In a message dated Mon, 4 Jun 2001 12:03:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Many
Crows <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
><< I could go on about the convention, but Mr. Booty's dress really needs to be
>explained in living color,
>a scruffy mohawk
>the top of a tux with tails
>red pants as I remember
>us flag socks and 3/4 cutoff cowboy boots
>I mention this because to vote for him or to endorse him would make the green
>party look like a joke.
Before going in to this I want to say that I personally like both Lisa
Mcdonald and R.T. Rybak very much, and either one of them would be an
improvement in our current leadership. However, I think Jeff has only been
discussed as entertainment and not in the context of a platform or ideas.
To say that Jeff Booty presented no ideas as a mayoral candidate makes me
wonder if anyone was really listening to him, or simply saw only his
appearance. Here are three observations:
1. Included in his platform and a key part of his presentation was the idea
that all neighborhoods should be able to set up different municipal policies
that work for them, a sort of decentralization of the city, an idea that has
not been presented by any other candidate.
2. His responses during the Q and A sessions seemed the most sincere. He
would be strong on abuse of police power, not for political reasons, but
because he's actually experienced it and would do what he could to stop it.
He repeatedly talked about the need to involve more people in local politics
that normally don't care and don't pay attention, and I'm sure he'll do that.
3. Jeff's appearance is a statement of it's own. In my own campaign I have
constantly said that the counter culture needs a representative in our
city's government. Imagine how quickly the city's attempt to shut down the
Hard Times would have been stopped if the Mayor looked like the people who
hang out there.
Though I am the I.P. endorsed candidate for Ward 6, I am also a
Green Party member and it's future is important to our city. Right now this
party has a real chance to define itself as something different, more
progressive than the other parties out there. But, if they begin excluding
people because of their appearance, or lack of political experience, then
they are just another political party like the DFL. Fortunately, this
didn't happen and I hope it never does.
Part of the problem in Minneapolis is that much of the city is run
by political insiders who seem to have really lost touch with their
communities. In my own ward, many Franklin Avenue and West Bank businesses
are fighting for their very survival. Much of this is due to our city's
arrogance in trying to put it's own pet projects first, at the expense of
those businesses, and becuase of people trying to lead before listening to
the people who live here. There is no doubt in my mind that it's the
candidates who don't have the "necessary political experience" that will be
most likely to listen before trying to lead.
----------------------------------------->
| Tamir Nolley
| Candidate for Mpls City Council, Ward 6
| Independence Party Endorsed
| Hop on the Nolley Trolley !
| http://www.nolleytrolley.org/
----------------------------------------->
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