Part 13 - The Next Four Years – Just might be a repeat of parts 1 through 13

                                                            October 1, 2009

Involvement does not mean citizens have to give all in joining forces with the involved. But just being aware of these groups, and lending helping hands when they need support in safeguarding the works is essential in communities where in too many cases, good intentions, are destroyed by opposing forces.

People who are involved in civic affairs on a deeper level deserve our attention in what they are trying to achieve for all. In striving to achieve better living conditions for citizens in neighborhoods city wide, is in a sense, an attempt without weapons, protecting the same freedoms the American soldier is doing elsewhere, only we are doing it on the Home front. Call it a cold war against a government that is excelling its power in stepping on the freedom of citizen’s rights. Do nothing to protect the cause, are like telling the homeward bound soldier, democracy may be on the upswing in the country you just left, but here the signs of the times do not look promising. Our vote for…will always remain weak, unless a vote for involvement, no matter how much time can be allotted, is active in community and government reform movements.

In the September 8^th Primary Election, about eleven percent of registered voters actually voting. Citizens who did not vote in the primary with intent on skipping the General Election, November the 3^rd should not complain if the next four years of political apathy toward the common folk becomes another merry-go-round scenario. If the people want better government, I repeat, the vote is only the beginning. And when non-voters start thinking about the reasons they do not vote, and get angry with themselves for just complaining and start voting, laid-back politicians will not find it so easy in getting back into office.

But if you really take the above paragraph to heart, the PD elite force will most likely, silently seal the public’s ("those" people) mouth with duck-tape by continuing to bypass the realities of what the public (the common folk) expects from its government. The PD knows their endorsements (powerful freebee ads) catches the eyes of naïve voters. During the primary campaign, the PD editors released nine endorsements.

Of the nine candidates placed in the PD spotlight, six came out on top in the primary. I offered comments on all nine endorsements. They can be scrutinized by clicking

 The main argument against most of the endorsements was; I felt the editor’s comments was out of touch with voter passions toward the candidates. Just select the one best suited to follow the establishment’s goals, with less emphasis placed on community objectives. Truth can only be worded in endorsements, only after independent polls are gathered from comments by registered voters in all the wards, toward to candidates with results than shared with the public. And to be blunt, the PD would never change course, because it would sack the wishes of the civic elite.

The PD rarely gives candidates a fair shake in editorials. But most incumbents get the limelight treatment because they watch whose toes they step on and basically prefer to "toe the line" instead. Don’t rock the boat in government and don’t worry much about smooth sailing out of it.

I have a proposal for the PD, which this Website will take the lead in starting.

Candidates who feel they didn’t get a "fair shake" from the PD, and would like their background information known to the community read on. If permitted, they can gain the attention on these pages in months ahead. People like to read about neighbors who give of their time to causes in the community that enrich the quality of life for others and ask nothing in return…unless they feel they can achieve much more by working in government for the people. I have another reason for opening this WebSite to candidates who became involved in community civic affairs. Sometime in the future, I hope to get some emails from citizens that states, I didn’t know this about… If I did, I wouldn’t have voted for… whose promises are now overshadowed by… I encourage the PD to really think hard about this proposal, and-hay-who-knows, Letters to the Editor, might be sent to express words of gratitude for the insights.

In last month’s article, I predicted that Sabre Pierce Scott would be Cleveland’s future mayor. And I also stated, the forecast should be the first to turn out to be erroneous. The prediction before this one needs clarification because it is no longer viable. Due to restructuring of the wards, my comments (the foretelling) below have become mute,

During the Recall Election of Ward 14 Councilman Joe Santiago, the PD endorsed him and urged citizens to vote against the recall. And like the endorsements of most made in the primary, the editors bypassed the opinions and passions of voters in the wards. I have no doubt, Santiago would have been on the outside looking in after the recall election, if it wasn’t for the interference Council members, Jackson and the PD infiltrating of the minds (confusing the naïve) of Ward 14 citizens. The common folk had no right to even THINK they had the smarts to handle their own civic affairs. However, They had the smarts to first raise the recall election, and second prove to Council members, Jackson and the PD, that they had the smarts to get rid of Santiago in the primary, instead of waiting for the general election to do it.

And because of the PD’s negligent endorsement of Santiago during the recall, I predicted they would do the same in his next reelection bid. Well, the PD did not do that this time, but it’s not because they suddenly seen the errors in their back-turning ways on "those" common folk. If Ward 14 were not restructured, Santiago, most likely, would have received the PD endorsement.

Oh-yes, they would have slapped his hand and called him a "naughty-boy" but he was a politician who "toed-the-mark" on the inside, in comparison to candidates running against him on the outside…well, do they have any experience at being councilpersons?

After the election, I will be returning to two areas of concern that was postponed. The first is the Tremont area of Cleveland.

I have taken the Tremont information from the past articles and placed them on a separate web page. Click here to view the most current info.

The Tremont area is just a starting point. My intent is to cover all areas of Cleveland with the help of citizen’s echoes from east and west. The HomePage will provide further details when available.

The second concern being the Neighborhood Stabilization Program  (A federally funded program for vacant and foreclosure homes that are suitable for repair) Click here to read further

And the special section, I get a kick out of writing, "Vote For...Don't Ask Questions...Before Or After... (Quotes worth questioning before and after)"

I will continue writing articles, but my future aim is to concentrate on the above areas of interests plus keeping my senses open to what the Plain Dealer does not want the public to know about. Hay-I really had to ad that punt.

                                            - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Previous articles in series...

Part One – Biographical Illusions                                                                                                                  

Part Two - Should Voters Prosecute the Prosecutor                                                                    

Part Three - The Gift That Keeps On Giving                                                                                   

Part four - A Landscape of Blight – to a Politicians Delight                                                         

Part Five - City Halls Attack On The American Dream                                                               

Part Six - Tremont - Where common folks are welcome - to live on land worth a dollar

Part Seven - The Plain Dealers contribution to urban plight and flight                                                 

Part Eight - When democracy bleeds in government – the political majority feel no pain.

Part Nine - Utility Complaints – take them down the road to someone who cares -                                        And Leave the Politicians Alone!                                                  

Part Ten - Does Cleveland City Council need an Education Committee? 
                                       Eight years of silence adds up to – can’t be bothered                                     

Part 11 - Appointed members to Council, ads up to 
                                      Victory! against the public vote 

Part 12 - Meet Sabre Pierce Scott – Cleveland’s Future Mayor 
                                      Wind and Weather Permitting

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  

lhough36@att.net 

HomePage