My (a little too long) after election rant
I was just watching the re-run of the channel 17 election coverage. I went to bed last night after I found out who won and I did not see the footage of Miller and Kiss at their respective after-election parties. I just had to see it.
Miller is not a very gracious loser. I can only imagine the crushing blow she felt at losing every single ward, including her own, but she was absolutely snide in her remarks to the channel 17 interviewer, Rob Reiber.
She implied that her opponents did not run a clean campaign by saying, “We took the high road, always the high road, and I can't say that for my opponents.” But then sort of backpedaled and cut the interview off when he asked her if she was inferring slander.
She also said that Burlington is a complicated town and that she is a little concerned and frightened. She did not exactly say why, but she went in to how we need to grow and change and hold onto what we hold dear. I guess she thinks she was the only one capable of doing that.
Anyway, enough about Sen. Miller.
The real reason I started this post was to talk about the future of Burlington, which clearly is not Hinda Miller. The real news of the night was that the Progressive Party is alive and well. When they experienced their temporary sell-out, or rather their figurehead in Burlington sold-out, people thought they would just get swallowed up in the ever increasingly liberal Democratic party of Burlington.
We found out last night that that is no where close to the truth. The Progressive Party is alive and well in Burlington and still the masters of the stealth grass-roots campaign. Their unassuming candidate flew under the radar and caught the city by surprise, leading the Progressives to a victory characterized by City Councilor Cheryl McDonough as a “mandate” from the voters.
That is when my heart just sank. As I listened to one Progressive after another talk about affordable housing and livable wages, I just could not stand it. For one brief moment, with Clavelle not running, I thought that perhaps, if only for three years, we could finally have a government that would actually concentrate on providing only what government should be providing and do that well for a change.
But alas, ‘twas not meant to be. Not here in Burlington. As long as I live here, I am going to have to face the reality that I will never be on the same page as my city government.
Don’t misunderstand, I think we need more housing that is affordable, I just don’t think we need more affordable housing because that is code for government subsidized housing. I just don’t think that it is the job of the government to provide housing. The same goes for “livable” wages. It’s just not what government needs to do. How about paving the damn streets for a change? Isn’t that something the government can do? There’s a thought.
I thought perhaps I was over-reacting, so I took a look at the Progressive Party platform on their website.
Everything sounded like good things to support, things like equality and ending poverty, but as with many things, the devil is in the details.
I don’t have time to do a full dissection (maybe I will do a series), but here is the scariest of all. From their statement of principles: “Basic needs, including housing, food, health care, education and energy should be affordable to all and not the means for private profit.”
Do you know what that is saying? Well, since the government provides education and they are currently trying to get the government to provide health care, I take it to mean that they believe government should provide housing, food, and energy, too. Government provided food? FOOD???
Man, this is depressing. On the bright side, Burlington is so darn expensive after 25 years of “we care so much about affordable housing” Progressives ruling the roost, that a stay-at-home mom of three with a husband working an “average” office job can’t afford to buy a home here, so I doubt that I will still live here a year-and-a-half from now. (God willing, and man, I hope He is.)
I am so feeling like this place totally sucks right now. Man, after election blues really bite. Could be worse, I could have been a Miller supporter.
Comments?
8 comments:
Amen Charity, amen!
From another female working-class voter in Ward 7... but not a Bedrosian.
Another 'need' that Kiss thinks should be preserved is the City Arts... so he thinks it's just as important as the streets being plowed & the roads being paved? What about the supposed crumbling underground city water system that may also need more repairs soon?
All I can say is Oy vey...
Not even 24 hours after the election results were announced, you and your anonymous visitor have managed to demonize Bob Kiss, accuse him of not doing enough about the city's infrastructure, and claim he is mandating a move from privitization to socialism.
Indeed, you must be very miserable. I would be too with the realization that all that I have come to believe is based on presumptions, a web site, and a campaign statement supporting City Arts. Such is life in the Republican party to connect such dots, I suppose.
Enough conjecture. You were looking for comments so there is mine. If you'd like hope, how about this: Bob could not have won without support by Republicans. Do you think he doesn't realize this? I'm no furtune-teller, but I dare say that Bob's actions will quite often reflect that of Republican voters as well as Progressives. The property tax burden is as high on his agenda as Kevin Curley's. City infrastructure is something he has campaigned on big time. What you call government subsidized affordable housing, others will acknowledge that reliance on the government for subsidies is obviously not wise (as Bush has slashed subsidies for housing assistance big-time). Therefore, alternative ideas are needed.
You can either be a part of the solution or remain as part of the problem (i.e. complaining without the guy even being mayor yet). Bob is one of the most humble and reasonable guys out there. Anyone presenting themselves well and using reasonable arguments will have their voices heard. Try it out and if this is not the case, THEN call Bob a liar, a waste, hopeless, or whatever buzzword you like.
Your other hope is as you wrote: in moving away. It's not my style to say "good riddance" since diverse opinions are necessary for good governing. However, I will note that this is the point at which Republicans often tell critics that if they don't like the way the country is run, they should move to Iraq. Ironic, eh?
Wow, just read over the entry & the comments...
Um, as I understand it, the criticisms were of the Progressive party, not Bob...
We all will have to wait and see what he will attempt to do to fix the city's problems; the same thing we would have to do with any other person that would have been elected, not just Bob.
As I'm neither Democrat, Republican, or Progressive, I believe that everyone agrees the system needs to be changed, it's just how you go about it is where we disagree; and of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion of the parties and candidates. Luckily, we have a way to express our opinions with our votes.
I feel bad for kiss, he's the only candidate that will have no dodge when clavelle's mistakes come home to roost. He's in the same party that created the problems, he ran on his financial acumen... nowhere to hide when the bill comes due.
She's Right said: "And I never called Bob a liar, a waste, hopeless, or anything of the sort."
Uhhhh.... no kidding. Here's my statement again FYI: "Try it out and if this is not the case, THEN call Bob a liar, a waste, hopeless, or whatever buzzword you like." This is what's known as a logical argument. If X, then Y. Since you did not do X, then you did not do Y. Logic really is universal (i.e. mathematics).
She's Right said: "Please show me where the diverse opinions are in Burlington’s government."
Okay, let's take the NPA's as one example. NPA's have the authority to issue motions and advisories to the city (don't have the exact verbiage at the moment, but you get the point). Some time ago, the Wards 2/3 NPA held a meeting about the city's proposal to turn N. Winooski Ave. into a two-way street. The city was on a direct path to making it two-way without consulting the neighborhood to be effected. The NPA held a meeting, nearly unanimously (among over 100 people) passed a resolution to urge the city to not move forward with the idea, and the two-way project was halted in its tracks. Republican Dave Rockwood will vouch for this as it was classic citizen participation in government.
Example number two is a little more obvious: Our city council consists of two Republicans, 3 Independents, 4 Progressives, and 5 Democrats. I'd call that a diverse group. This is the same council that stopped the evildoers of the YMCA project from going forward at the Moran Plant, the bus station on the waterfront, and.... well, just let us know how how many examples it will take to satisfy your definition of diversity of opinion in city government and we'll try to accommodate.
She's Right said: "I was not demonizing Bob Kiss, per se, I was commenting on the progressive party."
Fair enough. However, when you express lack of hope caused by the election of our new mayor created from a disagreeable mold as defined by the stament of principles on the Progressive website, it certainly seems reasonable to say that you are implying criticism of Bob. Alas, you've clarified, I've clarified. 'Nuff said.
Sorry to hear that home prices are too expensive for your family (I'm being sincere here). Sounds as though you are renting currently. Some ideas that may help: 1) find a duplex to buy so that tenants on the other side can assist with the mortgage; 2) take advantage of financing programs that cover 100% of your purchase price. There are higher rates doing this, but it gets the foot in the door; 3) check out homes for rent and call to ask if those owners would be willing to lease with an option to buy. This would attribute $xx of your rent towards the down payment for the home when you are ready.
Lots of other ideas, but this post has already gone on too long. Best of luck on the home front!
Bravo - great piece. Sounds like you have a case of the blue state blues (or whatever color the progressives are). I have been going through all the same emotions as you. I read the progressive agenda you linked to. Pretty scary if you ask me. Last time I checked, this wasn't a socialist society - but maybe it will be if the progressives have anything to do with it. Perhaps they should do a little research on the practical applications of policies like "providing housing, health care, food, education, etc.." because socialist life doesn't seem all that hot when you look at a place like France at present (now there's a messed up society). But maybe they know something I don't know.
I agree with the comment that Bob Kiss is a bit of a mystery. I really have no idea what he has in store for the city. Let's just hope it isn't another co-op grocery store. The last thing this city needs is any more gentrification.
Just remember, you aren't alone in your fears. There are a few of us (emphasis on the word few). Keep up the great posts.
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