"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 27 June 2012

This Is Not A Complaint Bureau

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Myth or a Legend":

As you said yesterday....

"Poltics...How She Is Played"

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"A commitment had been made by the Mayor behind the scenes, with perhaps a few close associates in the know.
Enough to ensure the vote."

Is this not how politics is played? Seems to me that SIGs know how to play the game better than those on your side of the equation do.

Good for them to making sure they got what they wanted. If those that oppose stuff like the fencing of a park, or sidewalks on an unused street or agreements with historical buildings took a page out the AYSC's playbook they may be able to affect the changes that they want. Instead they try to complain through social media which in the majority of cases is preaching to the choir


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I shall take the last part first.
Complaining is not what  happens here.
Here is where the story is told. 
We well  recall what happened in the last election because  people had been  kept informed. 
The last Council  did everything you recommend. to be  re-elected. They  used town staff to alert  special interest groups when Council looked like it may make a decision not in their favour.
The specific instance I refer to  is the traffic calming plan in the norh-west quadrant
Councillors allowed themselves to be persuaded in the face of the onslaught. Almost $250,.000. of town resources were spent.
The responsible parties  are  no longer playing a part in our political affairs.  Now we are contemplating undoing the horrendous mess  perpetrated upon the neighbourhood
The point is, there were no rewards at the polls when the term ended.The former Mayor we learn from recenyt e-mails had an excellent realtionship with AYSC.
It was no protection from  repudiation and humiliation. 
Social media was  with us then too. I do not recommend the old style of politics of using town resources to pander to this group and that to ensure re-election.
It can't be dressed up the way it used to. 
Four years is but a blink of the eye.
The case builds.
A new election will be upon us soon. 
I  shall  drum my fingers if I like. You are not the boss of me.
But I may look for a pad so as not to distract Councillor Abel from the pattern of his thoughts.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

One thing I think we have picked up from you, Evelyn, is the ability to move on. It doesn't mean that anything is forgotten. Not a bad lesson for us to have been given.

Anonymous said...

Not sure about anyone else, but I have started a list of NEW names. Got 4 to think about. Damnit, this really is too soon.

Anonymous said...

There is no one driving that bus. There isn't even a bus monitor on board.