An Election Message Misunderstood

Anonymous said...on December 31st

"We are witnessing, an addendum to a play that ended on October 25th .Scripts
have been written. The roles of Stone Face and Fiendish Foe already
assigned."

We are witnessing the way civilians feel that the only way to be heard by their elected officials is to go "over the heads" of staff. This is the new normal in how we tax payers have to get things done. We pay huge taxes and do not see results to our liking. In order to get our voices heard, this must be done. Change your rules - the public expects to be heard.

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The public has recently been heard. The message conveyed to me is the exact opposite of that reflected above. The election demonstrated this community wants openness, fairness and equality. A known set of rules approved by the elected body and upheld by the administration.

Having the ear of the Mayor and receiving preferential treatment with the expected return of slavish support at the polls was not the practice endorsed by the voters at large.

There is no public appetite for watching staff being pilloried because he/she understands the professional function and behaves accordingly.

Displacement of competent long-serving staff because of their awareness of the line between political and administrative authority, has no appeal for an aware electorate with a sense of fairness.

In return for enormous taxes collected and funds expended, the public expect professional advice, untainted by political imperative.

Compromise is the political domain. To be done openly and transparently; so judgment exercised can be seen, understood and measured accordingly.

If the election message is correctly read, the public are done with scheming and plotting and constantly calculating political advantage behind the scenes. They want no more of that.

As a practical politician, I do not deny strategy listed above have always been a feature of politics. Being elected has borne little resemblance to taking Holy Orders.

Government is not like a nunnery.

All the same ,the social media has delivered the formerly free-wheeling aspect of politics a side-swipe the like of which has never been seen.

Into the ditch you go, my friend, without ceremony.

Well, I ask you, with every other aspect of our culture rattling in its cage, why should politics escape?

The frustration of not being allowed to participate in town affairs in the last term was more than compensated by the opportunity to blog.Opening windows formerly sealed tight shut, shining spotlights in corners never seen before and providing play by play for a growing readership, who can't wait to log in every morning to read the latest, was sweet indeed.

On that note, on this First Day of the New Year,

From My House to Yours

A GUID NEW YEAR TAE YIN AND A'

I am certainly looking forward to it.