- He's a loyal Democrat who almost always votes with his party, while still reaching out to Republicans.
- He meets with constituents throughout his district.
- He is in tune with his district.
- He has assembled a strong congressional staff.
- He has a certain star quality.
I will give Tully that Carson is a top-notch politician, which doesn't necessarily translate into being a top-notch legislator. It is much too soon to draw that conclusion. Regardless of his performance, Carson will have an easy ride politically, at least through the next election. Unless Republicans split Marion County down the middle in the next redistricting, the likelihood of Carson facing serious opposition any time in the foreseeable future is slim to none regardless of how good or bad he performs. His grandmother's dismal performance during her long tenure in Congress is proof of that. Gerrymandering has its benefit for incumbents.
Carson doesn't reach out to his constituents, he wouldn't know one if he bumped into one in an elevator.
ReplyDeleteAs far as his staff goes ...all he did was keep Grandmas crew of left wing liberal. All they do is look after each other and to hell with the needs of the constituents.
Andre will always vote as he is told to by his Aunt Nancy...Why? Because he isn‘t capable of an intelligible thought.
I used to think that Carson was the dumbest democrat in Indy....now I know it's Tully.
That's not been my experience with him, Ernie. Carson knows how to work a crowd. Despite my blistering criticsm of him, he has always been a gentleman to me when I've bumped him to him. That's more than I can say of some of my Republican "friends." Mayor Ballard wouldn't even acknowledge me the last time I saw him despite my efforts on behalf of his election. Some folks can take criticsm; others cannot.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the Indianapolis Congressional District is the least gerrymandered of any of Indiana's 10 Districts. It's an approximately circular district encompassing the unitary "community of interest" of the City of Indianapolis and has been stable through many redistrictings. It's almost entirely urban. The precise boundaries may vary but the concept of a single District representing our city has remained stable for many decades.
ReplyDeleteSplitting the city in half to take in a lot of farmland for partisan political purposes would indeed be gerrymandering of the worst sort and could be difficult to pass judicial muster!
The most Republican areas of the county have been excised out and placed in Buyer's and Burton's suburban districts, packing the greatest concentration of Democratic voters in the county within the district. It may be compact, but it is also gerrymandered.
ReplyDeleteIndyernie has never met or been around Andre Carson. Congressman Carson is filled with personality, intelligence and is truly concerned about his constituents. When not in session, Carson is everywhere in this city talking and meeting with constituents and his home number is still listed. As to the staffing, he has made changes but why would he replace an entire staff when Julia Carson's staff was famed for their constituent services. I smell a lot of sour grapes on the part of IndyErnie...to which I say "get over it" We have a great congressman who is an up and comer in Washington D.C.
ReplyDeleteErnie...you are just flat wrong.
ReplyDeleteBefore the first caucus of Democratic PCs, I was skeptical of Carson. I was a loyal follower of his grandmother's, but I had many concerns because I didn't really know Andre.
I was on my lunch hour and my cell phone rang, and it was Andre. We talked for about 40 minutes about everything from growing up in Indianapolis (we had very different upbringings) to Transformers (he's a year older than me). Still, I was impressed with his personal touch. He gave me his personal cell and told me to call him anytime.
Over the next week, I attended a forum for the 7th District caucus candidates, and he said something I was a little distressed about. Since I knew David Orentlicher better, I agonizingly decided to vote for David O. at the caucus.
After Carson won the caucus, while driving home (I know...not a smart thing), I picked up my phone and called Andre to leave him a voice mail to congratulate him. To my surprise, he PICKED UP! I admitted that I had voted for David O., but I would be supporting him from here on out. He said, and I remember this like it was yesterday. "Hey...you're on board now, let's go."
Since that day, through the contested primary and the General Election, I have been 100 percent amazed with Carson's energy and his willingness to mend fences and move forward. Even though I didn't support him early on, I still have his personal cell phone number and he still answers his phone when I call him.
I don't say that to name drop, but I say that to folks like Ernie that somehow believe Andre Carson doesn't know his way to his own district.
The Congressman is there for his constituents, and I couldn't be prouder of supporting him. I will support him not only because he's my Congressman but because he's my friend. He's real, he's smart, and people would be foolish to underestimate him. I sure did initially, and I was wrong.
Carson has always been a total gent to me, although I am 99% sure that someone from his office was leaving harassing comments directed at me on the HFFT blog, for I traced the comments coming straight from Congressional computer servers in Washington.
ReplyDeleteI am in touch with his office now to find out if they Cap and Trade tax will indeed cause the energy costs of Hoosiers to raise $3000 to $4000 per year, and if not, if we will see energy cost increases at all. I'll let you know what they tell me.
I don't know John E. you kind of shot your crediibility when you said you ere a big Julia supporter, then voted for David O.
ReplyDeletePaul, There were a number of Dems who backed Julia for years who also supported David O in the special election caucus when he ran last year. David O. was a big Julia supporter before that as well.
ReplyDeleteArt I know Andre and he knows me. I also know that he isn't the scholar that the democrats make him out to be. Andre is dumber than a bat in a porch light. He has never had a clear thought of his own. Andre is a congressman who is completely controlled by the democrat leadership in DC.
ReplyDeleteAndre is also a weak kneed bully who relies on other to do his dirty work. Andre crumbles like stale blue cheese when someone stands up to him.
Indyernie, you comments re: Rep. Carson say alot about.....YOU.
ReplyDeleteMelyssa: when you received a while back those insulting anonymous comments on your blog, you announced you were going to take up the matter with the FBI and you posted the i.p. numbers of the originators. Of course, you also announced you just assumed they were coming from the Carson Office. I checked with the House: those were not from the Carson Office. The House assigns blocks of i.p. addresses to the different congresscritters. It's easy enough to find who was assigned those addresses that harassed you.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, they did not originate from any Carson computers!
Maybe so Art, as your defense of Carson say alot about you too.
ReplyDeleteOnly an idiot would defend Carson.
Wilson...then what office did the IP numbers come from since you know so much.
ReplyDeleteAndre may be a gentleman, but the amount of money he has taken from special interest groups is alarming. I realize that almost all congressmen do this, but it still leaves a taste in my mouth.
ReplyDeletePaul-
ReplyDeleteI was pointing out my experiences with Andre. I couldn't care less what you think about my credibility.
I'm going to agree with Wilson, Jon and others here that Andre is always a gentleman (at least my experience is such) and I think really does probably care and is a nice guy...
ReplyDelete...but, if we continue to elect people who don't know a thing about the rule of law, economics, personal AND financial freedom then we continue to undermine our Republic.
We don't put people in charge of other things because they are "nice people" or "mean well" why do we do this with the folks charged with deciding nearly everything for everyone else?
We all know what road good intentions paved.