Running for Maplewood Township Committee as Independent

We'll if nothing more this race for TC seats has come alive.  Before the potential candidate made clear her intentions, the votes of any 2 individuals would have decided the make up of almost half our Town Council.

author said:
We'll if nothing more this race for TC seats has come alive.  Before the potential candidate made clear her intentions, the votes of any 2 individuals would have decided the make up of almost half our Town Council.

Hahaha !! You are funny .. “this race for TC seats has come alive”  

Let the hunger games begins and may the odds be ever in your favor”

LOST said:
Frankly if people are thinking it it may be better if it comes out so the candidate  can respond and "clear the air" than if people think it but do not express it and vote against the candidate based on their prejudice without giving her the opportunity to respond.


Ronald Reagan didn't attack those raising his age as an issue as being "ageist" he turned the question on its head and scored points.


Should JFK have attacked those who questioned his Religion?

Are you saying all candidates should clear the air, if so have other candidates in Maplewood done it before ?? I’m curious to know

HarleyQuinn said:

author said:
We'll if nothing more this race for TC seats has come alive.  Before the potential candidate made clear her intentions, the votes of any 2 individuals would have decided the make up of almost half our Town Council.

 
Hahaha !! You are funny .. “this race for TC seats has come alive”  


Let the hunger games begins and may the odds be ever in your favor”

 Refreshing to be called something besides a "trouble maker and obstructionist "  Although that has a good beat and you can dance to it.

nohero said:

yahooyahoo said:

joan_crystal said:
My comments were intended as gentle advice, not sexism or any form of personal attack. Nowhere did I say that I was questioning Ileana's ability to balance family and public service demands. I apologize to those who read the intent differently than the manner in which it was intended.  Let me try to rephrase the post some have found objectionable.

 The "I'm sorry you didn't understand me" non-apology apology.

 Ms. Crystal was giving advice about a question to expect. 


Whether you're a person advising a political candidate, a lawyer advising a client, or a tutor advising a student, you know that, "They wouldn't/shouldn't ask that" is no reason to not prepare your candidate/client/student for any question.


Just because it's not a question that should be asked, doesn't mean she shouldn't have warned the candidate to expect it.  Ms. Crystal shouldn't have to apologize, imho.

 Exactly. 

when I commented on the question, I wasn't suggesting an apology was in order.  It did bug me that my perception was that the question was being tossed out as if it was a normal, appropriate question for a candidate.  It's not appropriate, but yes I suppose someone might ask it.  I think any advice though should have at least acknowledge that it's a sexist question that only a female candidate would be forced to answer.  I'm kind of surprised how many people don't seem to be phased in the least that there are apparently a fair number of people in our supposedly enlightened town that would ask a female candidate that kind of question. 

ml1 said:

I'm kind of surprised how many people don't seem to be phased in the least that there are apparently a fair number of people in our supposedly enlightened town that would ask a female candidate that kind of question. 

Based on conversations I’ve had in the past, it’s the question’s implications about the abilities of single parents of any gender, as much as sexism, that would faze people.

Its a ridiculous question and it should not be asked.  The question should be: 

"Do you have the time to commit to this position which includes evening meetings, weekend events, occasional daytime hours, etc".  Yes or No answer.  And that is all.  If anything more than that is asked - just as if you were at a job interview and you are asked about whether you will have children in the future, you simply do not have to answer that, and you should not.

DaveSchmidt said:

ml1 said:

I'm kind of surprised how many people don't seem to be phased in the least that there are apparently a fair number of people in our supposedly enlightened town that would ask a female candidate that kind of question. 

Based on conversations I’ve had in the past, it’s the question’s implications about the abilities of single parents of any gender, as much as sexism, that would faze people.

 that too.

Hello everyone !! 

I am happy to say I have my 100 signatures for my petition to be a Candidate for TC in Maplewood !! Yay !!! 

It was REALLY challenging AND sometimes frustrating but I want to thank everyone who signed my petition. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU for giving me this opportunity. It was very sweet, nice and generous of you guys to give me the chance to be an option for the community. You guys rock !!! 

BUT ...

I was recommended to get extra signatures in case of technicality reason they reject a signature. Yes, it happens. So I’m planning to get extra signatures if anyone would like to sign my petition let me know and I will be more than happy to come by and get it  

PM if you want

Good luck, but it's impossible to win as anything other than a Democrat in this town. George Washington could run as an independent here and he'd be lucky to get 25%

elvis said:
Good luck, but it's impossible to win as anything other than a Democrat in this town. George Washington could run as an independent here and he'd be lucky to get 25%

 Actually George Washington did spend some time in Maplewood.............although the only running he did was from the British.  The Timothy Ball House on Ridgewood Road belonged to a cousin of Martha and George spent a few nights there.  Also as you are facing the house and some few feet to the right there is all that is left of a cavalry post that the Continentals used to house their horses

annielou said:
Not always sure what an “independent” represents.

In Maplewood, this generally means that the candidate is not running as a Republican or a Democrat.  The candidate may be a member of either party; but, did not receive that party's endorsement. To the point in the above post, if the candidate running as an independent is known to be an active Democrat, the candidate may still receive votes from voters who will only vote the Democratic line and could receive enough such votes to be elected.

annielou said:
Not always sure what an “independent” represents.

When it comes to town government, there isn't or shouldn't be very much that derives from the National Party "platforms" and since our contested elections are most often between Democrats, that reinforces my feeling that I'm not sure what being a "Democrat" (or "Republican") really represents at the local level. Therefore, I read/listen to what the candidates actually say to get most of my information.

Since it's Election Day, at least the primary, I was wondering about the status of Ms. Castillo's campaign.  Does anyone know if she is still planning to run in November?  Has she made any further statement(s) about her platform/issues? 

When I spoke with her on Saturday at the X Roots Festival, she said that she still intends to run.  Few candidates do much in the way of campaigning until the fall.

As an independent, her name would not appear on any ballot.

tomdevon said:
Since it's Election Day, at least the primary, I was wondering about the status of Ms. Castillo's campaign.  Does anyone know if she is still planning to run in November?  Has she made any further statement(s) about her platform/issues? 

 I’m in  

And no, I haven’t made any official statements about my platform yet. I am still listening to the residents concerns and changes they want in Maplewood. 

Formerlyjerseyjack said:
As an independent, her name would not appear on any ballot.

 As an independent, who has submitted a successful petition to appear on the ballot in November, her name will be on the ballot in the general election.  It will not appear on either primary ballot since those are party-specific.