Posts in this topic

[Informed]

Here goes an early outlook and some questions from INFORMED. Would look forward to factual points (and corrections too I suppose if I have miss-stated any of the issues) that can change my mind and perspectives in regard to the following:

MAYOR: Have not decided who to vote for here as I wish to hear the debate of issues first. A bit more than generally pleased with Mayor Oberlie. Most negatives he is attributed with in the media, and especially the anvil chorus, and already from his opposition (which of course is the nature of the beast during campaigns) seem to be a result of or motivated by:
1) Holding him accountable for things he ultimately does not have control of
2) Hidden and personal agendas
3) Focusing on singular modifiers – not the subject, i.e., isolating one point but forgetting to consider the rest of the information and story.
4) Uninformed opinion and innuendo (or where research on the matter would provide fact vs. fiction, i.e., shooting from the hip.)

Biggest personal critique of current Mayor is that I wish he would be more assertive and take a stronger stand of right vs. wrong, and in most cases, flat out clear the untruths that frequently whip through council chambers, and stick up for many of the folks that frequently are under personal attack by a few of the current council members. There seems to be a definite lack of professionalism by some of these council persons, which leads to council meetings sometimes resembling a News & Views episode (now there’s a panel of brain-trusts, but point being information is not factual and tons of deliberate untruths to promote personal and political agendas), and chambers sometimes even resembling a bad Saturday Night Live skit (usually when Paul falls off his soap box during his overtime ramblings) that end up a bit humorous, but ultimately are embarrassing for the City. I feel the Mayor (any Mayor) should address these scenarios as the City’s CEO. I believe this is something that previous Mayor Sheila took to task compared to Mayor Oberlie.

Biggest compliments: About as genuine and honest guy you will find – good people as they say and very intelligent and professional at all times. I believe he is overall an excellent representative of Michigan City on local, state, regional, and National fronts.

OPPENETS:
Jim LaRocco: Know Jim and overall like Jim. From the feedback I am hearing, biggest criticisms seem to be that he has not been actively involved in the community (outside of his tenure on Fire Dept.). Also is being criticized for lack of political experience. Obviously has a name that carries some weight and he will probably do well in debating the issues and running a relatively non-negative campaign and to-the-point platform on the issues.

Joie Winski: Know her too and overall like Joie as well. Personally concerned with the side of the fence she is aligned with in regard to political allies that have already publicly supported her – namely Jankowski and Prezyb. This will more than likely cost her votes and support in that a non-vote for Joie will be equated to a vote against the two before mentioned.

Joie struggled last election during debates and answering questions, which I believe led to the historic landslide victory of current Mayor last election, which saw him sweep 100% of the precincts. As was the case last election, and seems to be starting again, I personally get turned off quick with negative and viscous sort of attacking as the primary campaign strategy. Would prefer a factual debate of the issues vs. slanted perspectives and slamming all the time, but again, I do realize it’s the nature of it all a bit too, so I try not to let it be too much of a distraction and search out the points that are trying to be made in-between all the rhetoric. I do think (and hope) Joie does better than last time in these regards, and only time and her platform will tell.

Enough for now – and council candidate debate will come next time. However, I think I have already alluded to the fact that I feel vital change needs to come at a council level (more so than the Mayor’s office at this point and time) in my estimations to move the City forward in that any of the three candidates for Mayor would have their hands (and stomachs and maybe even trousers) full of a few of the current council members antics and the constant roadblocks and bottlenecks they put up in the council chambers. This holds the city stagnant and in a non-progressive hostage mode in several cases. Need overall more professionalism and less hidden and personal agendas at the council level in my estimations – Do you agree?