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John -
If you're as frustrated as the tone of your letter suggests to me, then I'm very thankful and impressed that you stuck it out and actually answered my points in a civil manner. Thank you. I guess I should say I'm sorry I tweaked you so hard, but to be sincere I'd have to quit thinking it's funny. And I know this stadium deal is really serious stuff, a direct threat to the money in my (and your) pockets.
Okay, on to what you said... I understand the essence of a progressive tax. Assuming Thune's suggestion did go through (which you say that he's just joking), then it would still be a tax upon the public, even if it was "just" the rich public. Much of the rest revolves on whether or not I believe Thune is just joking when he presents a proposal like this. Not knowing where in the process Thune made the proposal (or, being the politically uninformed person I am, not even knowing what the process is), I don't have a lot to judge how serious he is.
It's kind of like if I ran on a platform of equal rights regardless of race, then proposed a bill requiring all black people to have a special license before they could go out in public (or whatever). Sure, I could stand there and say "Oh, I'm joking. I'm just using this to see who else supports measures like this so I can stand against them" but it still looks screwy. Obviously several people on this list know Dave personally and so can read his intent in these things better than a stranger. When I've had the benefit of knowing Dave personally, maybe I'll feel the same way. Until then, I don't.
John Birrenbach said: the ones who are pushing this thing for DT.... [is] a small minority of Chamber of Commerce, The Mayor and the richest cronies who are pushing for it.� If they want to push for it then lets see if they are willing to pay for it.� They are not willing to pay for it either.
I say:
Um... yeah. I didn't know the supporters were in the chamber of commerce, but I knew they were somewhere high up. You don't have to tell me they don't want to pay for it. They wouldn't be trying to dip into other people's pockets if they did. Besides, I figure this is how they got rich in the first place. Always get the other sucker to pay.
John said: BUT it is not apparent to everyone else, now thanks to the Press coverage about it EVERYONE knows.� The pushers for the Stadium are fine with YOU paying for it, they are not fine with themselves paying for it.
I say:
That's nice of Dave to arrange that. I hope he succeeds where others have failed. It was very frustrating to me that many on this list didn't seem to understand that encouraging the very idea of a stadium meant encouraging people to make me pay for it. And make a lot of people pay for it who didn't want to. If Dave can convince people where common sense failed, then more power to him.
John says: This is politics, get used to it, or get out of it.� Remember, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE GAME AND HOW YOU PLAY IT, IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTROL AND IF YOU CAN TAKE IT.
I say: I did. I got out of it.
John says: Dave is playing the game, Dave is taking Control and in the process showing everyone THERE IS NO SUPPORT FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED STADIUMS, NO MATTER WHICH GROUP YOU WANT TO PAY FOR IT.
I say:
Woo hoo!! We agree. You understand! Yes! Now let's get Renee and her ideal stadium supporters over here and see if we can get her to understand too!
John says: Everyone needs to give Dave a bit more credit and THINK about what is really going on.
I say:
Ah, but that's *hard*! It would require me to devote a significant portion of my life to city politics just to be well informed about the players and the rules of the game, much less to have any hope of getting any advantage out of it. Admittedly, a number of philosophers through history, pretty much starting with Plato and his philosopher-kings and going to recent thinkers like Heinlein with his citizen-soldiers, have insisted this is mandatory for anyone who wishes to retain their freedom. On the other hand, the ranks of oppressed and enslaved through history have always outnumbered the free. One of these days I might change which one I am. The grass sure looks greener over on your side. I'll think about it. Thanks for being civil with me about it.
John says: You may think that Dave is going against his campaign promises, in fact the opposite is true.
I say:
Mostly I wanted to see you jump. Juvenile, I know. But the "We love Dave" cult is kind of weird. I guess he's a really great guy. Certainly he inspires loyalty. I really ought to meet him.
John says: Before you jump on Dave, maybe people otta be jumping on their Council member and ask them WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO STOP THIS THING?
I say:
Do you know who my council member is? I don't. I live near the intersection of Earl and Maryland. Is there a source on that eDemocracy page that shows wards and lists whoever is the council member of what? I'll bet there is. If I'm still thinking about this on Monday (when I'm on a faster computer), then I'll pop over there and look around. Unless in the meantime someone was kind enough to enlighten me. Who knows? Perhaps someone might eventually drag me kicking and screaming back into politics.
Respectfully (and yes, John, I might have just poked a lot of fun at you, but your response made me respect you a lot more),
Mary Baker
East Side
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