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?

IS IT TRUE that the only chance that any of us will have to see a televised debate of the candidates for Evansville City Council will be tonight?…that WNIN will be televising these debates tonight from 7 PM until 9:30 PM?

IS IT TRUE that the fight card tonight should include a first bout between Republican Lon Walters and Democrat Missy Mosby?…that the principle differences that these two should be debating are the positions that Walters has taken with respect to Vectren’s highest rates in the state and his support of strengthened smoking ordinance?…that Ms. Mosby has been silent on the Vectren rates and actually collected signatures for a petition to keep the smoking laws as they are and carried her petition to a meeting of the Evansville City Council in 2010?…that Walters has a petition too but his is to question all future rate increases requested by Vectren?…that he has over 1,700 signatures and actually met personally with the IURC yesterday?

IS IT TRUE that the next bout will be Democrat Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley vs. Republican Alan Leibundguth for the 3rd Ward?…that this bout should make it pretty clear that Riley is a classic national Democrat and that Leibundguth is quite Republican in his views?…that this is probably the most well defined difference in ideologies in this year’s election?…that the people of the 3rd Ward who are liberal will most likely side with Riley and those who are conservative will find Leibundguth to their liking?…that the 3rd Ward is overwhelmingly Democratic in registration but seems quite conservative in their ideology?…that this will be an interesting debate and election and that there may be many people crossing party lines for the vote?

IS IT TRUE that the 5th Ward that is politically balanced and always seems to be decided by less than 100 votes?…that this bout will pit Republican Brent Grafton against Democrat John Friend?…that these two gentlemen have a very different style with Grafton being cerebral and deliberative while Friend likes the spotlight?…that these two in spite of style differences share much ideology and that both are entrepreneurs with some local government experience to bolster them?…that one clear difference has been their difference on the smoking ordinance with Friend taking an “all or nothing” stance while Grafton is open to some exemptions if that is the only way to strengthen the ordinance?…that they even seem to agree on the accountability of Vectren with Friend pushing the position with a petition and Grafton with a position paper on accountability?

IS IT TRUE that the bout for the 6th Ward pits Democrat Al Lindsey who has spent more time and money fighting lawsuit after lawsuit filed by other Democrats about his place of residence than he has spent campaigning against a young Republican named Shawn Short?…that both of these gentlemen seem poised to do a good job if elected but that tonight is the opportunity to see what their differences are as both have been poorly funded and doing their campaigning by wearing out shoes?

IS IT TRUE that the at-large debate promises to be a replica of the recent Republican Presidential debates with 6 candidates fighting it out for 3 spots?…that the candidate range from young and aggressive to retired and cerebral?…that this may provide the most illuminating of all of the debates as the only candidate with a well known ideology and demeanor is Democrat Dr. H. Dan Adams?…that Dr. Adams in spite of party affiliation has been a very independent thinker during his first term on the Evansville City Council?

IS IT TRUE that we hope that tonight’s debates exposed differences that the people of Evansville can use to make informed decisions with respect to the kind of City Council that the prefer?…that editorially speaking the current 8 – 1 City Council with the GROUPTHINK mentality that has been shown has not served Evansville well?…that if the people of Evansville like Secret Meetings, Sweetheart Deals, Excessive Spending, Rotting Parks, and Selective Enforcement then what they should do is elect another 8 – 1 block of GROUPTHINK types?…that if the people of Evansville are tired of the same old bull then they should seriously consider voting for the most independent and thinking people seeking to serve on the Evansville City Council?

IS IT TRUE that the trouble with tribes, clubs, teams, fraternities, lodges, and political parties is that they are so steeped in the tradition of GROUPTHINK that there is no place for a dissenting voice even when that dissenting voice is the only voice of reason in a mindless mass of bricks in the wall?…that some such groups even resort to blood oaths, vows of allegiance, and arcane ritual to keep the membership in GROUPTHINK mode?…that the most recent local entity to have a “coming to Jesus” year for a half century of GROUPTHINK is the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party?…that the latest dust up in the increasingly comical fiasco is the endorsement of Republican candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke by Democratic City Councilwoman and Vice Chair of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Connie Robinson?…that this endorsement has lead to a complaint being filed by a yet to be named Democratic precinct committeeperson asking that Councilwoman Robinson be removed as Vice Chair?…that the BLUE CLUB called the Indiana Democratic Party has a BLUE CLUB is on the following link?

http://indems.3cdn.net/923e40d47e778c6f35_1ym6i6tin.pdf

IS IT TRUE that on Page 27 of the BLUE RULE BOOK is a section that deals with the Removal of Party Officers?…that the Grounds for Removal are well defined only as (1) Neglect of duty; (2) Willful violation of these Rules; (3) Conviction of a felony; (4) Disloyalty to the Democratic Party; or (5) Any course of conduct that does not promote the best interest of the Party or creates dissension within the Party?…that conveniently the tribunal to administer justice in this matter will not be able to meet until after the election?…that we encourage the curious to read this to your heart’s desire?

IS IT TRUE that all of this really started a little over a year ago when Rick Davis decided to break local party protocol and announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Evansville without seeking the permission of the local Party Bosses including Mayor Weinzapfel, Mark Owen, and even Vice Chair & City Councilwoman Robinson?…that we do not recall any instance of any allegation of breaking the BLUE TEAM RULES at the time?…that Mr. Davis’s only crime was offending the Tribunal of GROUPTHINK by not kissing the ring?…that the people of Evansville and especially the rank and file members of the Democratic Party have now endured a full year of barnyard and playground antics that would actually make a decent movie if any producer is out there listening?…that at the very least this should be the topic of a future community play put on at the Reitz Home?

IS IT TRUE that is has only been FOUR YEARS since the Vanderburgh Republican Party had egg on its face because a primary that put David Nixon on the ballot as the Republican nominee for Mayor of Evansville?…that we do not recall any Republican Party leaders endorsing any of the Democratic slate of candidates in 2007 but we are quite sure that Mr. Nixon did not garner 100% of the votes of Republican Party officers?…that Mayor Weinzapfel’s 85% – 15 % margin of victory guarantees that many rank and file Republicans crossed party lines to vote Democratic?…that the current mess is not about the rank and file whom we encourage to read, think, and vote for the person instead of mindlessly voting a straight ticket (pulling the rooster)?

IS IT TRUE that this mess is about whether it is appropriate to hold office in the BLUE CLUB and endorse a member of the RED CLUB at the same time?…that if the Coach of the Packers was seen rooting for the Bears while the Packers were playing the Bears the this would be one fired Coach?…that if Republican Party Chairman Wayne Parke makes a public endorsement of Rick Davis or any other Democrat in this year’s election that Mr. Parke should be shown the door?…that if the CEO of General Motors is seen driving any other brand of car that he has no business serving as the CEO of General Motors?…that so it goes for Councilwoman Robinson?…that this is one place where playing both sides against the middle should not be tolerated?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer admires and defends Councilwoman Robinson’s independent spirit and freedom of choice?…that if Councilwoman Robinson is supportive of Lloyd Winnecke that she should be free to use her influence to help his campaign?…that she should not however use her position as an OFFICER of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY to do so?…that the right thing for Councilwoman Robinson to do right now is to resign her position as Vice Chair and then follow her heart and mind on how to vote and how to use her personal influence?…that holding a vote of confidence among the BLUEBOTS that oppose Davis yet control the local party is a meaningless exercise in a reverse kangaroo court?…that of course the “machine” will find confidence in her?…that such an idiotic ritual will not serve to heal the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party?…that it will just make the divide wider?