http://jimnealforsenate.com/

ISSUES

Quote :

"Health Care My opponent’s vote against the State Children’s Health Insurance Program was both financially and morally repugnant. She accepts taxpayer-funded health insurance for herself but denies it to the children of working parents who pay for her coverage. Here’s my bottom line - if a criminal has the right to see a lawyer, a child should have the right to see a doctor. Period. I oppose my opponent’s plan to privatize Medicare. I think our senior citizens have earned the right to make their own health care choices, not leave it up to some corporate insurance bureaucrat. Economic Security The failed economic policies my opponent supports are like a Grade B horror flick come to life: Return of the Living Debt. Dolenomics apparently means squandering the single-largest budget surplus in U.S. history and turning it into the single-largest budget shortfall. If budgets really are moral documents, this one needs to go to confession. We need to start exporting American values, not American jobs. We need a balanced budget provision to force Washington to do what every North Carolina family does - live within its means. And we need to increase Pell Grants, protect Social Security from privatization schemes, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, and move toward energy independence. Iraq My opponent still backs the aimless policies of the Bush-Cheney administration, which have cost America taxpayers nearly $1 trillion and more than 3,800 lives. Our troops have done everything we asked - and I don’t want to see any more of them die. It’s time to bring them home to the heroes’ welcome they have earned, to rejoin their families, resume their careers, and be a part of their communities again. To guarantee we don’t have to send them back in a few years, we need to redeploy small strategic units in the region to counter terrorism and train Iraqi security forces. And then we need to redirect most of what we’re spending there to what matters more — children’s health and Medicare, Social Security, and making college affordable for middle-class families again. "

I heard that Dole is under the 50% mark of support, which is a traditional sign of vulnerability for incumbents. Does this North Carolina native (born in Greensboro) have a shot?

I think SCHIP has popularized the idea of healthcare for kids. Universal healthcare to some looks like over reaching, but I think healthcare for kids is a winning issue right now.

There's also some fiery language there, for a politician, with statements like
"Here’s my bottom line - if a criminal has the right to see a lawyer, a child should have the right to see a doctor. Period."

And Democrats finally have room to talk about economic secruity after the Bush administrations big spending years. I think this idea will be pretty popular too:
"We need a balanced budget provision to force Washington to do what every North Carolina family does - live within its means."

And supporting our troops by bringing them home seems to be the same page most americans are on.

So, can he do it?

10/25/2007 10:39:30 AM

I am sorry but maybe you shouldn't be having kids if you can not afford to take care of them.

Why should I work my ass off so LaTika can have 9 kids by 4 different fathers and I get stuck paying for her children to eat through welfare checks and school free lunch; as well as for them to hit up the ER every time they catch the flu which will be payed for by the health insurance crap.

[Edited on October 25, 2007 at 10:43 AM. Reason : a]

10/25/2007 10:41:38 AM

Not harboring any latent racism there bud?

10/25/2007 10:52:57 AM

fine LaTika Maria Lopez, Mary Lou Stevens, Billy Ray Stevens

[Edited on October 25, 2007 at 11:01 AM. Reason : d]

10/25/2007 11:00:48 AM

Quote :

"I am sorry but maybe you shouldn't be having kids if you can not afford to take care of them."

10/25/2007 12:11:16 PM

maybe. but doesn't that also imply "you shouldn't have been born to irresponsible parents"?

10/25/2007 12:22:24 PM

i'd vote for Jim Neal though; i am not a very big fan of elizabeth dole

10/25/2007 12:23:59 PM

^^ thats a tough call because i value human life. but if you continue to help people in that situation or give them even MORE help, there is no deterrance

10/25/2007 12:30:49 PM

i don't know about his chances, apparently he is gay. (i haven't verified this myself, but a friend told me)

10/25/2007 12:31:01 PM

I've been using my days off to volunteer for the Edwards campaign since their national HQ is here in NC which is something I've enjoyed a great deal, but I have been thinking it might be fun to spend part of that time off working with a smaller campaign where one could have more of an impact. I’ll have to do a lot more research about this guy and his campaign, but it seems to have potential.

Also if anyone one wants to show support by join here, feel free:
http://groups.myspace.com/jimnealforsenate

10/25/2007 12:34:42 PM

I like this guy, I hate Dole, so it works out just fine.

Re: the gay issue, from his liveblogging session a couple of days ago:

Q: I've heard you're gay...
A: I am indeed. No secret and no big deal to me -- I wouldn't be running if I didn't think otherwise.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/21/85211/477

10/25/2007 1:52:14 PM

hmmm not sure i can have a gay senator. tough choice a hypocritical neo-con old troll or a flaming fairy representing me in DC pushing the gay agenda ............

10/25/2007 2:29:32 PM

File photo of the Jim Neal campaign staff.

But seriously, it doesn't have to do with anything at all. Well, that's not necessarily the case. When I wrote Liddy Dole a letter about how I opposed her support of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, she sent me back a form letter that basically boiled down to "Gay people are icky and they go to hell." That probably wouldn't happen with Neal.

10/25/2007 2:42:24 PM

i think it's relevant only in that a lot of people in this state will think it is relevant

10/25/2007 2:53:35 PM

http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/video/1959341/

I don’t think will be a major factor. He seems capable of addressing it in an interview and moving on to policy and issue discussions.

I think a democrat that makes one of his issues fiscal responsibility will play well in this state. I mean obviously government officials spend money to some degree, regardless of which party they are in, but a commitment to fiscal responsibility while still allocating some resources away from Iraq and into to things like kids healthcare and college education affordability will I think stand out more than anything else.

In the end I think it will come down to fresh face with good ideas, vs a tired politician who attacks on an issue that's obviously not a substantive one, and that people will see through it.

I don't know how open the event will be, but if it is open to the public, he'll be in Raleigh tomorrow if anyone wants to hear him and see how much of an issue it is.

Quote :

" Raleigh Oct 26, 6:30p - 7:15p North Carolina Association of Educators Reception Pittsboro Oct 25 6:30p Chatham County Democratic Party Executive Committee mtg Jim will be the keynote speaker."

10/25/2007 4:08:10 PM

but on the bright side of things, i have to believe that republican turnout next november will be low

10/25/2007 4:11:34 PM

What fucking state do you live in? Of course him being gay will be a big issue. Sure that isn't a problem in the People's Republic of Orange County, in 85 other counties of North Carolina it is a huge problem.

This is why I really fucking hate the neophytes of my party. They are so blinded by stupidity they cannot even realize that people would disagree with them.

Thank god for Kay Hagan (If she runs and if what NC Spin says is right then she will).

10/25/2007 4:13:08 PM

Quote :

"This is why I really fucking hate the neophytes of my party. "

You're upset over someone believing in the only guy running in the democratic party having a shot despite being gay?

Quote :

"Thank god for Kay Hagan (If she runs and if what NC Spin says is right then she will)."

It’s wiki, so obviously not the most reliable source, but:
” Hagan considered a run for the United States Senate against Elizabeth Dole but announced on October 8, 2007 that she would run for re-election to the state Senate instead”

From a source called myrtlebeachonline in an article talking about Grier deciding not to run:
“Despite a belief among some Democrats that Dole is vulnerable to a challenge in 2008, the party has been unable to find a big-name candidate to run against her. In June, U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said he liked the work he's doing in his current seat. State Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro said earlier this week she can better serve North Carolina as one of the legislature's top budget-writers.
Meanwhile, outgoing Gov. Mike Easley has said for months he has no interest in the job. Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore are both seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, and State Attorney General Roy Cooper plans to remain in his post as North Carolina's top attorney.”

The same article said he has fundraising experience from the Wesley Clark & Kerry-Edwards campaigns I believe… which is something he’ll need a lot of to win.

10/25/2007 4:29:49 PM

Betcha 10 bucks she's reconsidering

10/25/2007 4:33:13 PM

betcha $10 she runs.

10/25/2007 4:55:38 PM

seriously, a gay dude running for the US Senate in NC

seriously

10/25/2007 5:39:10 PM

Well a black guy & a chick both think they can be president, and from the looks of it one of them might.

Quote :

"David Eugene Price (born August 17, 1940) is a professor and politician currently serving as Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 4th district of North Carolina.(map) The district includes portions of Raleigh, as well as all of Durham and Chapel Hill."

-wiki

This guy gets away with being pretty good on gay rights and being from NC. He replied to an e-mail I sent him saying where he pointed out that he was a co-sponsor of the "Employment Non-Discrimination Act"

Quote :

"The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would extend federal employment protections, which currently are afforded based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability, to include sexual orientation and gender identity. "

He also got my boyfriend a passport in time to make his school trip to Rome. The passport department had given a range on how long it would take to process a passport and was several months behind the late end of the range with no end in sight. Congressman Price made it happen. It was down to the wire, we were going to have to go to the congressional passport processing center in Washington, which he arranged for us, but luckily he was able to push it through before that happened just a day before the flight to Rome left. Otherwise he would have lost the funding to go for the summer.

He's a good guy, a democrat, good on gay rights, and still has plenty of support from North Carolinians.

I've Congressman Brad Miller speak before too and he's done alright in NC. Some random quote from this site interstateq, but I think it shows his positon on gay rights well enough.

Quote :

"A vote for Congressman Brad Miller (13th District) is another vote I wish I could cast. Congressman Miller was the only representative from North Carolina’s Congressional delegation who co-sponsored a bill which would repeal the harmful and discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and another which would recognize the long-time, committed relationships of cross-national same-sex couples for immigration purposes, similar to what cross-national opposite-sex couples achieve with a marriage visa. Congressman Brad Miller received a score of 100 in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2006 Congressional Scorecard. "

I think if we can have democrats like Congressman David Price & Congressman Brad Miller, then we can have Neal in the Senate. NC and the US in general isn't as close minded as some people here seem to think.

10/25/2007 6:11:22 PM

I hope you realize that there is a major fucking difference between the district David Price represents and Bertie or Graham, or any other fucking county in the State of North Carolina.

I'm fucking sick of the idealist progressive wing of the Democratic party. You are fucking retarded if you think his homosexuality would not play a role in the general election. Then again, it will be a non-issue now that Kay Hagan is running and has the support of the DSCC.

10/26/2007 12:34:47 AM

Quote :

"This guy gets away with being pretty good on gay rights and being from NC."

You have to understand the difference people see between "Being good on gay rights" and "Being a guy that fucks man-ass."

There are people who won't vote for a guy because he's Mormon, but even those two groups agree that they don't like dem queers.

10/26/2007 12:42:26 AM

Quote :

"I oppose my opponent’s plan to privatize Medicare. I think our senior citizens have earned the right to make their own health care choices"

Is anyone else noticing that these two statements are contradictions of one another? Privatizing Medicare would place more responsibility in the hands of the senior citizens in question, a thing which he claims to support...

I might vote for him just because I dislike the job Dole has been doing, but just pointing out this oddity in his platform.

10/26/2007 1:50:27 AM

and apparently now it's official that kay hagan will be running for senate

10/30/2007 10:06:46 AM

Quote :

"You are fucking retarded if you think his homosexuality would not play a role in the general election."

10/30/2007 10:20:14 AM

I hate to quote a DTH article, but it seems relevant in this case:

Quote :

"Now there are at least six gay elected officials in the state, including Kleinschmidt and Orange County Commissioner Mike Nelson. Herzenberg died Sunday in Chapel Hill at age 66, but his impact extends beyond the town's borders. Julia Boseman, D-New Hanover, was the first openly gay state senator in North Carolina, and openly gay people also have been elected in and Cabarrus County and Boone. "We've seen people getting elected in areas that are not liberal bastions, and I think that's an indication that voters are willing to look beyond a voter's sexual orientation," said Ian Palmquist, executive director of Equality North Carolina. Two gay candidates are running in 2008 for statewide office in North Carolina. Jim Neal is a candidate for the U.S. Senate, and John Arrowood is running for the Court of Appeals."

I just don’t think being gay is the instant kill to a political career in our state the way some others on this board do. Like I said before I think he’s cable of addressing it, and moving on to policy. And I think being pro healthcare & pro-college education within the limits of fiscal responsibility, and supporting bringing our troops home is both a good and electable stance for a NC democrat to take.

I’d like to shift the discussion since its already clear which people think he shouldn't be running b/c he's gay… other than his personal life do you think he’s qualified for the job?

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 6:12 PM. Reason : .]

10/30/2007 6:11:59 PM

Quote :

""You are fucking retarded if you think his homosexuality would not play a role in the general election.""

[Edited on October 30, 2007 at 7:29 PM. Reason : Yep. I'll go out on a limb and call it here--NC is not gonna have a gay Senator, at least this time]

10/30/2007 7:28:44 PM

id probably vote for him just because he is gay

one gay dude cant make washington dc a bigger clusterfuck than it already is

10/30/2007 8:03:17 PM

a gay senator from a southern state?

not going to happen anytime soon...

10/30/2007 8:10:56 PM

Quote :

"an openly gay senator from a southern state? not going to happen anytime soon..."

fixed that for you.

10/30/2007 9:21:20 PM

sorry, that was implied

10/31/2007 12:07:55 AM

Quote :

" Campaign Update WHY WE NEED A CHANGE IN WASHINGTON - NOW The stalemate over children's health insurance means that North Carolina and 20 other states will run out of money to pay for kids currently receiving health insurance. Millions of other children across the nation will be stripped of their coverage if politicians in Washington fail to act. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, elected to represent the people of North Carolina in 2002, has refused to provide health care under the State Children's Health Insurance Program for 120,000 eligible children in our state. She has also slashed funds for child care assistance, opposed college tuition help, and blocked medical research that could save lives. But she’s been quick to vote for hundreds of billions of our tax dollars to fund her political bosses' aimless policies in Iraq. Elizabeth Dole's values are upside down, as are the values of many politicians. We need a change in Washington - now. POSITIVE CHANGE VS. THE STATUS QUO The stalemate in Washington won't be resolved by doing what we've always done - sending in more standard bearers of the status quo. There are already plenty of politicians there. What we need now are a few more leaders from the real world in which North Carolinians live day to day. Jim's working family joined others seven generations ago to help shape North Carolina. Now, he has stepped up to the plate to take new energy, fresh ideas, economic expertise, and middle-class values to Washington on behalf of our state. It's time for a change. And Jim Neal is uniquely qualified to help shape a new generation of do-something leaders in Washington. Find out more at jimnealforsenate.com It's about positive change, not more of the same. JOIN JIM'S NEW DIRECTION FOR NORTH CAROLINA You can help make sure Jim has the resources to counter the career politicians standing in the way of fixing a democracy that isn't listening anymore. He's running to restore the faith of North Carolinians and Americans alike in the ability of our elected officials to make government work for the people, not the politicians. Check out how to host an event, volunteer or make sure you receive the latest updates by joining our growing list of supporters at jimnealforsenate.com. Click here to make a difference with a donation: contribute_button.jpg http://cts.vresp.com/c/?JimNealforSenate/88e17206a4/056d8d3feb/344190cd26 "When I was a kid my mom sat me on her lap and told me something that I've never forgotten: 'If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got.' " "The stalemate in Washington won't be resolved by doing what we've always done - sending in more standard bearers of the status quo. There are already plenty of politicians there. What we need now are a few more leaders from the real world in which North Carolinians live day to day." "To all those who have joined our campaign, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I won't let you down. To those of you on the rail, I welcome your support on this journey. There will always be a seat on this bus for all North Carolinians - because I'm running to represent each and every one of you." "

11/1/2007 6:03:43 PM

Here's a video from a fund raiser last month, but its a chance to hear him speak, and decide whether or not you like what he's saying.

1/6/2008 8:50:51 PM

http://ncst.facebook.com/event.php?eid=9947082278&ref=nf


U.S. Senate Candidate Jim Neal at North Carolina State University

Quote :

"Time and Place Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Time: 8:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Talley Student Center, room 3118 Street: 2610 Cates Avenue City/Town: Raleigh, NC"

1/10/2008 11:51:08 AM

He was on Brad & Britt yesterday morning. Sadly, I only caught about the last 30 mins of it. I will need to hear more from him and hear more of how he interacts with people's questions before I can make a solid opinion.

1/10/2008 5:54:22 PM

no gays from UNC

1/10/2008 6:01:50 PM

^^
I heard him on B&B. A Class Warrior of the worst kind. Same old "Rich people are evil" "Corporations suck" crap we're getting from Edwards et al.

from his website...

"Neal worked as a senior investment banker with E.F Hutton and Bear Stearns, serving clients that ranged from Bank of America and American Express to Lincoln National Corporation and Transamerica."

""The only people who are prospering are the financial elites"

Why do "financial elites" like Edwards and this guy, once they make it...try to use gov't to punish anyone else who is trying to make it too?

1/10/2008 7:54:18 PM

Kay Hagan ftw

1/10/2008 9:33:03 PM

Quote :

"Why should I work my ass off so LaTika can have 9 kids by 4 different fathers and I get stuck paying for her children to eat through welfare checks and school free lunch; as well as for them to hit up the ER every time they catch the flu which will be payed for by the health insurance crap."

Are you going to discuss the real issue or are you just going to continue to resort to worthless, thinly veiled racist anecdotes to justify your fears?

1/11/2008 2:35:53 PM

I lean to the right, and don't know anything about this dude, but Dole is the worst kind of carpetbagger, and has been as useful as a NC representative as teats on a boar. Time to get her sorry ass out of DC.

1/11/2008 3:14:29 PM

^he definitely looks like he'll listen more to north carolinians than dole. if he gets elected as a democrat then he might better represent the left side of the state than the right. but i still think the level he'd give everyone is more than dole has to offer. the whole thing about her having to release press releases that she's vacationed in her home state to show that she spends atleast a little time here was kind of funny.

1/11/2008 7:40:51 PM

I'm sorry, but as pissed as people in NC are about the fact that Liddy Dole doesn't spend any damned time in the state, Jim Neal can't beat her. Yes, she's polling below 50% right now, but people from NC saw how far electing someone with 0 political experience got them in 98, don't think they're going to go down that road again.

1/11/2008 9:36:27 PM

I think this seat is poachable, but not at the rate Jim Neal and Kay Hagan are going...

Where's the money?

1/11/2008 10:11:34 PM

550 in two months in NC ain't too shabby. Liddy Dole is obviously going to outraise them both because everyone knows her, but once people get to know Kay, she'll get the money.

(I have no idea what Neal did)

1/11/2008 10:13:37 PM

$550k is impressive...but when Dole's hauling in about $5 million.

It's peanuts.

1/13/2008 7:15:16 PM

No Dem candidate for Senate in NC can outraise Liddy Dole. She has the national support. But what's interesting is that 500k of Kay's money is from NC. I'd be interested to see how much of Dole's $$ support actually comes from NC.

1/13/2008 7:19:23 PM

the "pie" is much smaller as well due to the presidential election, so it's going to be harder to seriously compete if you dont already have a "war chest"...

1/13/2008 7:22:42 PM

yay for mccain feingold.....

1/13/2008 7:27:58 PM