The whole point of free speech is not to make ideas exempt from criticism but to expose them to it.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Prepare for the mud to fly

As we near the June election, I'm struck by Lloyd LaCroix's attack on Jordan Mason. Mason is simply a young citizen wanting to become involved in the future of our city. That's commendable, I think.

Interesting that LaCroix would put out a product saying "The last thing we need at city hall is irresponsible, immature leadership that plays negative politics, smears innocent people, and undermines Rapid City's ability to get the economy moving."

Huh? Irresponsible? Immature? Negative politics? Smears innocent people? Was he talking about himself and his behavior in the Kooiker censure?

And, now he feigns surprise that people like Mason are pissed off enough to try to unseat him? I suspect we'll see a different posterior in the council seat from LaCroix's ward.

Prepare, gentle readers, for an onslaught of mud flying from the LaCroix camp. He spoke of his record some months ago. Let's see if he can actually run on it or will he resort to his usual politics of the lowest common denominator.

14 comments:

taco said...

Lloyd is attacking Jordan because most of those who have met Lloyd and Jordan readily agree that it is Jordan who has the intelligence to meet our economic challenges.

In the past, flyers which personally attacked others have worked in this town. It is time to say enough is enough with the dirty tricks - vote Mason for city council.

vet said...

Jordan Mason is mature enough to have served in the Navy, with distinction. Jordan Mason was mature enough to walk in front of the city council and ask them not to censure Kooiker. Jordan Mason only said that we have too many crooks in city government. We do have too many crooks involved in city government. One crook is one too many, look at the landfill and remember that weasel Doug Hamilton who claimed to control several in city government?

Bill Fleming said...

Again, if Jordan insists on framing his opponent as a "crook" he will lose. None of you are doing him one bit of good encouraging that behavior.

taco said...

Fleming, Mason never called Lloyd a crook and you know it.

I encourage everyone interested to listen to Lloyd speak and then listen to Jordan speak - and then make an informed decision as to who is best capable of representing that ward.

Bill Fleming said...

Taco, exactly... he said a LOT of people in city government were crooks. You think that's BETTER?

Have you lost your mind?

Bill Fleming said...

Taco, if you check back on this very blog, you'll see where I tried to warn Jason about this stuff months ago. He needs good advice, not some foaming at the mouth BS. If you want to help him, calm down, get your head out of your butt and pay attention for a change.

Bob Newland said...

I think Jordan's doing fine. And I think that Bill's remarks are somewhat less than hospitable in nature.

Bill Fleming said...

True enough, Bob.

Jordan is doing fine except for those times when he isn't. And neither Bill, Bob nor Taco are running for city council. That's the difference.

But enough. I keep forgetting that I charge substantial fees for advice like this, and that there's a reason for that. When people pay for it, they usually follow it.

I was remiss in offering counsel to Mr. Mason without being asked, and will henceforth keep my thoughts about him to myself.

Thanks for the wake-up call, Bob.

Later gentlemen.

Bob Newland said...

That's the spirit, Bill.

Wayne Gilbert said...

I can't help observing that one candidate implies that his opponent is a crook, yet this blog accuses the other candidate of mud slinging. I have seen Mr. Mason at appearances, dramatically pulling what he identifies as a copy of the US Constitution from his pocket, asserting that Mr. Kooiker was denied due process (he wasn't--even if you think the vote was wrong). I do not find this rhetoric persuasive or even helpful in determining the direction of city government, but then he's not in my ward so my opinion is no more relevant than a Hermosa resident's opinion.

Bob Newland said...

Since Hermosa is the acknowledged cradle of civilization, a Hermosa resident's opinion is of considerable relevance.

Wayne Gilbert said...

Generally speaking Bob I do not hesitate to agree with you. Often have I noted that the opinion of a Hermosa resident settles a matter beyond cavil. I don't think that necessarily applies in Rapid City council elections however.

Michael Sanborn said...

This is Jordan's first time out of the chute in a tough primary race. I think he's doing well. But, Bill is right, he needs to be more calculated and less bombastic.

He certainly is more articulate than Lloyd. But the poll numbers I'm hearing don't have Lloyd in a runoff. He's got a lot of baggage. And in today's world getting from point A to point B with a lot of baggage has gotten pretty expensive.

I'm not sure his benefactor, Doyle Estes, is willing to make that investment. And, in light of Mr. Estes' problems with the city, I'm not all that sure Lloyd wants the association.

Rick Kriebel said...

Rick Kriebel: imagine that, thousands of dolllars stolen, and the response is, this is "henceforth stopped"
Bet that doesnt make it to his resume for his next job,,,lol
May 5 at 8:01pm · .

Jordan Mason for Rapid City Council Ward 4 2010: That is some funny stuff there Rick. So much of our City government is composed of nothing more than crooks!.
May 5 at 9:13pm · Flag

I cut n pasted this comment from the blog, as all can see, he was talking to me, not campaigning. The comments are an after thought to a previous conversation we had about the enormity of the incident referenced by a memo from Jery Wright at the landfill. We had discussed the absurdity of hanging the blame for all of this at the feet of a scale house worker. Given that there had to be a truck entering the landfill at the rate of almost once an hour for six weeks for free, given that, at 50 bucks a ton and 5 tons per truck (I am guessing at this number)thats 250 bucks per truck times 288trucks, is 72 thousand dollars in lost tipping fees, seemed very unlikely there are not other "crooks" at the landfill. Hence Jordans comment about the possibility of the existence of other "crooks"

If it is bad for Jordan to declare their are crooks in City government, why is it ok for LaCroix to call Jordan immature ? Do you think LaCroix wants to defend Wrights weak response to the enormous loss of revenue ? I doubt it.

Maybe that ought to be Jordans next mailer ?? "LaCroix defends landfill fraud"