IS IT TRUE? October 27, 2011

11

The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? October 27, 2011

IS IT TRUE that we would first like to thank and congratulate the candidates last night for not pulling any SNEGAL cards from the bottom of the deck or resorting to any dirty tricks?..Thumbs Up!

IS IT TRUE that last night’s City Council debates on WNIN held very few surprises and at times seemed more like a love fest filled with GROUPTHINK than such a debate ever should?…that the format chosen for the debate did not really lend itself to having opposing candidates mixing it up with each other or at each other and thus there was very little direct interaction that lead to exposing differing philosophies among the candidates?…that many of Evansville’s current problems from the budget to dilapidation to messes in the parks have come about because of block voting City Council’s that have functioned like partisan GROUPTHINK TANKS where deliberation and cognitive thought are at best tolerated and occasionally scoffed at?…that debate formats that diminish the potential for rebuttals really do not serve the purposes that they could if the City Council was treated as though it is just as important as the Office of the Mayor?

IS IT TRUE that of the 14 people who took the stage that there were some who still seem to drink the Team Weinzapfel Kool-Aid of “oh gee our parks are not bad”, “our jobs base is growing”, or even “it’s a great place to raise kids”?…that these are the sort of things that the propaganda pieces for attraction seem to tout in every city in America but that informed people seem to be able to expose quickly?…that the vast majority of the people in the debate do seem to get it and have little remnant of ever having consumed any of the Kool-Aid?

IS IT TRUE that if these 14 people plus the unopposed incumbents Dan McGinn and Connie Robinson are true to their word with respect to a stronger or even comprehensive smoking ordinance that a comprehensive smoking ban will pass in early 2012 by at least a 6 – 3 vote?…that if one certain set of candidates is elected that a smoking ban will be passing by a 9 – 0 vote?…that as nearly 80% of people polled by Smokefree Indiana indicated a support for a comprehensive ban that it seems as though most of the candidates had been listening to the will of the people as opposed to the will of a tavern master or two?

IS IT TRUE that nearly every candidate expressed support for finding some positive use for Roberts Stadium AND that small businesses and entrepreneurs are the key to economic prosperity and the creation of wealth?…that the candidates seem to agree that despite all of the claims of the government of the City of Evansville being business friendly that it is NOT?…that most of the candidates support the concept of consolidation yet believe that the proposal that is being voted on in next year’s referendum barely touched the surface on efficiency?…that one candidate quoted a savings from consolidation of $700,000 which is only 0.2% of the combined city and county budgets?…that is the equivalent of the average family in Evansville cutting their weekly budget by $1.31?…that if we all can’t agree that this is an easy task and that the current proposal has not even given real lip service to economic efficiency?

IS IT TRUE that the candidates except for some Kool-Aid drinkers agree that urban blight and just general dirtiness are serious problems that are a result of a lack of civic pride among the population?…that Councilman John Friend stated that the City of Evansville is pretty much at its credit limit with only a $3 Million margin remaining so General Obligation Bonds are really not an option for any of the many infrastructure projects that Evansville is in need of?…that means that only sustainable and cash generating projects that pay for their own maintenance are possible in the near future?…that Friend also stated that METS is operating at a $3.7 Million annual loss?

IS IT TRUE that one of the unknowns going into the debates was the electability of 6th Ward candidate Shaun Short as he is a newcomer to politics?…that Mr. Short is fighting a clear uphill battle in the 6th Ward which had a 6 to 1 ratio of Democratic straight tickets to Republican straight tickets in 2007?…that it will take a miracle for Mr. Short to overcome such a partisan bias but that if he were running at large he would have most certainly been on the medal stand in last night’s debate?…that if Mr. Short sticks with it this 33 year old may just have what it takes to compete for Mayor someday?…that we hope that if the overwhelmingly Democratic 6th Ward elects Al Lindsey who held his own in last nights debate that Mr. Short will not be discouraged from trying again some day?

IS IT TRUE that we hope all of our readers watched the debate or will watch the replay?…that we hope as 5th Ward Candidate Brent Grafton stated last night that the most important job of the City Council is to keep a Mayor from wrecking the bus called Evansville is something that the voters realize and will vote for a strong, independent, and deliberative City Council without regard to party?

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11 COMMENTS

  1. So who was coaching Ms Mosby? she kept looking off camera at something or someone, it looked like she kept looking for a sign that she was in the correct pew.

    I was impressed with Bill Kramer, he would be a good addition to the council,it really looked like he spilled his drink right before the debate started from the camera view (pan out), if so he recovered nicely being the first one to speak in that segment.

    All of the candidates with the exception of the At Large group seemed to be a bit unnerved with speaking on camera which is to be expected. I’d agree Short was exceptional in his responses, very well prepared and intelligent in his reply’s. And of course John Friend and Doc Adams were the most at ease and polished, being incumbents they had a wide array of knowledge of the topics and the current positions of the council.

    JMHO

  2. I watched the first segment, which was a panel discussion of Wards 2 & 3 (with all four candidates there). Everyone agreed on everything, except Walters was against consolidation, and Missy was against smoking ban. Have these candidates saved no issues for the home stretch with which to differentiate themselves ?
    I could run for office too if all I had was no to trash and meth; yes to studying Roberts Stadium; and no new taxes.

    I fell asleep for the middle section, and if there were 16 candidates total, I missed six of them (this may have been a fortuitous move by me).

    I watched the final segment, which was the six At-Large candidates. Being semi-conscious, I kept the sound off. Note to candidates: you may want to practice your facial expressions, several were just gruesome.

  3. Why does Dan Adams want to fire 40 police officers and replace them with big brother red light cameras?

    • Hilarious.

      Now the Obvious Machine Operatives (aka OMO’s) are attacking Dan Adams, by far the most popular Democrat in Evansville.

      How dumb are you people, really?

  4. In the At-Large segment I was most impressed by Dan Adams, Pete Swaim, and Bill Kramer. Swaim and Kramer would be a great additions to the council as both are critical thinkers.

    I would hope that we do not wind up replacing our outgoing democrat attorney with a clone. That would be a step backwards, IMHO.

    __

  5. It wasn’t Dr. Adams who wanted to terminate 40 police positions. Connor O’Daniel Esq. stated during a public meeting at the CK Newsome Cntr. he would eliminate 45 police officers to help balance the budget. So much for public safety being in his repertoire!!! Now he wants to eliminate the meth problem & just how does he plan to do it??? He’s a defense attorney & represents meth manufacturers, so if he defends them & are not convicted, ummmmm you do the math!!!

    • What I stated was when asked about the savings of the then proposed consolidation plan (before law enforcement was exempted) was going to be, I quoted the plans set forth by Sheriff Williams and Chief Hill with regards to attrition and efficiencies in the departments. I never said I would fire law enforcement officers.

      As to the issue of methamphetimine in our community, you confuse what I do in protecting the rights of everyone with my status of a concerned citizen wanting a safe community for my family and neighbors. This is a problem that affects our society in far more ways than just law enforcement, there are the other social costs like welfare assistance for the spouse and children of addicts. The environmental clean up of the manufacturing, the stress and impact on families of users which is hard to quantify.

      • Conor-

        Will you break the code of Omerta and tell us what was discussed in the Big Meeting?

  6. Dan Adams is one of our best Councilman………….he votes as he sees it,after he researchs the facts.

  7. what business did Bill Kremer purchase the morning of 10/27/11 (the morning of the WNIN debate)? And, can more information be provided about his attempt to scam Vectren?

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