Courtesy of an anonymous source, everyone's favorite commissioner, States McCarter is not resigning and will stay in his seat to 2008. Apparently, he made the big announcement in his monthly propaganda-rag-disguised-as-constituent-service, "News From the 8th District."
For what it's worth, we wouldn't mind seeing McCarter's heir apparent, David Hamilton (to be fair, Hamilton assures us that he is nothing of the sort), run against McCarter in 2008 if Hamilton can distinguish himself from McCarter on the issues. We would submit that Hamilton is distinct from McCarter by virtue of not being crazy, but what do we know? Seriously, we're in favor of contested elections for every office, and not just because it helps us fill column inches. It's also, you know, what living in a republic is all about.
More on that later. Meanwhile, read our predictions for 2006 above.
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6 comments:
Speaking only for myself, I would say that a majority of the adverse PR that States has gotten from us has to do with his less statesmanlike antics, such as the infamous post-Commission meeting incidents where he called out Kathy Hoard, Carl Jordan, etc on various issues. Also, the incident with Tom Wyatt of the Chamber (accounts vary on that one, but it's pretty clear that States has a temper on him.)
As to aggressively promoting "his belief," etc, I can't argue with that. But I think, as I've said a couple of times that States promotes what he thinks is best for his neighbors, which is merely a subgroup of his consituents. I don't think, rationally, that he listens to many folks outside of Cedar Creek and the other mega-divisions.
Or, um, some folks in them.
Actually, that's not fair. He listens. He just doesn't alter his position.
I dunno about all that. Seems like his thing is that he only solicits the opinion of the folks in his backyard. I'm sure that if his non-Cedar Creek and Green Acres constiuency rattled his cage, he'd listen, but you're right, he wouldn't change his mind.
Yeah. And I'm saying: he doesn't even solicit the opinion of everyone in his backyard. I'm there. I ain't being solicited.
Because everyone who knows me knows I'm slow to contact my elected officials and to give my opinion?
I've asked several times to be subscribed to that damn email newsletter. Apparently those not on the bus don't get to get on it.
Just two things I'd mention about monticello's statement. There's no question that if you want your voice heard, you've got to put some effort into it. It isn't practical to assume that your local elected is going to show up on your doorstep, Ed Koch-style with a plate of brownies and a few free hours to kill. However, despite not knowing Hillary from a hole in the ground, I can't imagine that she has any sort of reticence about expressing her opinion.
The other thing is that, while I wouldn't argue that Cedar Creek/Green Acres, et al make up the lion's share of the votes in D8, I don't think that those homes make up even a substantial minority of the residents of D8, which should be States' constituents (as opposed to just the folks who vote regularly.)
Problem is, the folks who live in D8 (and every other district in every other city in the country) but don't vote are also usually too apathetic to bother contacting their local elected officials, which just highlights a larger problem - the fundamental disconnect between the constituents and the officials.
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