> This certainly seems to be a rancorous race, more so > than the council races in Folwell. Is this normal? An > aberration? If an aberration, what makes this race > different? > > Susan Maricle > Bruno MN
This third ward race is not different. It is just the only race going on. So every body wants to get their two cents worth in. When a full slate is being done across the City every one is too busy at home to get into someone else's fight. The sixth ward was almost exactly the same. Candidates came out of the woodwork when they smelled an open seat. The image that comes to mind is one of vultures fighting for an opening at the carcass. Unfortunately, most unqualified to hold the seat, though they were qualified to run for it. So many candidates running allows a small well organized campaign to be successful, even though that candidate has no general support and pulls every vote they have a chance for in the primary. This sometimes results in worthy candidates not making it through to the general election. A warning to the Democrats. Another warning for Democrats. Such a situation created strange bedfellows in the 6th Ward, an example was Barb and Jonathon Palmer supporting Dean Zimmerman at the end. I seem to see the same thing happening again. I wonder why? So if the Democrats want their candidate to win they should bear this in mind. This is an interesting race because you actually have a very qualified Republican and a qualified Democrat squaring off against each other. Each of who would be a good council person. This anomaly seems lost in the mad scramble for the open seat. I do not remember such a thing happening in the last twenty years in Minneapolis. Correct me if I am wrong, but my memory tells me that the usual is a more, (and often less than) qualified Democrat going against another Democrat or a sacrificial lamb Republican. I hope the difference is not totally lost in this mad shuffle. The above being said, and with some trepidation, I offer my own 'two cents". If everyone else is hopping in, I might as well succumb to temptation also. Of course Mama might have said "that just because everyone else is going to hell doesn't mean you have to get in the line." Well Mama tried. Minneapolis has long suffered from a host of political leaders who did not have a clue about how to get federal dollars for Minneapolis projects. They should not feel bad, the State of Minnesota doesn't do too good either. We, (Minneapolis), need someone who knows something about government to go get the groceries. North Minneapolis qualifies for, and could potentially receive, large amounts of such federal funding if, (and its a darn big if), someone held office who knew where to go and already knew the people to talk to. Other neighborhoods in other Cities now receive OUR tax dollars, rather than north Minneapolis and all of Minneapolis. It sure would be nice to have just one City official who knew how to talk to, and more importantly, who to talk to in Congress. The present Council can't adequately deal with the state legislature, let alone Congress. It seems to me Olin Moore would be a fine City Council person, and give a new dimension to that ward and Minneapolis as a whole. Again I emphasis that this suggestion is not without some bias. I live in a sister neighborhood with many of the same issues and we would probably also benefit from the Minneapolis Council having an increase in capacity, (any increase is more than none). The Council , and Minneapolis, also would benefit from having some balance and stability. >From my first hearing of the matter I have wondered why Olin Moore is running for City Council, he clearly is more qualified than some people presently holding the position. It is not unique, but it is somewhat unusual to have someone running for City Council that is over qualified rather than under qualified. Someone said to me that this was a fault, that Olin, being overqualified, would move on after one or two terms. A double plus in my book . Someone who does their job well and moves on. Rather than having reached the level of ones incompetence and holding on to it for as long as possible. What an idea! I wish the 3rd Ward luck. They, and we, need it. Another outsider kibitzing at someone else's game. Jim Graham, Ventura Village _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
