beef with the Kennedy's and why the very name leaves a bad taste in my mouth:

Rich politicians are all the same - they cry about poverty and underprivilege and say that we must pay more in taxes to provide for those who can't provide for themselves. Yet how much of their own money do they donate to the cause?

BRAVO!!!


... What is Ted Kennedy spending his inheritance on besides booze?...
Family Defense Lawyers!!!


Talk about hypocrisy!

 

[Kizzy]

Time for Kathy Kennedy Townsend to go.

We need a new governor!

I love the Spendening nick name!

 

[Sharon]

Finally, some good news about KKT


Sure beats this fluffy crap

 

[demsformd]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Here's my beef with the Kennedy's and why the very name leaves a bad taste in my mouth:

Rich politicians are all the same - they cry about poverty and underprivilege and say that we must pay more in taxes to provide for those who can't provide for themselves. Yet how much of their own money do they donate to the cause? How much of Kathleen Townsend's trust fund went to buy books for a local school? What exactly does Caroline Kennedy do with her money and influence besides head up organizations and throw fundraisers to get OTHER PEOPLE to cough up? What is Ted Kennedy spending his inheritance on besides booze?

And don't get me started with these liberal celebrities. Martin Sheen gnashes his teeth about poverty and homelessness and tries to shame us into helping financially - all the while he lives in a multi-million dollar home and has a collection of expensive cars. The money he spent on just one of his automobiles would feed a family for a year. But no - he wants US to give them money out of our middle-income.

Talk about hypocrisy!

The Kennedy family is incredibly compassionate to the poor and they do share their wealth with the less fortunate, which is more than can be said for Bob Ehrlich. Have you ever heard of the Special Olympics? Guess who started it, the Kennedys. And if you want the rich to provide all their money to the poor maybe you should yourself. Instead of buying that dress or that new car, give that money to the poor. Mrs. Townsend is a great woman and does not deserve the personal attack that you bestowed upon her.

 

[vraiblonde]

And if you want the rich to provide all their money to the poor

Honey, I hate to burst your bubble, but that's what KKT is running on. Talking about all the money she's going to put into education, community programs, yadda yadda. Where do you think that money is coming from? Hint: it's not coming from the people that those programs would benefit - they don't HAVE any money or they wouldn't have a problem. Direct transfer of wealth - just not THEIR wealth.

KKT has significantly more money than I have. If she wants all these welfare programs, let HER pay for it. That's all the Democrats do: if something isn't working they immediately shout, "MORE MONEY!!" Even though money and funding has never solved the main problems of education, they still want more. But they're not talking about THEIR money - they're talking about MINE.

You can call it an "attack" if you want but it's still the truth.

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by demsformd


The Kennedy family is incredibly compassionate to the poor and they do share their wealth with the less fortunate, which is more than can be said for Bob Ehrlich. Have you ever heard of the Special Olympics? Guess who started it, the Kennedys. And if you want the rich to provide all their money to the poor maybe you should yourself. Instead of buying that dress or that new car, give that money to the poor. Mrs. Townsend is a great woman and does not deserve the personal attack that you bestowed upon her.

Lets see... Between the rapes, drugs, boozing, bar fights, manslaughter, illegal-liquor that created the family fortune, too many DWI's to count and other assorted misdeeds... Your right they have contributed a lot!

As for KKT she has her own baggage, one of my personal favorites was her assertion that the Public Works department was her personal snowplow service.

Vrai's dead on! The Kennedy's need to start being generous with their own money and leave the taxpayers funds alone. As a matter of fact it's time for the Kennedy Clan to get off public assistance and find a real jobs if they can find someone stupid enough to hire them.

Of course we'll have to make certain Teddy never becomes a Cabbie!