| DFL'ers come in many varieties. Personally, I'd say that Don Samuels' popularity and win over Olin Moore has something to do with voters expressing their preference for a "real world" guy. I think Moore's association with Sabo put him, at least in the minds of many would-be constituents, in the category of "Good Ole Boy" - that's what many may have felt they had in Joe Biernat. People know that those networks exist, and probably don't always mind as long as the business of the relevent governmental unit is attended to and not compromised. However, the "Good Ole Boys" of the DFL have increasingly been supporting ridiculous projects that their constituents don't want as their popularity declines. A perfect example is the Access Project at I35W and Lake Street. This project is ballooning to a nearly $200 million dollar project, and demonstrating no apparent benefits for the people who will be paying for it. Further, it reverses a decades old approach of the city towards traffic and moving people vs. moving cars. The consultants will make out nicely, and a few businesses will be able to accomodate their customers' desires for direct access (to avoid the necessity of driving through a few blocks of the neighborhood - how insulting!). Peter McLaughlin is a big supporter of this project, and probably the prime mover (SHAME ON HIM). Sabo has been instrumental in obtaining millions of federal dollars to "study" the proposal. Remember folks, Peter McLaughlin also supported the trash incinerator being located in Phillips neighborhood; was this because it was "good" for the neighborhood, or because his friends wanted a place for it? I really can't get too much into the web of corruption that has evolved without a lot of speculation, so I won't. I will say, however, that it appears to me that projects that just don't make any sense are taking their toll on DFL candidates perceived as "good ole boys". The voters got it right! Tom Welling Uptown |
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