Comments on: Column: Who’s-On-First of Local Politics

By: John Floyd

John Floyd — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:44:52 +0000

PS I did vote for Rick Snyder, and I did it without crossing over.

By: John Floyd

John Floyd — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:39:45 +0000

Mr. Dairy,

Is your point that an incumbent’s record is beyond examination? Is examining that record automatically “ranting and raving”? “REGARDLESS (my emphasis) of how ‘the facts’ are presented”?

I certainly appreciate the yearning to be FOR something, not merely agin’m. Nonetheless, it strikes me that ONE part of explaining why agenda “B” is to be preferred, is pointing out the flaws in agenda “A”.

I like to imagine that we can have agreeable disagreements – both progress and civil society depend on it.

Would appreciate your further thoughts,

John Floyd
Republican for Council
5th Ward

By: Stew Nelson

Stew Nelson — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:08:55 +0000

I am a pretty independent thinker when it comes to local politics. I abandoned the Republican Party during the Bush era and actually ran for City Council as a Democrat two years ago. I wish we could take partisan politics out of City government entirely. It gets in the way of finding good leaders. Why not just take the top 5 vote winners and put them on council? The person with the most votes becomes Mayor.

…And yes I did cross over and vote for Rick Snyder even though there were many democrats that I know that I wanted to support today. The gubernatorial race is way too important for the future of Michigan.

~Stew

By: LiberalNIMBY

LiberalNIMBY — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:02:24 +0000

Great column and great research effort! I can’t help but wonder if any of the “Townies” at the Townie Party did any better than the rest.

Yes, please do an analysis of the turnout and offer an opinion on the advisability of partisan elections at the city level.

By: anna ercoli schnitzer

anna ercoli schnitzer — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:28:35 +0000

I just love the “local character” of your coverage (a phrase taken directly from the darling ads featuring those charming caricatures of Dave and Mary), which also amazingly creative, even in describing a usually tedious topic like politics (“drafthorse governance…(vs) thoroughbred races”). I have to admit that when I read an article as good as this one, I go right to the Donate button–I just can’t help it! You two are just too good!

By: Kristin Judge

Kristin Judge — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:55:21 +0000

Great article Mary. I agree that 99% of your readers will most likely vote. I wrote a blog about who bears the responsibility for residents not knowing who there representation is. [link] In my opinion, it is mainly the responsibility of the elected official to reach out to residents and let them know who they are and what they do. That has been my goal for the past two years. I send out a monthly email newsletter, go to homeowners' meetings and mail out postcards with my own money. Elected officials need to take the initiative to reach out. That may help voters feel more inclined to vote. Just my thoughts.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:54:28 +0000

This is a delightful column. And you raise a question I’ve also been considering – the Snyder effect. I’m wondering how the crossover might also affect other local contests. It is little debated that since Democratic labels have become a necessity for being elected in Ann Arbor, plenty of Republicans have been voting in Democratic primaries, but now that there is a real contest in the Republican primary, many of them will be pulled in two directions. I’ve even heard Democrats speak admiringly of him (Snyder) and express the viewpoint that no Democrat will win the general gubernatorial election (thus supporting Snyder).

Mr. Dairy has a point about the need to present a positive alternative but I don’t believe that the challengers for council seats have displayed the level of stridency he cites. Most of that actually comes from the A2Politico blog in pre-campaign days. From reading the Chronicle’s wonderfully complete accounts of the debates, they have presented reasoned viewpoints and he is overgeneralizing and labeling by characterizing them as “ranting”. Of course, they have been critical. That is why one runs against an incumbent, because there are a policy direction or results to criticize.

As to “who’s on first” – wonder how many people, like me, are more familiar with that from its frequent quotation in the Rain Man rather than its original presentation.

By: mr dairy

mr dairy — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:59:54 +0000

Imho, the local challengers, especially Pat Lesko, didn’t do themselves any favors with all the ranting and raving, from her blog to their debates. This kind of strategy gave the Council Party the opportunity to be above the fray as it were, to be the party of calm assurance and in these times, people want assurance, not revolution. Regardless of of how “the facts” are presented, if the majority of voters feel like they are hectored to outrage rather than being inspired by a candidate, it will drive down election day turnout, which, by itself is a political tactic. I will make the assumption that some folks who do not like the Council Party were turned off enough to not vote for the challengers by their stridency and aorta straining outrage. I know that I was.

To get elected, Harvey Milk had to learn that you must give people something to be for, show them a different positive vision, give them hope and not just prey on their outrage and turn them off with excessive hyperbolic bashing of the opposition.