In a truly democratic society, especially one as large and diverse as America, towing the national party ‘one size fits all’ line at the local level is just plain undemocratic. Every small community or region has its own unique flavor and needs and dynamics and local party leaders should, in fact, embrace this diversity and build upon it and adapt to it rather than pushing a lousy candidate just because the lousy candidate is registered with the party.

In my personal view, both of the major parties in Coos County continue to back very mediocre incumbents at the State Legislature. Why don’t the dems show some guts, fortitude and concern for the area and encourage the aged Senator Verger to step aside for a true progressive candidate?

Today, State Rep Arne Roblan, also a dem, demonstrated just what a mediocre candidate he is by grandstanding on a non-issue and questioning whether FERC was influenced by anti-LNG lobbyists. (One can’t help but wonder how many ‘lobbyists’ have influenced Arne) So, as reported at The World, Roblan has filed a FOIA with FERC to see if any inappropriate meetings took place.

Roblan said he requested a response from FERC within 20 business days.

‘Whether you support or oppose the construction of this terminal, it’s important that we all feel like we were treated fairly and we all had our say in what appears today to be a secret meeting that led to a decision delaying the building of this terminal and the hundreds of jobs it brings to our community,” he said in his press release. [emphasis mine]

At least now, after dancing around the subject and artfully dodging every attempt to get him to state his position on LNG one way or the other he finally, in-artfully, showed his hand. “…hundreds of jobs it brings to our community”… who’s been lobbying you Arne? Just who do you represent? Not the thousands on the no LNG list, obviously.

This may be a bit of grandstanding, just a way to get his name in the paper before the primary, but this publicity stunt reveals just how narrow Roblan’s thinking skills really are AND he will have some real egg on his face when he waits twenty days for something he could have just made a phone call to the people he is accusing to find out why FERC delayed the decision.

Thank goodness I am unaffiliated.