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

Monday, June 27, 2011

What will my mailbox yield today?

Today is the day I should expect, (if Alan Hanks and Jody Severson remain true to form) an angry mailer spewing distortion and outright lies about Alan's opponent Sam Kooiker. I expect we'll see a mailer from Kooiker as well.

I have said here before that I am not advising Mr. Kooiker, but I did recommend a couple of people who have been helping him. I would have done some things differently. But, there is a possibility that had I been doing some of Sam's campaign work, he would not have been 10 points ahead after the general election. And the designer I recommended is better than I am.

I don't believe Mr. Hanks has been served well by his political advisers. He has taken credit for which no credit is due. He claims that he has led Rapid City through the recession unscathed, but fails to mention Sanmina/SCI or Merillat. He claims that he almost single-handedly increased the city's sales tax collections, but fails to take responsibility for the increased cost of goods and services that resulted in a good portion of that increase. He claims that his opponent bullies city employees, when in fact, the city employees have had no better advocate than Mr. Kooiker. Ask a fireman. And, worst of all, he claims no responsibility for the Kooiker censure, which anyone who witnessed the hearing, would say is baloney.

The campaign has been an unpleasant and expensive bloodbath. I'll be glad when it's over. I have already voted. And, I hope that every eligible voter in Rapid City makes his or her voice heard. Runoff elections have notoriously low voter turnout. I don't think that will be the case tomorrow. A runoff record number of early voters have cast done their duty. Anger is a great motivator. And people I talk to are angry.

12 comments:

Bob Newland said...

And the flyers said....?

larry kurtz said...

Maybe you redstaters should try this.



mizato

BF said...

Bob, not sure which (if either) of the two final mailers Mike received. I got the Democrat one (big surprise), and nothing from Sam. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Come on Sam, where is the love?

BF said...

Okay, I got a fax from Sam at the office. Must be using the Chamber list. It was a little goofy and self-contradictory but nothing too over the top. Just the usual passive/aggressive innuendo.

The previous fax I got from that camp was quite a bit hotter. Slanderous in fact. Wouldn't surprise me if somebody ends up getting sued over it.

Michael Sanborn said...

The last flier received chastised Sam for talking to city employees, who asked to meet him. Now he's a left wing-nut. I thought he was a right wing-nut?

Hmmm.

BF said...

Nuts is nuts, Mike.

BF said...

Actually, the flier states that he was having closed door meetings with union members at the same time the city was in the process of negotiating a contract with the union.

I certainly don't blame the union for trying to get him to come over for a chat, but his actually doing it makes me think his understanding of his job description as a Council Member is perhaps a little out of whack.

Isn't he supposed to be representing the City's interest in these things? Is he really an authorized ombudsman? Or just a self appointed one?

Tell us Mike. Is what Sam was doing at the labor hall kosher or no?

Bob Newland said...

I was wondering if, when blackbirds nest, the mates cooperate. Or does the male build the nest? Or the female? Or both? Or maybe they hire a bird of a different species. Some birds do that, you know. Which is it?

Maybe I'll google it.

Bob Newland said...

Found it, I guess.

"Male Red-winged Blackbirds do everything they can to get noticed, sitting on high perches and belting out their conk-la-ree! song all day long. Females stay lower, skulking through vegetation for food and quietly weaving together their remarkable nests. In winter Red-winged Blackbirds gather in huge flocks to eat grains with other blackbird species and starlings."

allaboutbirds

Michael Sanborn said...

I wasn't at the meeting, Bill. I don't know when the meeting was. Maybe the door was closed because it was cold outside, or hot outside.

Sam was asked to a meeting by his constituents. He went. That is EXACTLY what I expect my councilperson to do.

Are unions the enemy Bill. Sam represents his constituents, not the other council members or the administration.

Is the mayor King? Do you have a problem with people who are union members? Former councilman Tom Johnson was head of a union and had meetings all the time. Was that bad?

Sam's not supposed to be representing the city's (read administration's) interest. He's supposed to be representing the interests of the people of his Ward. And that is what he was doing by actually meeting with concerned citizens. Kind of refreshing, I think.

There was no discussion of contract negotiations. There was no violation of collective bargaining. Frankly, I'm surprised Alan brought up the issue.

Jeez, Bill. You're not actually starting to believe the stuff you and Jody are littering my mailbox with, are you?

Michael Sanborn said...

Hey Bill,
Did you check with Wayne before using the word Kosher?

BF said...

Sanborn: "I wasn't at the meeting, Bill. I don't know when the meeting was."

Four paragraphs later: "There was no discussion of contract negotiations. "

What's wrong with this picture?

My (recovering Catholic) street definition of Kosher:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?defid=781830&term=kosher

"2. kosher 270 up, 101 down

1) Blessed jewish food
2) Free from incriminating details

"Always ask for the kosher meal on flights, the staff don't ever spit in those"


"Let's keep this kosher. No references to your depraved sex life"