Comments on: New York State Democratic Congressman http://rochesterturning.com/2007/08/13/new-york-state-democratic-congresmen/ turning the tide upstate Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:52:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Finger Laker http://rochesterturning.com/2007/08/13/new-york-state-democratic-congresmen/#comment-55423 Finger Laker Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:38:35 +0000 http://rochesterturning.com/2007/08/13/new-york-state-democratic-congresmen/#comment-55423 Higgins seems to be trying to represent his districts concerns. If FISA was way down the list of Buffalo resident's concerns, then his vote is not a surprise. IT seems better to take advantage of his strength with the base of Democrats who are not in the progressive movement, and to invite him to also join the Western New Yorkers who are concerned about these national progressive issues. As the rest of the "Higgins is just spooked" comment linked above suggests, Higgins responds to the issues that are on the front page of the Buffalo News. How about press releases from Buffalo-area civil rights groups, letters to the editor about the local impact, delegations of locals to visit the congressman when he is in the district? And the important thing...this publicity needs to happen before the vote, not after. Higgins seems to be trying to represent his districts concerns. If FISA was way down the list of Buffalo resident’s concerns, then his vote is not a surprise. IT seems better to take advantage of his strength with the base of Democrats who are not in the progressive movement, and to invite him to also join the Western New Yorkers who are concerned about these national progressive issues. As the rest of the “Higgins is just spooked” comment linked above suggests, Higgins responds to the issues that are on the front page of the Buffalo News. How about press releases from Buffalo-area civil rights groups, letters to the editor about the local impact, delegations of locals to visit the congressman when he is in the district? And the important thing…this publicity needs to happen before the vote, not after.

]]> By: Sahar Massachi http://rochesterturning.com/2007/08/13/new-york-state-democratic-congresmen/#comment-54038 Sahar Massachi Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:22:06 +0000 http://rochesterturning.com/2007/08/13/new-york-state-democratic-congresmen/#comment-54038 I actually wrote a similar post! Since yours went up first, let me just copy it here: <strong> Brian Higgins, problem Democrat?</strong> Over at OpenLeft, Matt Stoller has a bone to pick with Brian Higgins, asking "<a href="http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=752" rel="nofollow">NY 27: Why does FISA Coward Brian Higgins Hold This Overwhelmingly Democratic Seat?"</a> Here's some of what Matt has to say: <blockquote> As a politician, Higgins lives on local pork and a DLC voting record. He's a member of the New Democrat coalition, he voted for the FISA wiretapping expansion, and he voted for the Bankruptcy Bill in 2005. His instincts lean hawkish, but he can be pushed around by House leadership. Higgins looks to me like a young local politician with familial roots in the district, but no particular aptitude to lead. He's one of the least powerful House members in the New York delegation, with little understanding of what leading in Congress means. He's not a bad guy, but he is one of 41 Democrats that voted to shred the Constitution.</blockquote> Meanwhile, others say that <a href="http://www.openleft.com/showComment.do?commentId=6586" rel="nofollow">"Higgins is just spooked"</a>: <blockquote> Higgins is the way he is because he's generally always spooked over the prospect of what happened in 2004. He acted like open seat was his, but didn't win the primary easily, and had a recount election with generally bleh Naples running against him (while Kerry won by 8), then the son of Jack Quinn (Higgins' predecessor) and Jim Kelly (our star QB) made noises about running in '06. You can even hear caution in his carefully measured languages in his press conferences or check-presenting speeches. He's so damn cautious because he went to Buff State, he's been in Buffalo politics since the 1980s, his father was in county politics, and yet he had trouble.</blockquote> I'll quite freely admit that I know next to nothing about Higgins at all. What do you think of him? Can we expect any better of him, or does the composition of his district excuse his behavior? Does anything excuse him, or any politician, for<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll836.xml" rel="nofollow"> voting </a>to <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/07/fisa-editorials/" rel="nofollow">destroy the fourth amendment</a>? I actually wrote a similar post! Since yours went up first, let me just copy it here:

Brian Higgins, problem Democrat?
Over at OpenLeft, Matt Stoller has a bone to pick with Brian Higgins, asking “NY 27: Why does FISA Coward Brian Higgins Hold This Overwhelmingly Democratic Seat?”

Here’s some of what Matt has to say:

As a politician, Higgins lives on local pork and a DLC voting record. He’s a member of the New Democrat coalition, he voted for the FISA wiretapping expansion, and he voted for the Bankruptcy Bill in 2005. His instincts lean hawkish, but he can be pushed around by House leadership. Higgins looks to me like a young local politician with familial roots in the district, but no particular aptitude to lead. He’s one of the least powerful House members in the New York delegation, with little understanding of what leading in Congress means.

He’s not a bad guy, but he is one of 41 Democrats that voted to shred the Constitution.

Meanwhile, others say that “Higgins is just spooked”:

Higgins is the way he is because he’s generally always spooked over the prospect of what happened in 2004. He acted like open seat was his, but didn’t win the primary easily, and had a recount election with generally bleh Naples running against him (while Kerry won by 8), then the son of Jack Quinn (Higgins’ predecessor) and Jim Kelly (our star QB) made noises about running in ‘06. You can even hear caution in his carefully measured languages in his press conferences or check-presenting speeches. He’s so damn cautious because he went to Buff State, he’s been in Buffalo politics since the 1980s, his father was in county politics, and yet he had trouble.

I’ll quite freely admit that I know next to nothing about Higgins at all. What do you think of him? Can we expect any better of him, or does the composition of his district excuse his behavior?

Does anything excuse him, or any politician, for voting to destroy the fourth amendment?

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