DAVID C ROACH! WINNING!

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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210842905093510&set=a.1512152488599.66075.1378001731&type=3
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The fact that in our local elections David Roach placed higher than Morrison Agen shows that there are a lot of Democrats who are not in favor of the pro-UniGov policies that Morrison was campaigning of. Some of those Dems are active in the local party. But the local party doesn't know who they are because a culture has been created where if you "march" to the beat of your own drum and don't "lock step" with the rest of the local Dems, or if dare have your own opinion on matters and vocalize that opinion, then you risk being ridiculed and ostracized. 

So if you want to belong to the local Dems organization, your choices are to be a mindless sheep and not offer a different perspective or act like a mindless sheep and keep your thoughts to yourself. There are a lot of good Dems---"good" by the Party's standards---that have no outlet for their differing thoughts, feelings, values, etc. And its too risky for many of these Dems to become vocal, to offer different viewpoints. No one wants to be ridiculed, ostracized or made to feel that they don't belong. 

I don't know what its like within the Dem parties of the other Counties within Northeast Indiana---but I can't imagine that there would be any disagreement that Democrats across Indiana, or at least Northeast Indiana Democrats don't need to do something different after Tuesday's election. I haven't had a chance to review other counties, but Allen County showed that about 8,000 fewer registered Democrats voted straight ticket in 2016 than in 2012, despite news reports showing record number of voters---there were actually less total voters in 2016 than in 2012, and our local candidates did significantly better in 2012 than in 2016. As a Party, we are not improving. We are literally getting worse. To me, and I haven't had a chance to study this as thoroughly as I'd like, but it seems to me that the less inclusive we are as a Party, the less voter turn-out the Dems experience. Have a look for yourself:

2016: 
54% of all registered voters cast ballots
Libertarian Party 168
Republican Party 39685
DEMOCRATIC PARTY 17749 <-----------------------

71700 22.67% Eric (ET) Tippmann (R)
71076 22.48% Robert A Armstrong (R)
61257 19.37% Roy Buskirk (R)
38747 12.25% Palermo (Pal) Galindo (D)
36973 11.69% David Christopher Roach (D)
36464 11.53% Morrison Agen (D)

2012: 
58% of all registered voters cast ballots
Libertarian Party 78
Republican Party 32999
Constitution Party 2
DEMOCRATIC PARTY 25062 <----------------------- 

79166 20.04% Roy A Buskirk (R)
76647 19.40% Robert A Armstrong (R)
76557 19.38% William E (Bill) Brown (R)
56633 14.34% Sharon L Tucker (D)
54087 13.69% Gina M Burgess (D)
51959 13.15% Dennis (Denny) Sprunger (D)

Tagging other Dems in this post more of an FYI than a conversation starter: Carmen Darland, Todd Nightenhelser, Justin Kuhnle, Jack Morris

Getting back to the original subtopic, as I've stated above, Joe Rennerisn't being foolish when he calls himself a "Centrist." Compared to certain people he is a Centrist. However, when he compares himself to me---and I'm not sure that's what he intended with his initial comment---then, no, he is NOT a Centrist.
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