Politics as unusual. My personal goal.
I’m not nice enough, I don’t kiss babies and I actually have an opinion and record it for all to see. I even post a plan– and a ton of ideas. I don’t accept money from special interest groups, unions, or from people who want to do business with the city.
Esrati yard sign, New Ideas
My campaign literature is a simple business card- I have a door hanger that doesn’t have my picture on it- my yard sign is in black and white and just says “New Ideas” and my name “Esrati.” I do as much of my own door knocking as possible. I use spray chalk and a stencil to spread my name- and my yard signs are actually in yards, not vacant lots or the medians of public roads.
While my opposition has raised scads of cash, sent out mailers that say next to nothing, and I’m sure we’re in for a robo-call or two- I’ve been counting on volunteers to call those who are most likely to vote to have a conversation about change and Dayton.
How do I judge success? If I spend less than forty cents a vote, I’ll be happy- and if it’s as low as twenty-five cents- I’ll be ecstatic. If the voting map shows that I have at least 20% support in 80% of the precincts- I’ll know I’ve done what no other independent has done before in the last 20 years (what, you mean we’ve had independents running?). I’m tired of seeing a voting map after the election that looks like two sides of a coin.
While politics as usual has been taking place in the high-priced mayoral race- the commission race has been widely ignored. It’s my goal, if elected to move us to a top 2, top 3 election sequence, where the highest popular vote getter sits as mayor- with the potential for change every two years. This will take the money out of the Mayor’s race, and give us a better chance to keep good people on the commission.
It’s also my goal to encourage people to run for commission in the future- even to unseat me, if I’m elected. I want to have primaries with 6 choices for 2 seats- so that we have the best possible discussion of the issues and choice on the ballot. It’s time to stop the Democratic party from choosing candidates with its “screening committee” and then using the full force of the party to attack the opposition like they’ve attacked Gary Leitzell.
We’ll never get candidates willing to run if the perception is they’ll be personally attacked at every opportunity by the party.
I hope to create a database of illuminated voters- who will build a new grassroots movement in Dayton- that will allow new voices to be heard, and to win. But, first, I have to prove that it is possible to look a fund-raising goliath like Nan Whaley straight in the face and win with my slingshot.
My name is David, after all.
On Riverside Dr. one of your signs is in the median, as of Saturday @ 10:00 am.
“…where the highest popular vote getter sit as mayor- with the potential for change every two years….” That’s what we do here in Beavercreek. People are asking “Why?” and are expressing an interest in changing that method.
@Brian- the grass always seems greener, doesn’t it? If you need a good reason- look at the cost of elections in Beavercreek vs the cost of elections in Dayton- and the quality of the people and the number of people you get to run. However, for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you who the City Manager is in Beavercreek- making me wonder if your commission shouldn’t be standing back even more.
Food for thought. If I win tomorrow,… well, we’ll see…….
By the way, his name is Mike Cornell.
His name is Mike Cornell, and he left Fairborn for Beavercreek, paving the way for our current City Manager, Deb McDonnell to come in and lead the city like no one before.
Get out and vote Fairborn! Keep the momentum going! I ask for your support and vote for:
Joan Dautel-Mayor
Stewart Snow-Council
Robert Wood-Council
Dan Kirkpatrick-Council
Or visit http://www.futurefairbornpac.com/index.html
@Esrati-Best of luck David. As a resident of Oakwood, I’m more interested in the Dayton elections than Oakwood. As a business owner in Fairborn, I feel the pain of poor Dayton City politics.
Damnit! I love This Dayton Region. Come on Dayton, get out and vote for Leitzell and Esrati!
New Ideas! Great Way to Start!
When I first starting reading Esrati’s site, (about18 months ago) I wanted to run blindly into a brick wall while screaming and tearing my hair out! I thought he was arrogrant and brash. I still think so but in a whole new light. Somewhere along the way, I began to realize that he was one of few people who actually has an intelligent insight to the workings of a community/city. He is full of fresh raw vitality. A visionary with positive forward thinking! He stands up for his convictions and challenges all of us to break away from the mold to better ourselves and communities.
I’m casting only one vote, and one vote for Dayton Commissioner.
Vote for Change! Vote for Esrati!
Thanks Deborah- and in full disclosure- you are the other half of the Gary Leitzell household.
There is a fine line between arrogance and confidence- and I stomp all over it- but, after the military spent at least half a million training me to do the impossible, with nothing, all things seem possible- just not as tactfully as Daytonian’s seem to prefer.
As Democrats of the Democratic Party, we are joining together in seeking reform within the Democratic Party.
Many of our elected representatives within the Democratic Party are no longer following in the time-honored footsteps laid down by the founding fathers of our great Nation. More importantly, we as democrats see our elected representatives within the Democratic Party abandoning the values and principles as set forth within the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
Nonetheless, this is only the beginning of our problems as Democrats, for the current Democratic Party leadership is tainted by corruption and being taken over by Socialists. These Socialists are clearly a threat to everything we hold sacred in America, and they are gaining evermore control over our Democratic Party, our Nation, and the American people.
Despite this, we as Democrats can restore control of the Democratic Party back to the party members. All we need to do is cut off donations to the local, state, and national headquarters of the Democratic Party, and to make sure the donations are made directly to patriotic and honorable Democratic Party candidates that are not corrupt and/or Socialist.
So please help spread the message to everyone of our fellow Democrats. Also, don’t forget to contact and request the Unions and other outside contributors to follow our lead as patriotic Americans.
Thank you, and God Bless America.
Web site: http://www.democraticreformparty.com
Blog site: http://blog.democraticreformparty.com
From Merriam-Webster — http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism : “any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods” or “a system of society or group living in which there is no private property” or “a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state” Socialism? Really? The local, state and national Democratic party organizations are advocating governmental administration of the means of production and the distribution of goods? Yes, Democrats did advocate bailing out banks (and President Bush, a Republican, advocated that too) and the auto industry, but that’s been presented as a temporary measure, and I don’t think (perhaps you can provide evidence otherwise) that anyone’s advocating permanent government control of bailed out banks or the auto industry. Certainly there isn’t any evidence, is there, that Democrats want to abolish all private enterprise. Or is this, perhaps, the same kind of slippery slope as the “gay agenda” (if you let the gayz marry, pretty soon it’ll be illegal to be str8)? “[N]o longer following in the time-honored footsteps laid down by the founding fathers of our great Nation”? Got any specific claims there, Eric? Let me give you an example of what I mean by a specific claim, except that Republicans have been guilty of this one as well. In the Declaration of Independence our country’s founders argued “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Yet recently people have seen fit to adopt state constitutional amendments and to propose a federal one that would prevent gay men and lesbians from pursuing happiness through marriage, thus denying gay men and lesbians equality before the law. As for “God Bless America,” here’s a fun fact: although the Declaration of Independence makes reference to the “Creator,” guess who’s not in the Constitution of the United States? That’s right. God’s not in the Constitution. If the founders were so… Read more »
@David L
That seems odd are you sure thats what the Declaration says. All I have heard lately is about our right to free health care. Its not in there? Imagine that, our founding fathers didnt put that in there, I wonder why?
Its only a “right” if it doesnt “TAKE” from someone else and right now the gov. is taking all they can get and they want more. The more they take, the more power they have. You dont see them wanting less power do you? Does the gov have to do everything for the American citizen? Cant we be accountable for ourselves?
Just to be clear and explain this in ways everyone can understand… Communism is where the State owns everything, not Socialism. Socialism is where the State controls everything, IE goverment motors.. err GM.. the bank bailouts where they are telling the banks how to do business.. the current bill to define how much employees can make in business’s that took bailout money, healthcare.. blah blah blah.
David. I did have one question for you and I so wish I knew about the Linden Heights meeting you were at, prior to you coming (sigh). I’ve heard you talk a lot about the failures of the current administration in Dayton. We all fail. It’s a part of learning and living. So here’s my question for you. I’m interested in how you have failed in the last 3 years and what did you do about it?
Just to be really clear here, private ownership of the means of production with minimal public ownership of some industry is not socialism but rather is social democracy.
Words mean things. Socialism by its very definition precludes private ownership of the means of production. You might have collective non-government ownership (i.e., market socialism) but you don’t have private ownership with socialism. For more information on the differences between socialism and social democracy, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy
In the Declaration of Independence our country’s founders argued “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Yet recently people have seen fit to adopt state constitutional amendments and to propose a federal one that would prevent gay men and lesbians from pursuing happiness through marriage, thus denying gay men and lesbians equality before the law.
The Right is all about economic freedom. But they are also about defending traditional values too, hence statist interventions in the service of discrimination against the modern scapegoat; lesbians and gays. Discrimination especially lesbians and gays in committed relationships, which is contrary to the prefeered libertine stereotype.
Not sure what this has to do with socialism, except that socialists, social-democratic movements, and US style liberalism has been more sympathetic to the cause of GLBT liberation and acceptance than the Right has been..wonder why that is???
@DL – Uh huh… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism And that doesn’t sound like anything that happened with GM.. what with the government owning 60% and making the UAW a part owner. Through the work of the government, the US owns 9% of Chrysler, with Fiat owning 20% and the UAW owning, the majority of Chrysler. All the while screwing the small business man and dealers involved, forcing many of them out of business.
The healthcare bill currently being presented would take employers 40% more for their healthcare. This will also drive many of the smaller business owners out as they will not be able to absorb the added cost.
David, this thing that you present as Social Democracy sounds a lot like communism.
Frankly, I don’t care what label you want to attach to the current plans of the government. It’s not America.
@Will- last three years- I had an employee who wasn’t happy, and didn’t part ways early enough. It ended up turning into a full-blown mutiny in the office and set things back considerably.
Hire on attitude more than aptitude. You can coach better skills- but, changing attitudes is expensive.
Did not know exactly where to post, but
GARY!! GARY!! GARYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
I doubted. Now I don’t.
Just do better than before …..
Go Luck, and Good Job Gary!!