Now that the debate has subsided a bit, let me step back and make an observation.
I'm sure Randy Kelly would very much appreciate the DFL sending him a bruised and bloodied candidate, whoever that is. Randy surely doesn't mind doing his part to provoke the fight, and watching the punches fly. We're heading that way, and we really ought to save that energy up for the general election, not each other.
Instead, I want to get out of the DFL endorsement with a very healthy candidate. If the DFL endorsement means anything to you beyond a simple "my way or the highway" approach, I would *strongly* suggest we make sure we are sharing information, not simple barbs...please, no body-slamming among friends...
I think the main points on GSE have been covered. West 7th District Council President Diane Gerth and Councilmember Dave Thune think GSE was handled well by Coleman. Resident Arno Karner, Ortega Campaign Manager Dennis Hill, and Green/environmental activist Andy Driscoll don't think GSE was handled well.
Quite honestly, I just want a couple informational perspectives on the major issues surrounding both candidates, and not all out war. The more I hear unproductive harping on GSE, the more I think a sense of fairness requires we have a parallel investigation of the Riverview Corridor Busway ("Transit Thing"), Commissioner Ortega, a lack of community input, and the proposed removal of businesses and trees.
But this whole line of discussion becomes pretty ugly pretty quickly. While its easy to get sucked into our own issues, with all due respect to my West 7th friends, there are other concerns in this race, some of a flatly universal nature, several of which are more important to me. Issues that help us look forward. A few examples:
- What are your top three issues *AND* what do you think the three most important issues are to St. Paulites (think beyond yourself now), and how do the candidates fare on those issues? (Please answer BOTH parts fully.)
- What do people think are the biggest accomplishments both candidates bring to the race?
- The candidates each bring unique skills - which will serve the City better in its current state and why?
- What would each candidate's general election campaign look like?
- Who has a better chance head-to-head against Randy Kelly?
- Whose website is better? Whose campaign is more skilled at developing the grassroots? Who will have more success fundraising? Whose got better lit pieces? Who is a better communicator? Most critically, which campaign has a better logo?
- OVERALL, who has a better chance of putting an end (for good) to the City's rightward drift?
Those are a few of the questions I've been pondering quite seriously, and any feedback would be quite helpful. These are the issues that rise to the top for me.
Thanks,
Bob Spaulding Ward 2, Precinct 8
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