RACE WATCH: Murray V. Grooms

                    

          Senator Ron Groom                 Vs.          Senate Hopeful Anna Murray

RACE WATCH:

Anna Murray V. Ron Grooms

Two candidates could not be more polar opposite. On one side is Anna Murray, a Dan Canon disciple California democrat who is as far left as Bernie Sanders, maybe farther. On the other is Ron Grooms, an even keeled old school republican who has spent years making a positive impact on our community.

I find this race interesting to watch. With the overlap of Urban Clark County, Rural Floyd County, and Urban Floyd County weighing in on this race, I feel it will be a good test to how much of the republican base has eroded due to President Trump. It may be true that New Albany is an apparent Socialist Democrat stronghold here in Southern Indiana, but will that base turn out for Anna Murray? Only time will tell. My guess is that they will.

Ron Grooms has been a longtime elected city official and now 2 term state senator. Because of the name recognition and voting history of Sen. Grooms, I'm going to not review his stats in-depth. The Grooms highlights compared to Anna's website are (IMHO):

-On the surface, Grooms may be against medical marijuana because of how it's being pushed. But I don't think he's flat out against it, just the rush to embrace it. Remember, marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law. I think that plays into his decision more than anything. Years ago, synthetic opioids were pushed the same way medical weed is being pushed now, as a fix all for pain. Now we have an opioid epidemic. Weed may have some benefits medically, but without hard evidence Grooms will be hesitant to jump on board the train. However, I do know he is open to it. Remember, he is a pharmacist. He understands the impact of drugs better than most.

-Anna talks about respect. I've known Ron for years and he is one of the most respectful people I know. In fact, I know a lot of people who could learn a thing or two on how to treat people by learning from him.

-Anna talks about gerrymandering for votes. That is a mythological issues that someone has told her to use on a website. She refers to districts in other states as having issues. She can't even put an example of a district in Indiana to support her claims. Instead she has a district picture outside Pittsburg? In fact, we don't really have much of that here. If you know our community and the way the districts are done, it is in an attempt not separate neighborhoods while meeting the population requirements.

-And of course, like every good Democrat, Anna is supportive of Unions and raising the minimum wage. If she would take a step back from drinking the socialist democrat Kool-Aid for a second, she would see that raising the minimum wage would do nothing. There are jobs EVERYWHERE! Please, show me one that pays $7.25 minimum wage.  Go ahead. I'll wait... Waiting....  Waiting...….   You can't because there are none. This is called a free market. No one is going to pay $7.25 because when there are so many jobs they have to compete for workers. Don't like working where you are, drive down the road to one of the 5000 now hiring signs and apply. If they don't pay more that you are making now, keep looking. In all seriousness, there are 100's if not 1000's of local jobs right now that are paying $16-$18/hr starting out.

So what would raising minimum wage really do? Increase inflation. Grooms understands this. He also understands that if someone doesn't like how much they are being paid, that person can go find a new and better one that pays more. I guess Anna is a "handout mother figure" type of lady while Ron is more of a "responsibility for yourself" type guy.


Anna is a really nice woman. If you speak to her, she's very personable and easily likeable. But once you scratch the surface, I have found someone who is out classed compared to Sen. Grooms who has no real experience in the arenas that make up her platform. Most of her thoughts are based on feelings instead of facts, theory instead of proof. Of course she's endorsed by every union and LTGB group there is because they won't speak to anyone who's not a Democrat. I really don't put much stock in those endorsements nor most endorsements for that matter, for either side.

When the sun sets on this November election, one question will ring true: Did the very vocal minority of Socialist Democrats make enough headway to pull the old school conservative Steve Stemler type Democrats into their camp?

I say no way that happens. Every major Democrat running in this upcoming race is too far left to really have an impact in my opinion. If they were just left of center, everyone of them would probably have a real shot. The fact of the matter is they are all left of left and that is just too big of a swing for a majority of Southern Indiana Hoosiers.

I predict that Anna works hard with lots of little signs out but Ron has the edge in this race and will live to see his third term in the statehouse.

What are your thoughts? 

Do you have the scoop?

Let us know in the comments below.

9/11 and Our Children

For so many of us, 9/11 will forever be on the surface of our emotions. Even after 17 years, the memories and feelings of that day are as new and vivid as the moment the Earth stood still.

I remember sitting on the edge of my bed that morning (it happened to be my day off work) tuning into the Today Show after making a cup of coffee. I had just picked up the phone to call my Mom to tell her to turn on the TV because a plane flew into a building in New York. As I was sitting there telling her about it, you could see another plane come in from the edge of the screen only to disappear into the building turning into a giant fireball.

I remember the feeling in my chest and turning of my stomach as I sat there in disbelief. I can remember the horrific and immediate realization that I had just witnessed the deaths of so many people only to realize later the full scope of the devastation of that day.

Stories like that are plenty and common as we all reflect on where we were. As a parent of young child who is starting to understand the mysteries of life and death, this morning I found myself trying to wrap my head around how to explain the memory of this day.

It was only a few weekends ago I listened to Joe Lieberman speak of his friend, John McCain. As I sat there listening, I found myself in tears thinking about the man our country had lost. I chuckled at Presidents Obama and Bush's take on a man who was their rival but also partner. A partner who had his beliefs but also understood his were not the only beliefs. A man who embodied the word forgiveness for his leadership with those who were his captors. A leader who knew our country must have balanced politics because partisanship would be our downfall. If you did not hear Lieberman, Kissinger, Bush, and Obama speak about McCain, you should.

As I sat there driving and listening in tears, my child ask me what was wrong. It was not a question I was prepared for. I did the best I could in terms that could be understood by a child.

Fast forward to today. This generations version of "a day that will live in infamy" is a day that needs to be shared and taught to the next generations. If you have young children, don't rely on the history books for this. Share your story with them. Help them understand the meaning and impact on you.

To help me work through how to handle explaining this day to my child, I found the below article I thought I'd share.

In honor of all those who lost their lives on 9/11 in New York, the Pentagon, and Flight 93:

I Pray for You and Your Families. Your deaths will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN in my heart or my home.

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How to talk to your kids about 9/11

by Sarah Caron

The date September 11, 2001 became is now etched in history. How do you explain to kids the sheer magnitude of what happened? And how do you reassure them about the acts of terrorism on U.S. soil?

For so many people in the U.S., September 11, 2001 is a day forever engraved so deeply in memory that it could have been yesterday. That Tuesday, the brilliant blue sky, warm sunlight and crisp morning air striking in its beauty was shattered when everything changed fundamentally in an instant.

But for children — both those who were very young on that day and those that hadn't yet been born — the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 are a little removed. What were they? What does it mean? And how did it all change our world?

As parents, it's our job to explain these things to our children.

Explaining 9/11 to kids

Whether your children are in preschool, elementary, middle or high school, it's important that you speak about that tragic and devastating day with them so that they understand the heartbreak that America collectively felt. September 11, 2001 is a part of our modern history. How should you do it?

Be real

Honesty is important when talking about September 11 with your children, so don't be afraid to share how you really felt that day. "Kids pick up on how you really feel beneath your words. They will become more frightened because now they know they can't trust you to tell them the truth," says Carole Lieberman, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Coping with Terrorism: Dreams Interrupted.

Do something

There are so many opportunities to turn the pain of September 11 into something more positive. Mark this year's anniversary with actions that help someone else — or remember those that were lost. "Do something as a family on 9/11 to memorialize the day and pay tribute to those who died. For example, go to your house of worship, light a candle at home and say a prayer, donate money to a 9/11 fund for survivors," says Lieberman.

Be proactive

Terrorism didn't end with the death of Osama Bin Laden. It's OK to explain that to your kids so they understand that although there is still a threat of terrorism, there is a lot being done to prevent another attack from happening. "Talk about the ongoing threat of terrorism and how you will prepare as a family by doing things to keep yourselves healthy — psychologically and physically," says Lieberman.

Using books to talk about the attacks

Books can really help you with explaining 9/11 to kids, when you aren't sure where to start. "Sometimes it's hard to know what to say. But there are lots of age-appropriate children's books about 9/11 that can help get the conversation going," says Michael D. Baran, Ph.D., a cultural anthropologist and director of Cambridge Diversity Consulting.

Here are a few that might be good for your kids:

• The Little Chapel that Stood by A. B. Curtiss (ages 4 and up)
• America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown (ages 6 and up)
• I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis (ages 7 and up — note: fiction)
• September 11, 2001: Attack on New York City by Wilborn Hampton (ages 10 and up)

Keep it age appropriate

Older children are probably ready to hear and see more about the attacks so that they can understand what happened more deeply. But for younger children, it's enough to be truthful without sharing everything. "To the younger children they will be told that there are some people who do not like our country. These bad people thought that it was important to hurt the United States in a very bad way. What they did caused many people to die and suffer much pain," says Lorna Kemper, a 1st grade teacher at Gethsemane Lutheran School in Tempe, Arizona.

And really, isn't that what it's really about? In the simplest of terms, the attacks of 9/11 came down to decisions that were made to hurt innocent people because of a hatred for the country that we love. Teach your children to take pride in the country they live in by honoring days such as 9/11 each year. Most adults will remember vividly in the days, weeks and months following the attacks how many homes raised an American flag and flew it proudly. Fly your flag and remember those who were lost, and you not only help your kids learn, you help our country band together.

RACE WATCH: Fleming V. Owen

New Comer Dr. Fleming     Vs.     Councilman Matt Owen

LOCAL RACE TO WATCH

In 2016, Republicans dominated the local scene on the Trump wave. Early numbers are showing that steep advantage has all but disappeared, at least at the Federal level. But could that equate into a major upset of the Jamey Noel backed Governor Holcomb supported Prince of the Clark County Republican Party Matt Owen? 

Let's do a quick rundown. Matt is a multi-term At-Large City Councilman who came on the scene when he was just 18 to run for Mayor. He backed off of that idea and ended up on the council. Every time he has ran (and won), he was the top vote getter in the Jeffersonville elections. But will that strong name recognition carry over to other communities where he is not as well known?  

Dr. Rita Fleming is a longtime resident of Jeffersonville who has served on the Plan Commission for years. Outside of that, her name is common with families of which she delivered babies for. A bleed blue democrat and daughter of a union worker, she is a very strong union supporter herself. With virtually no name recognition to the masses, can she work hard enough in the district to overcome the Owen advantage?

Both of these candidates offer a wide range of options for the local voter:

·         While Matt is younger than most, that has not appeared to hinder him on the Council. Matt has always seemed pragmatic and commonsense. His EMT experience gives him a unique perspective to deal with the opioid issues that are facing our state. He is usually soft spoken but if you watch him you can tell he is taking it all in. When he does speak it is with purpose and he knows what he's talking about. I have a hard time finding anything he's done that could be considered negative while in office. The only blip on the radar (I would not consider this a negative) was some social media comments he made against the Republican Party after this year's convention. As I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong), there were those who were pushing to change some stances on inclusivity of the LGBT community to which some within the party showed their bigotry. Matt did not take kindly to it and called them on it publicly as he believed the changes should have been made. 

·         Rita on the other hand is nearing the end of her professional career as a doctor of obstetrics & gynecology. She has a large family with multiple grandchildren and spends her free time renovating buildings in Jeffersonville. Her main talking points have always seemed to be healthcare and personal accountability. While she doesn't have much a public voting record, her time on the Plan Commission has seemed to be pro-growth with the exception of a couple items. Most notably her making the motion to deny a by-right project that resulted in a lawsuit of which the plaintiff won. After more digging, I found it is in the appeals court.  

 So there you have it. Fleming V. Owen. Young V. Old. Who will better represent us in the House from District 71. Steve Stemler leaving has opened up some very large shoes to fill. He was respected on both sides of the aisle. A democrat at heart but carried strong conservative fiscal values. Owen is a lot like Stemler in the fiscal arena and probably closer to center than far right on social issues than most older republicans. Rita is left on just about everything the best I can tell. I have heard her speak only a few times and she has virtually no online presence so it's really hard to tell where she is on everything. With Matt, because of his time on the council and social media presence, you know where he stands. 

To pick a winner, I'm going with Matt Owen in a tight race if he doesn't take his advantage for granted. 

November Results Prediction: 51-49% Owen over Fleming 

What are your thoughts?

Do you have the scoop?

Put them in the comments below!