IS IT TRUE December 12, 2014

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IS IT TRUE the City County Observer is pleased that State Representative Gail Riecken is considering running for Mayor of Evansville in 2015?…the nightmare scenario in all of next year’s city elections is for there to be no credible opposition for the mayor and the city council?…we have been through a straw man election once in 2007 with then Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel trouncing David Nixon, who had no qualifications to run and no chance to be elected?…Mr Nixon who was a perfectly decent human being, captured the republican nomination in a joke of a primary where he was against a college student and only about 1,000 votes were cast?…what followed was a mayor who really thought that is 85% – 15% margin of victory was a mandate for every breath that he took who proceeded to ram the Ford Center down the people of Evansville’s throats without a referendum?…what we have now as a result of the mandate of delusion is an arena that is eating close to $8 Million per year after being sold as “profitable from day one”?…this is what happens without balance in politics?

IS IT TRUE while we are hoping for opposition candidates in both the democrat and republican primaries for every office, even if that does not happen a campaign pitting mayor Winnecke against Representative Riecken would be one for the ages in Evansville politics?…with the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party still in shambles from the pinky shake antics of 2011, the first order of business for Representative Riecken will be to provide the leadership that will be required to heal the local democrats differences?…an early indicator toward a pathway to success in healing the party will be to gain the support of Rick Davis supporters and powerful 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson?…an alliance between a candidate Riecken and Rick Davis supporters and Councilwoman Robinson will be capable of giving Team Winnecke a fight to remember?…the other interesting twist is that Mayor Winnecke and Representative Riecken know each other well and will treat each other with respect which should keep personal issues out of the election should Riecken choose to run?  …if Gail Riecken is elected Mayor of Evansville she will be the first female in the 202 year history of Evansville to serve in this position?

IS IT TRUE if you want to gauge just how concerned the Winnecke camp is about running against Riecken,  just listen to the whisper campaign prior to her possible announcement to run for Mayor? …if one starts running against a non-declared candidate, then that will show some serious concern or even fear? …if State Representative Riecken decides to run for Mayor of Evansville we predict that Mayor Winnecke will have the biggest political battle of his career?

IS IT TRUE both Mayor Winnecke and State Representative Riecken also have some explaining to do for a few choices made in the somewhat recent past?…it will be interesting to see if any mea culpas emerge early, and to see who may or may not have learned from choices that are widely perceived as less than favorable?…the most important issue that should be debated should this match-up come to pass is responsible budgeting and spending?…Representative Riecken rightly addressed that in her announcement of consideration when she expressed concern for runaway spending and insufficient budgeting attributed to the Winnecke Administration?…as with our country, the City of Evansville is at a fork in the road when it comes to spending?…on one fork is responsible spending that addresses critical infrastructure?…on the other there is the recent binge of spending on fun and games while kicking the can as far down the road as possible when it comes to things of substance?…if this election happens it will be about Winnecke’s results against Riecken’s plan, which we hope she will unveil during the campaign if it happens?

IS IT TRUE the State of Kentucky made a sane decision in choosing not to give any incentives to a religious theme park that is proposed to showcase a biblical size replica of Noah’s Ark?…while this may be an attraction that many people will attend, we stand firmly on the principles of separation of church and state and applaud Kentucky for coming to its senses?

IS IT TRUE That John Steinbeck produced one of the most inspiring sentences ever published in his epic book East of Eden?…Steinbeck wrote and we should all remember “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”?…no one and no system of government has ever or will ever be perfect?…let us just work toward constructive dialog in the spirit of collaboration to get back to a place that will at least qualify as good?…this applies at the local, state, and national levels?…the first question we should all ask when pondering on a vote is whether or not a particular candidate can actually come up with a plan for goodness and orchestrate the implementation of than plan without creating more damage than the good that is done?

Please take time and vote in todays “Readers Poll”.

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58 COMMENTS

  2. If the general election is between Winnecke and Riecken I will hold my nose and vote Democrat for only the second time in my life. My voting days go back to the first MacDonald.

  3. Have a question, how is giving any incentives to a theme park, which I assume is to be a for-profit endeavor, “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”? Since the definition of “Holiday” is holy day, does that mean that one of the finest theme parks in America and a source of pride for Southern Indiana is a religious theme park also?

    • Holiday world is run by ultra conservative religious people, but do you know they’ve gotten taxpayer funded subsidies? It would be a good question. I would still view that as very different than telling kids some ridiculous story about an ark on the taxpayer dime.

      • Keep in mine in 13 days we have a religious/pagan base day. Depending on your convictions, one could consider it a partial, to a full ridiculous day! One could ask why this is not consider a normal working day without injecting religion into it. Why does public schools, government ect. shut down during these holidays(religious). If government wants that separation, should December25th be treated like Hanukkah or any day that is important to a any certain religion, just another day? Something to think about!

        For myself, religion, family, food, and very little X-mas commercialization for that day!

        • Arms,

          Where is LKB and her grammar police ?
          Is it true:
          mine should be mind ?
          consider should be considered ?
          does should be do ?
          ect should be etc ?
          to a should be to ?
          ” If government wants …. ” makes no sense whatsoever

          I hate doing the above, yet, I must now take a break from IIT due to having a tough time following your thoughts into print.

          • Take a “several year” break will be fine with me, if that is all you could add! Most normal people realize that at 7:18am, coffee dose not always kick in for us retired folks. Then again, I said most normal………….! One must had comprehend the first two post to follow into mine, just as Ellen Woerter had done!

      • Some people find the story of ex nihilism ridiculous. When we begin deciding on projects solely upon religious interest, then we have departed from the intent of our Constitution.

    • That is the literal meaning of the word, but it has taken on a different meaning through usage. Memorial day, the Fourth of July, Labor day, and even Columbus Day are legal holidays that have no religious connotation.

      • True, I am sure for most people Christmas has no more of a religious connotation than New Years brings a new year to mind.

  4. Reiken should likely win. Things will improve but not change. She is part of the systemic problem destroying Evansville. So she will end the drive for hotel. Big deal, it can’t happen. It’s already DOA. I was hoping for better than fee-based.

  5. Winnecke, if he hasn’t done much else, has certainly earned himself a credible challenger. Gail Riecken would seem to fill that bill.

    • My dog Spot would be viable contender, but I would not support him. He has also ran away.

      • Same old same old, machine bullshit. Repetitive, BS. Our people there are wanting and waiting for real change. That piss poor machine politico outfit can’t find it in the surname dance, or the historically controlled baggage either. So.
        Hope you enjoyed the weather today out there, that’s a good example of change and growth. Dynamically. Planet delivered, and changing daily. Stinking downtown evansville politics is due. The people we speak with are LOL about the last couple of announcements. The machine realizes weaver and mosby ,the present mayor and that appointee dude are toast, the scrambles on. That’s funny, who they gonna call. “post busters”

      • re·pet·i·tive
        rəˈpedədiv/
        adjective
        containing or characterized by repetition, especially when unnecessary or tiresome.
        “a repetitive task”
        synonyms: monotonous, tedious, boring, humdrum, mundane, dreary, tiresome

        Same slime CSO, time for change. 🙂

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe93CLbHjxQ

  7. Is it true that one also needs to go into some of the baggage of the possible mayor candidates?

    Is one happy with the current city attorney, Schaefer, Russell Lloyd jr? They will be there 4 more years?
    Is one happy with the city audits?
    Is one happy how SBR recording was drummed from all directions which has been proven she was within the law?
    Is one happy that most city funds prop up the downtown?
    Is one happy with the $200,000 give away, that could had been in the millions?
    Chamber of commerce backed!
    Is one happy he has been considered a “rhino”

    *Please add your list!*

    Current state legislator possible candidate:

    Went “with many other legislators” across state line?
    Working class supports her?
    Not a Republican?

    *Please add your own list

    • These things took place within the reach of our Constitution. Gail fled our Constitution, the people of indiana. Her right and duty was to vote against RTW, not flee the Constitution she swore to uphold.

      • That group did vote against it. Just not in that timetable you wanted them too!
        One way to look at it, They “were” representing their districts voters as they should/could, by not supporting the chamber of commerce/Republican districts you are leaning to!

      • IE, using that “constitution reasoning” creates a very slippery slope for you! You will have invalidate any of your complaints about any government actions of late. You can not complain about unions, republican and democrat parties because they all fall within that constitution! Please reconsider using that argument! You may be giving me ammunition for future topics which I really don’t want to be given!

        Later!
        Armstrongres

        • Arms that we all fall under the umbrella of the Constitution is not a slippery slope. That some believe they are not under it after swearing to up hold it is the slippery slope. What if feeling from the constitution’s grasp became the norm?

          • Other then the provision that law enforcement can bring them back into the chambers, and they had their wages garnished. Were there any “legal charges” to those that left? If there was a constitutional crime committed, those republicans would had been pursued.
            No charges from the state justice department either!

          • They could not be brought back to Chambers. That is why they crossed the state line. Doing so effectively put them in control. They were fined. RTW is popular with the majority of working Hoosier. Gail fled from under the Constitution in support of union interest over working people. What’s to keep her from doing so as mayor?

            • I am conflicted. I agree with you that Gail did wrong by running for the border to avoid a vote. I also think Winnecke did wrong by being a tool for Weinzapfel to try to eliminate the homestead tax credit. Are we faced with choosing between two people who are both willing to violate our laws for ideology? Winnecke has certainly done lots of damage by continuing Weinzapfel’s legacy. Would Gail have been sucked in by Earthcare and blindly supported a bunch of other stupid projects? I don’t know but my guess is yes.

              Me thinkum there is not a dime’s worth of difference between these two candidates. Me also thinkum the dems on city council would have gone along with the hairbrained schemes if a dem mayor had proposed them..

          • IE, just as in therapy, you “finally admitted” to the bur under your saddle (done in John Wayne voice) You finally came out with what “pissed you off”. The Demo’s cross the state line to maintain control for awhile, as they were putting the best of interest to their district that elected them, first!

            Your bill will be in the mail! (I doubt your “cured” though)

            Later

          • @Crazy. I do not agree with Winnecke’s stunts, but he was still under the grasp of the Constitution. Gail removed herself from its grasp.

            I see no different than Winnecke in supporting the interest of her supporters. She has already shown that she will do so outside the Constitution or her oath to it.

            I truly hoped for better.

          • Arms, for them to “maintain” control they would have had to have control. They did not, so they were stealing it away.

          • IE, your 4:06 post quote: “Doing so effectively put them in control”
            Your 6:27 post quote: “to “maintain” control they have had to have control”

            Is this a flip flop, or a new spin?

  8. When Jefferson pinned the words “separation of church and state” in the Danbury letter, do you think his intention was to segregate the interest ointerestsf religious peopIe from their government? Being against subsidizing fun and games might make sense if the museum was not such a large attraction, but to oppose it because it has religious interest is not in the spirit of Jefferson’s intention, but it’s antithetical to the religious dreaded secured by our Constitution. How it that gay marriage is not a threat to our Republic but the interest of religious people is a threat? Perhaps the ACLU should hurry about removing semblances of Noah’s Ark cleverly disguised as playground equipment least the next generation gets dangerous ideas and the nation not survive. Thank ceremonial desk that our sanity is more clear minded today than past generations.

  9. Could it be true that the intent was only about singling out one particular denomination as the “official” religion of the land? Could this had been based on King (forgot the name) of England who pulled away from the Roman Catholics church and establish a “official” religion in that country with the king being the spiritual leader similar to the “pope” with the Catholics?

    • The intent was to bar the government from becoming involved in a church matter.

        • It goes back to my original post of “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” I guess you could say that it establishes freedom for and from religion. You are neither forced to worship any particular religion, sect, cult, or a branch thereof nor are you prohibited from doing so if you wish. Jefferson was echoing the words of the theologian Roger Williams, who years earlier had used a similar term (“wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world”) in his writings.

  10. Good for Kentucky. No 18 million in ‘incentives’ to religious themed ‘amusement’ parks. The young-earthers ‘Answers in Genesis’ didn’t get to stick their hand in the treasury so are now threatening to sue. Verily, so be it. Separation of church and state is how we will continue to proceed. It has worked out well for the tax exempt churches. They should count their blessings rather than try to have public money build their projects.

    I wish that ark the best, if they build it they should keep in mind that zebras like to water ski.

    • Was it Jefferson’s intent that religious interest should become minority to secular interest?

      • I was just listening to you preaching and I was asking a question. Other then the government telling me what type/kind and how to, my skin is pretty thick if there are crosses, ten commandments posted, statues of Budda’s etc. By exemptions of taxes to churches, one could think there is already a government subsidy/connection! Just creating discussion!

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