Herb Rubenstein Is In Favor of the Smithsonian

As a reader, Marshall, pointed out to us, Herb Rubenstein -- the congressional candidate in CD-7 who just moved to Colorado so that he could run for congress -- has a website up and running.

First of all, let's give Rubenstein credit for being the first candidate in CD-7 with an active website. But no matter what the other candidates do online, they'll have a hard time duplicating www.herbrubensteinforcongress.com in terms of sheer entertainment value...

On his ridiculously long-worded website (why would you use a domain name with 25 characters?), Rubenstein outlines an array of positions. We tried the "Rubenstein 12" first, to get the quick insight. Here's the first four:

1. Ethics. Need for ethics in government and business.

2. Iraq. Need of a good plan to achieve peace with honor and democracy in Iraq.

3. Water. Plan for and assurance of reasonably priced water for the next 500 years.

4. Education. Address the complexities within the public education, K-12 and post-secondary system.

You might have noticed, as did we, that the answer to every problem is "We need a solution." While true, we wanted more. So we clicked on Rubenstein's views on about 100 different issues in "The Rubenstein 200" (although some are repeated more than once but listed separately, such as his education ideas), and found longer answers on questions like:

"What should be our policy with regards to the Smithsonian Institution"
Huh? Did he poll on this, and it came back that people in CD-7 were really concerned about the future of the Smithsonia Institute?

"What should our position be with regard to ending illiteracy in the U.S.?"
Umm, we should try to end it?

His answers to most everything on the list are either, "we should definitely fix this problem," or "we need an army of volunteers." Oh, and new technologies, like robot cars, or something, seem to come up a lot. Here are some of our personal favorite answers:

1. What should be our position regarding Iraq?

We should seek Peace With Honor. We should call for an International Peace Conference to find a way to end all bloodshed in the country and to foster democracy.

Yes, we should definitely seek peace. Well said. This one should be a surefire winner in debates with candidates who say they want more war with Iraq.

6. What should our position be regarding gun control?

I fully support the right of Americans to be licensed to carry firearms. However, we are just years away from the development of “guns” that can shoot weapons of mass destruction. We already have a gun that can shoot 40,000 rounds per minute. www.metalstorm.com. These weapons, like assault rifles should not be allowed to be owned or operated under any circumstance by citizens. Citizens should have the right to carry guns in the traditional sense, as guns existed when the second amendment to the constitution was passed, with reasonable improvements thereto.

Guns that shoot weapons of mass destruction. That line speaks for itself.

Citizens should have the right to carry guns "as guns existed when the second amendment to the constitution was passed." Like what, muskets?

61. What should our policy be on the storage of nuclear waste?

We should not store nuclear waste in any region of the country where citizens of that region do not want nuclear waste stored unless we can provide absolutely scientific certainty that the storage of that waste is perfectly safe for the future.

We should have no trouble at all finding people who WANT nuclear waste stored near them.

36. What should our policy be toward improving the crime solving ability of our police forces?

We should remove from every police force the responsibility of traffic enforcement. All traffic enforcement should be done electronically and the police should devote 100% of their resources to reducing crime and catching people who commit crimes.

In short, traffic robots are good, and we should make sure that police officers are definitely solving crimes. Got it.

57. What should our policies be toward drunk driving?

All automobiles should be required to have alcohol breath tests operating at all times measuring the alcohol level of the operator. No car shall be allowed to start if the operator has a blood alcohol level above .08 and if during the operation of a vehicle the driver’s level of alcohol increases to this level, the car will automatically shut off in a safe manner within one mile of the time when the alcohol level exceeds the legal limit. If a person under the age of 21 is driving the car shall not start or continue operation if any level of alcohol is detected in the driver’s breath.

This brings up some very important questions: If your car pulls you over for a DUI, is that a traffic ticket or a more serious crime? If it's a traffic ticket, does the traffic robot give the robot car the ticket, or do you get the ticket? If your car can drive itself, why are you driving home anyway?

And the big question: If the machines turn against us and The Terminator comes, will he stump for Rubenstein's re-election or try to kill him?

On sheer entertainment value alone, we at Colorado Pols are incredibly pleased to see Herb Rubenstein in this race. Just think, we're not quite to 100 yet on "The Rubenstein 200."

Comments

[Howard]

Does this guy really exist or is he made up?

[LATeach]

Thank goodness for Herb's website. I finished the latest "Captain Underpants" novel and was looking for something with equal deep thought. I especially love Rubensteins's 200. He states he has listed 200 issues and positions and will list 100 more suggested by readers - bringing the total to 200. Right now there are only 98...
Maybe he hurried to get the wesite up quickly - but this is just too goofy!!

[cookies]

Oh, I am SO excited.
A Policy Wonk with issue papers. Neat-o! Too bad his wife is already whining to her NEW neighbors about how much she hates Colorado.
...yep, already heard from a fly on the wall.

[LATeach]

The more misuses of the English language, non-issue crap, and beauty contest I'm-in-favor-of-world-peace statements by Herb that I read... Well, I'm sure Peggy and Ed are really happy. He will certainly provide a new topic of conversation.

[cookies]

HEADLINE: No interest in leaving the Washington, D.C., area any time soon

07/19/2002 - Updated 01:48 AM ET


More savers putting their homes to use
By Susan Scherreik
Herb Rubenstein and Laurie Bassi are in their late 40s and won't retire for years. The couple also has no interest in leaving the Washington, D.C., area any time soon. Yet Rubenstein, an attorney, and Bassi, an economist and investment consultant, rushed to sell the five-bedroom house in Chevy Chase, Md., where they raised two children as soon as their youngest graduated from high school in June. The house, which the couple bought nine years ago for $500,000, fetched around $850,000. "The hot real estate market had a lot to do with our decision," Rubenstein says.
So did a federal tax law, enacted in 1997, that lets married homeowners skip paying taxes on gains of up to $500,000 ($250,000 for singles) when they sell a primary residence. Homeowners can use that exemption as often as they like — as long as they live in a house for at least two of the most recent five years. Rubenstein and Bassi recently moved to a three-story rowhouse in Washington that they bought when they were first married but had rented out when they moved to the suburbs. Their long-term goal: to retire to San Diego or Boulder, Colo. They plan to invest the bulk of their home-sale profits in the stock market.

....... http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/bw/2002-07-18-shocked.htm

[Susan B]

"If the machines turn against us and The Terminator comes, will he stump for Rubenstein's re-election or try to kill him?"

That's hilarious. Great post, Pols.

[Stygius]

I'm sick of cooking breakfast EVERY damn morning. Where's my robot!

[GOP4Herb]

I'd like to start a group of Republicans for Herb. I think he would make an excellent choice for the Dems in 06. This is the kind of candidate Chairman Dean has been searching for.

[ql]

Actually, Peggy Lamm already has a website up too.

http://www.peggylammforcongress.com/

[Betting Man]

Bets on how long before Peggy Lamm's site goes down?

[cookies]

Decisions, decisions...
Is Herbie's website vapidly profound OR profoundly vapid?

[LATeach]

Just because hers isn't as funny as Herb's is no reason to scoff! Maybe she didn't realize that robots and the Smithsonian were key issues in CD7.

[RedHawk]

My favorite: “9. Civic Engagement. Unification of our citizens around common goals.” Like, as in uniting Democrats to win in the 7th? You guys may be able to pick this seat up from us – but this guy won’t be the one to do it. If what he’s aiming for is cross-over appeal, all he’s articulated is warmy-fuzzy, perfect world nonsense.

[marshall]

Why wasn't Peggy's website on the literature that she passed out this weekend? Why is she also using an AOL email address? I talked with her and she seemed really articulate and someone I could definitely support. She definitely came off much better than Ed ever did but it just seems weird that when I asked her if she had a website going that she didn't know about her own website.

Also another pet peeve on Peggy's website under the constructive criticism column - it drives me up the wall that Democrat are still using "right to choose". Have we learned nothing from Lakoff? Choice is a consumer adjective, people vote on values. I hope she can better word this but still stay true to the Democratic values.

[Alfalfa]

I love this guy! Who knew there not only 100 issues, but 200 issues (can't wait for 101-200!) that matter. My initial reaction is that the sheer earnestness of the effort deserves some sort of recognition. Maybe a robot traffic cop can give out some sort of good citizenship award.

I am concerned, though. Anyone notice issues #98 and 99 are missing? I'm betting it was the killer robots from the future who came in DUI protected cars and took those issues away. They probably took them to the Smithsonian.

[Hugo O'conor]

He does have 100 points. It's just that 98 and 99 are Top Secret and we're not worthy to know what those 2 points are.

[vladimir]

Hey, waht's the problem with the Herb Helena Rubenstein website? It is still better than the Rutt Bridges site and I bet he paid a lot less for it --keep up the good work Herby

[ohwilleke]

Thanks for the research Cookies. Beautiful find. I presume that Google is your friend.

[Herb Rubenstein]

An Open Letter to the Bloggers at Colorado Pols from the Candidate:

Many of you may not know that my ties with Colorado go back to the mid 1980’s. And, even before moving here permanently early this year, I volunteered for the Colorado State government, and for Democratic candidates in races in this State. One of the first things that I did when I moved to Colorado this year was go to the JeffCo Dems office and offer to volunteer. I did that right after meeting with Spencer Ross of the State Democratic Party and offered to volunteer for that organization as well. Over the past three years, as I was planning to move to Colorado, I volunteered for the Strickland campaign, and offered to volunteer nearly two years ago for both Andrew Romanoff and Ken Gordon. My personal ties to Colorado go back to 1984, when 20 years ago, my brother, Marty, who is mentally retarded, and who is my responsibility, needed to move from Shreveport, Louisiana after my father died. I did a nationwide search of facilities and found the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes in Denver to have the perfect housing and employment setting for him.

I moved my brother to Denver, 2310 S. Holly. I came to Colorado often, managed his finances, made all of the arrangements for his wedding, and kept a very low profile for all of those years because my family in Colorado, and not politics, was my first concern. So, many of you do not know me. But the people who worked with my brother know me. Many of my other relatives also moved here in the 1980’s. Since I developed a successful law practice in the Washington, DC area, and since my wife was a tenured professor of economics and public policy at Georgetown University, it was not possible, nor financially responsible, to move away from the DC metro area until our children graduated from high school and my wife decided to leave Georgetown University.

Over the past 18 months I have been coming to Colorado looking for the best possible employment for myself. I am now an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Colorado State University, have a book contract with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy in Louisville, Colorado, and I teach federal budget policy in Aurora at the Office of Personnel Management’s Western Management Development Center as a consultant. So, while it was not until January of this year when Laurie and I signed a contract to buy our house in Golden, and not until March of this year when we closed on our house here and closed on selling our house in DC, there are many people who have worked closely with me in Colorado for nearly two years to help our family make this move.

We did not move to Colorado, or the 7th District, just so I could run for Congress. That would be foolish, since the odds are always so long when one starts a political career as a relative newcomer to a region. We moved to Colorado because we knew that professional, personally, recreationally, socially and politically, we would find a better life here than the one we had in the Washington metro region where we have lived for 28 years. We don’t move around much, and we have selected Golden and the West Sixth Avenue Estates area to be the place we intend to live for the rest of our lives. My wife now has two businesses and over the past two years we have developed many beneficial business contacts for her businesses in the Denver metro area. In addition, I am writing two books on leadership, and recently spent a full week as a Facilitator at the High Peak Salvation Army Camp on a Leadershape Retreat teaching leadership development skills to Colorado State University students. This volunteer assignment was worked out long before I moved to Colorado and was instrumental in providing useful information for my two books on leadership, and was a very rewarding experience in itself. I have volunteered often in Colorado and will always continue to do so.

So, I know that some people in Colorado, and even some JeffCo Dems, have resorted to calling me names, like carpetbagger. I read the blogs, people tell what others say about me. As one of the people who was a strong civil rights activist in Louisiana in the 1960’s with many, many African American friends, I am used to being called names. Often, I would be the only white person swimming in the public pool near my house and everyone else, many of whom were my friends, were African Americans. White people would call me names for doing this, but I was not deterred and learned that it is just fine with me for people to call me names. I am thankful Susan Greene made this point in the first news article to appear about me in the Denver newspapers.

To me, in Colorado, in the 7th District, and in the United States, there is only one issue regarding a candidate for Congress. Will this person make the best Congressperson as compared to all of other candidates who are running? If I did not think I would be the best Congressman, and the best candidate from the Democratic Party of all of the candidates who have announced, I would not be running. As the article by Susan Greene stated, “I am the guy that brings a new voice and a new energy to politics.”

Since moving to Colorado earlier this year, I have spent considerable time in the 4th District encouraging Democrats to run for Marilyn Musgrave’s seat, because it is essential that our party win that seat as well. I have met with many people who are now seeking office in Colorado to offer my support. And, in a meeting organized by John Wren to promote the caucus system in Colorado, where Bob Martinez, Chairman of the Republican Party, was the speaker (Pat Waak, Chairperson of the Democratic Party was the speaker the previous month) Chairman Martinez and I discussed my suggestion to form a Joint Democratic/Republican Party Committee to educate and train people in our State regarding the caucus system, since I am told recent research shows that only eight percent of our people know anything about the caucus system which is essential to maintain neighborhood democracy.

Over time you will find that I am committed to the Democratic Party capturing the 7th CD, the 4th CD, the governorship in ’06, taking Allard’s seat in ’08, (he will not be running for a third term), having the Democrats take Colorado in the Presidential race in ’08, and firmly placing this swing state, in this future swing region of the country, firmly into the Democratic camp for the foreseeable future. This is an ambitious goal, I admit. But, it is a goal that I know each and every one of you share with all of your heart.

I do not think the Democratic Party in Colorado or anywhere in this closely divided political world, has the luxury of dismissing people like myself, who have over 40 years of political experience, from contributing to the maximum extent possible in the state where they live and meet all of the residency requirements to run for office. Some have suggested that maybe it would have been better if I had waited a few years to run for office. Some have suggested that I should have moved out here sooner if I wanted to run for the 7th CD this time. I could not have moved out here any sooner, given the businesses that my wife and I run and the commitments we had in a location where we had lived and raised children for well over 20 years. And the idea of waiting for several years to run for Congress when Congress is broken now, when the Democratic party needs new energy both here in Colorado and throughout the nation, and when our country is experiencing some of the worst leadership it has ever had, would have been simply irresponsible.

My unique contribution to the political landscape, whether it will be small or large, starts now. I put off my political career to get two masters degrees (one in public affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs where Gov. Owens went), to earn my law degree from Georgetown University, to help others get elected in the DC metro area, work for the federal government in the areas of welfare reform, job creation, economic development, transportation, child care, housing, education, urban renewal, tax policy, crime reduction, juvenile delinquency, national youth service, and other key domestic policy areas, and to serve the District of Columbia as its Virginia counsel.

I put off my political career to help raise and educate my children, earn a good living, help my wife start and run two businesses, to continue to take care of my brother Marty, and to create a nest egg for this day and our retirement. I put off my political career to serve my legal and business clients, write a successful book and over 100 articles, and now that I have been successful in all of those areas, I know this is the time to take on the challenge and the role of being a Congressional candidate. In fact, a few months before my mother died in April 2004, (and I was in Colorado when she died and I received the phone call about her death sitting in my car in front of the State Capitol after just leaving Andrew Romanoff’s office), I spoke with her regarding my plans to find a good job in Colorado, help my wife move her businesses to Colorado, and told her that if the Democratic nominee did not win against Bob Beauprez in November, I said to her that I when I moved to Colorado, I would run for Congress in the ’06 election. And upon hearing that I was going to run for Congress soon after moving to Colorado, she said emphatically, “It’s about time.” My mother was not wrong.

I have developed a 26 page campaign platform document that provides my position on 83 key policy areas. It will be posted on our website, www.herbrubensteinforcongress.com early this week. I want to meet in person in our District with those have not yet met me and I want to meet with people from your neighborhoods, your churches, synagogues, your temples, your Rotary Clubs (I am a member of the Golden Rotary Club and was won a Rotary Scholarship for Graduate Study Abroad in the 1970’s), and your communities. For the past two years I have been meeting with people in the 7th CD and in Colorado to learn what issues are of concern to them and what positions they want their Congressman to take. If Dave Thomas had won, if the Democrats of the 7th CD had ever won in this District before, I would not be running for the 7th CD. We have lost every race for Congress in this District since its inception. I intend to end the drought of the Democratic Party in the 7th District, and I can only do that, and I believe the Democratic Party, can only do that, no matter who is the nominee, if we, all of us, can rise above the politics of the past, the name calling, and the dismissing of talent that wants to work within the party for the good of the party and this nation. I will be seeking a majority of the caucus vote in order to secure our party’s nomination, and those who have said that I would just petition to get on the ballot, have never spoken to me and obviously, have little regard for the truth. We Democrats can not afford to spread false rumors about ourselves, and we have a duty to our opponents, be they Republicans or unaffiliated persons, not to spread false rumors about them as well.

Finally, during this campaign, I will not say anything negative about Ed Perlmutter or Peggy Lamm. I have met both of them, and did so before I announced my candidacy for Congress. I knew of their past work and reputations before I announced my candidacy. I have great respect for both of them. When people ask me what I think of Ed and Peggy, I say, “People like Ed, and people love Peggy.” I have seen this to be true in the meeting after meeting where we have been in the same room. At the Jefferson County Economic Development Dinner at the Airport last month, I sat at the Jordan Perlmutter and Company table. It was a most pleasurable dinner, indeed. The Perlmutters I met that night are all good people, as I am sure is true about all of their family. I have known members of Peggy’s family (at least her in-laws) for years as well. Dick Lamm has been kind enough to write the introduction to my new book, The Leadership Revolution, which will be published next year. And while Dick and I don’t agree on everything, we agree on many things, and I have the utmost respect for him and Dottie.

We, as Democrats, need to tell the world, for the first time in years, exactly what we stand for on all of the key issues of health care, social security, education, the war in Iraq and foreign policy, the environment, energy policy, transportation policy, how to balance the federal budget, reduce crime, improve the operations of government and create a fairer, more just and more tolerant society. We need to show people how we Democrats can unite the country, and by bickering amongst ourselves, and calling each other names, no one, and I mean no one, will think that we can unite anything, much less an entire nation. I will work every day, even with those who call me names, to unite this party, and in the general election, seek to unite Republicans and Democrats and unaffiliated voters (independents) to support my election as Colorado’s 7th CD Congressman. I believe that regarding the 83 policy areas where I have staked out positions in my campaign platform, over 70% of the people in this country would agree with each of my positions. I know how to help form consensus, and I know it takes the work of everyone involved to forge a consensus.

We, the Democratic Party, need to win this District. I urge all responsible Democrats to study my positions, learn about my character, determine for yourself if I am the most likely candidate to be able to win the general election, and, most importantly, to set a high standard for political discourse. Check out what I have written and published at www.growth-strategies.com.

Our words are our deeds, and in 2006 the nation will look at the 7th District race as the defining race in the United States. Whichever way this race goes, so might the governorship go, so might the ’08 Senate race, and so might the ’08 Presidential race, because Colorado will be the pivotal state in that race for President in ‘08. The stakes could not be higher. Whether I win the party’s nomination or not, I believe my candidacy will help all of the announced candidates run harder and smarter campaigns and be a better candidate in the general election. If I do not win the party’s nomination, I pledge to offer 30 hours of my time each week to our nominee from the time of the primary results through the general election. I make this pledge to you. I will help end the drought of the Democratic Party in the 7th Congressional District, and I am starting now. You would not want me to wait and start in two years, I am sure.

Call me at 303 279-1878 or send me an email to learn more about who I am, who I have been for the past 52 years of my life, and what I believe I have to offer the State Democratic Party, the people of the 7th District and the people of Colorado as a whole. I may be new here, but I will be living here for a very long time and I intend to be active in politics for the rest of my life. I knew I would run for office someday from the time I got active in politics, over 40 years ago. I hope you will give me a full and fair evaluation over the next year. Every Democrat running for office deserves this.

Soon I will open campaign offices throughout the 7th District. I hope you will come by to meet me and learn more about my campaign, and if you choose to support my candidacy and volunteer for my campaign, we already have over 100 volunteer positions open, in addition to the more than 50 people who are serving on my initial campaign committee. There is work for us, as Democrats, to do today, and tomorrow to prepare to win this election. We can not wait months to begin to reach out to the voters of our district educating them about caucuses and getting them to their precinct caucuses next April. We need to get our message into the communities that make up our District and the media. And, we need to forge a better bond among ourselves as Democrats so we can be the party that serves as the best example for our young people and all American in the areas of patriotism, civility and our dedication to this great nation.

Thank you for your time. If anyone would like me to send them my 26 page campaign platform, and that goes for you - Ed and Peggy as well, I would be happy to email it to you. Thank you for the work you do for the Democratic party and the nation. I hope I will be accepted as your partner in our efforts to put this county back on track, create fairer tax policies, and help accomplish what this nation was formed to do, create a more perfect union. We have a long way to go and I hope we can work together to accomplish this goal. My best to all of you. I look forward to your response.

Herb Rubenstein
Candidate for Congress 7th District Colorado Democratic Party

[Ter Ducken]

I think you just sent us your 26-page platform.

[jake]

Twice!!

[thinkin]

DITTO.

[Rant]

Alva – while I at least appreciate the numbered rants from Donald (where is he, btw?) – there should be some sort of rule about soapboxes.

[Alva Adams]

We agree, Rant. Except we don't know how to do that. We're looking to see how.

[thinkin]

Well, at least now you know that when the time comes to have a Q & A with Herb, you should give him a word maximum (say, 50) on each answer.