A self-anointed selection committee of Democratic “leaders” will strongly “influence” – I’d say rule – the choice of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party in its task to name a replacement for Stephanie Tubbs Jones.
Jones died suddenly recently of a brain aneurysm.
Our leadership stinks pretty much all around, as many others have noted here and elsewhere.
Who gave former Cong. Louis Stokes, now a partner in the elite Squire, Sanders & Dempsey law firm and an executive board member of our greedy Forest City Enterprises, or Mayor Frank Jackson the right to choose the next Congress(woman) for the 11th District seat?
We know that the person named – most likely Marcia Fudge, mayor of Warrensville Heights – will have a huge advantage as the Democratic name on the ticket in November.
How about a public process in which citizens in the 11th District can assess a field of candidates and which one they might like to represent them? Is that too democratic for our Democratic Party leaders?
Why doesn’t one of the major television stations set up a debate among the announced candidates and give citizens a chance to see how the candidates stand up in debate? Such an event would have wider interest than the 11th district.
Among some of the announced candidates are C. J. Prentiss, Jeff Johnson, Rev. Marvin McMickle, Bill Patmon, and Judge Michael Ryan.
They will have to hurry because the decision is being made next Thursday by the Democratic Party and the person named will likely be the next Congress person from the 11th District – for many, many years.
The same non-democratic method was used to fill the seat of Fannie Lewis. We were supposed to believe that Lewis made a death-bed whisper of her successor’s name to Council President Marty Sweeney. Sweeney would not have appointed Stephanie Howse without the consent of Mayor Jackson.
You would think that the Plain Dealer – the only daily hereabouts – would take more of an interest than the mere listing of candidates.
A good newspaper would sponsor a debate, even if not televised, so that people would see the candidates in action.
However, the managers at the Pee Dee seem unable to think beyond the ordinary. Then they wonder why we have such poor representation by our public leaders.
Our democracy, more and more here, comes by fiat of self-appointed elders without the input of any public process.
Could that have anything to do with why things are so screwed up here?
Duh.
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Links:
[1] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/content/how-much-does-cleveland-lose-abatement
[2] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/content/roldo-bartimole-0
[3] http://li326-157.members.linode.com/content/how-ugly-can-it-get