Now this is what I'm talking about:
http://www.masslive.com/...
Democratic Senate candidate Edward Markey on Monday told a roomful of senior citizens that he would protect Social Security benefits while Republican candidate Gabriel Gomez would not.
Markey focused on Gomez’s support for raising the retirement age for Social Security benefits for future retirees and for using a formula referred to as “chained CPI,” or chained consumer price index, to calculate cost of living adjustments. Chained CPI takes into account people buying less expensive products as goods rise in price, resulting in a lower measure of inflation and therefore lower benefits.
“My opponent Gabriel Gomez, he supports chained CPI and cuts to Social Security benefits,” Markey, a U.S. representative, told a packed room at Hebrew Senior Life in Brookline. “Current and future seniors and veterans would lose $146 billion in benefits over the next 10 years.” (That is the amount by which the senior lobbying group AARP has said benefits would be lowered if government switches to using chained CPI to calculate both Social Security and veterans benefits.)
Markey referred to chained CPI as “cutting people’s income.” “That new number won’t keep up with inflation on things like food and health care, the basics we need to live on, and that is just plain wrong,” Markey said.
Gomez responded that chained CPI is a bipartisan idea – and none of his other proposals to fix Social Security will impact those near retirement age. “The difference is Congressman Markey, he’s going to try to scare you,” Gomez told reporters at a Quincy diner. “Me, I’m going to tell you the truth.”
The comments came as Markey is trying to shore up his support among seniors – the demographic who are traditionally the most likely to vote on Election Day. Markey campaigned at the senior housing complex together with Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former president John F. Kennedy and niece of the late longtime senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat. - The Republican, 6/3/13
Emphasis mine.
This is exactly what I've been talking about. In special elections and mid term elections, voter turn out, especially with our base, can be low. Unless it's a midterm election like 2006 which hopefully 2014 will be a lot like. Markey's done an excellent job stating where he agrees with Obama in terms of health care, taxes and gun control while also showing how he disagrees with the President when it comes to Social Security. Gomez, in a lame effort to try to win over Democratic voters, attached himself to Obama's least popular policy and he's going to pay the price for it at the polls. Gomez really is running out of options. If he wanted to align himself with Obama, he should be with him on the popular issues like gun control and reproductive rights but instead Gomez is choosing to go with the one issue that Obama supports that is really hated by pretty much everyone. Even members of his own party aren't on board with the chained CPI. This might explain why Gomez is trailing in the most recent polls:
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/...
A new poll released Tuesday shows Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) with a comfortable, double-digit cushion in this month's special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts.
The poll from New England College found Markey claiming the support of 52 percent of Bay State voters while his Republican opponent, Gabriel Gomez, trails with 40 percent support. Eight percent of voters are undecided in the special election, which is scheduled to be held on June 25.
The poll found that Massachusetts voters personally like the two candidates, with each boasting a 52 percent favorability rating. Thirty-three percent said they have an unfavorable opinion of Markey, who has higher name recognition than his opponent, while 26 percent said they have an unfavorable opinion of Gomez. - TPM, 6/4/13
Plus to make Gomez's dilemma worse, he already distanced himself from his party and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R. KY):
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Republican Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez said Monday that he “couldn’t care less” if Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is raising money on his behalf.
McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, sent out a fundraising email for Gomez on Friday, pledging a three to one match of donations, up to $32,000, made to Gomez’s campaign that day.
Gomez said Monday, “I didn’t ask Mitch McConnell to write that email. I couldn’t care less if he had written that email or not. Bottom line is I’m not tied to anybody. I’m not tied to any rigid ideological position.” Gomez has not indicated that he would not take McConnell or other national Republicans’ money.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has also sent staff to Massachusetts to help Gomez.
Democrats spent the weekend tying Gomez to the national Republican Party, with the Markey campaign releasing a web ad featuring McConnell’s email. The ad argues that a vote for Gomez is a vote to obstruct Democratic President Barack Obama’s agenda. Obama is far more popular than the national Republican Party in Massachusetts, a heavily Democratic state. Democrats have pointed to Gomez's stances where he is in line with the Republican Party, such as opposing a ban on assault weapons, opposing abortion and refusing to raise taxes on the wealthy. - The Republican, 6/3/13
Gomez is desperately trying to win over as many people as he can by being all of the above to everyone:
http://www.patriotledger.com/...
At times during his Ledger interview, Gomez almost sounded like a Democrat.
He supports gay marriage, even though he’s Roman Catholic. He said he doesn’t question the reality of climate change. He said interest rates for college student loans should be kept low and affordable. And he said nice things about President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
The American-born son of Colombian immigrants, Gomez beat former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan of Abington and state Rep. Daniel Winslow of Norfolk in the GOP primary. He’ll face Markey in the June 25 special election.
He’s been taking centrist message to parts of the state he’d never visited before – including the Berkshires in western Massachusetts – as well as to typically Democratic strongholds like Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.
As part of his bid for the state’s growing Latino vote, he responded to a Lawrence radio station’s weekend interview entirely in Spanish.
But during his editorial board appearance, he didn’t stray that far from his conservative heart.
He’s quick to affirm his credo of “more personal responsibility, more freedom, and smaller, more effective government.”
He said he wants to cut the federal deficit by closing tax loopholes, not raising taxes.
He says small businesses are over-taxed and over-regulated. While he favors tougher background checks for gun purchases, he still opposes a ban on assault-style weapons.
As he courts independents and conservative Democrats, he’s also regularly campaigning around the Republican-leaning South Shore. He made nine public appearances at parades and other local events in May. - Patriot Ledger, 6/3/13
Gomez thinks he can dupe Massachusetts voters as this independent-minded Republican who will work with both sides but Markey's not going to let Gomez get away with it. Gomez's support for the chained CPI will get Seniors out to the polls to help carry Markey to victory. Markey needs to win this race to get the message to Democrats who are still on the fence about Social Security cuts that campaigning against the chained CPI is a winning issue.
In other news, Markey will be in my neck of the woods for a big fundraiser:
http://www.masslive.com/...
Democratic Senate candidate Edward Markey will be fundraising in Beverly Hills this weekend, two entertainment publications reported.
Variety Magazine reported that Markey will be holding a fundraiser at the Beverly Hills home of Haim and Cheryl Saban this Sunday, with tickets starting at $1,000 per person. The website Deadline Hollywood also noted the event.
Markey is facing Republican private equity investor Gabriel Gomez in a June 25 special election.
The Sabans are major Democratic donors, who have donated millions of dollars to Democratic committees and politicians. Forbes Magazine reported that Haim Saban made billions of dollars working in television, beginning when he transformed the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers into a global brand. He is friends with former Democratic president Bill Clinton. Politico reported that Haim Saban donated $1 million to Democratic super PACs in 2012, and Democratic President Barack Obama appointed Cheryl Saban as the U.S. representative to a session of the United Nations General Assembly.
There is no word on the guest list. But California’s entertainment industry has been backing Markey. As MassLive.com previously reported, Markey’s donors have included Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg; chairman of Walt Disney Studios Alan Horn and his wife Cindy Horn, who founded an organization aimed at coordinating the entertainment industry’s response to global environmental crises; and California documentary writer and producer Laurie Benenson. - The Republican, 6/4/13
The Special Election is Tuesday, June 25th. if you'd like to get involved with Markey's campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.edmarkey.com/