Candidate Forum

Brian Powers · Post by **Brian Powers** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:39 pm

Hello all:

Those of you that know me know that I generally avoid getting involved in petty political bickering. I'm a businessperson, not a politician, so I tend to let insults slide. But when I see misleading information being put out to the public, I feel a need to set the record straight.

I fully support Mr. Shields' efforts to help arrange a forum for the candidates. But I thought it was not the right way to go about it, unilaterally picking the date, time, place and format. It would have been nice to have some input so that we could have selected a mutually convenient date. Before this date was publicized, I told Mr. Shields that I had a previous family commitment. It is my understanding that Nickie Antonio had a previously scheduled meeting for Phase III of the school project and Monique Smith had a previously scheduled meeting of a City commission to which she was appointed by the Mayor. Mr. Shields went forward with his self-selected date anyway, and I cannot criticize him for that. He has the right to do what he wants in his own campaign. But I should not be expected to disregard my parental duty, and Nickie and Monique should not be expected to disregard their civic duties, just because another candidate unilaterally chose a date and gave short notice for a forum. But again I have no problem with Mr. Shields hosting his own forum, even though he knew it was on a date I could not attend.

What I do have a problem with is another candidate claiming that I have "dodged" the public or that I "fear the atmosphere" of a forum or that I am making "excuses to avoid the voters." Please ... my personal cell phone is listed on the City web site and I take calls from residents day and night. Does that sound like someone who is dodging or afraid or avoiding voters? I clearly stated that I would be more than happy to attend a debate or forum, but not on this particular night. I do not accuse Mr. Shields of dodging me by picking that particular day, and I do not appreciate another candidate accusing me of dodging the public when I had a previously scheduled family matter.

Let's stop creating false issues with devisive half-truths. I prefer to focus on making Lakewood a better place.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,

Brian Powers

sharon kinsella · Post by **sharon kinsella** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:34 am

My point exactly.

Ryan Patrick Demro · Post by **Ryan Patrick Demro** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:55 am

Brian,

You meet the definition of a politician. You are serving in the capacity of an elected official and you make public policy. And now you campaign. It is my opinion that Dan tried to make efforts to work with people's schedules. You, Nickie, and Monique, clearly made no effort to suggest an alternative or set up a forum for the general. So the event moves forward, gaining press in the other local paper today.

I know that there are now two groups working on forums in addition to the LOWV and Chamber. I hope that you can make it to those.

Colleen Wing · Post by **Colleen Wing** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:39 pm

Brian,

Thanks for jumping on here. You know I like you (I like your wife better

) but I just wanted to comment on a couple of things.

I think you may have mistaken Nickie's meeting, she wasn't at the Phase III meeting. I missed the forum because I was at the Phase III meeting and Nickie wasn't at that particular meeting.

Just for the record, you are a politician. That comment seems to be a popular commentary but always rubs me the wrong way. It is like saying you sell used cars but aren't a used car salesman. I think there are honest, trustworthy, used car salesmen but I know for sure that there are honest, trustworthy politicans, (from all sides). I have worked with them. Unfortunetly, it isn't the reputation but we can all work on that.

To all,

I have received campaign literature from 2 candidates at my door and many pieces in the mail including Bartos, Demro, Powers, Antonio, Smith, and Shapiro, as well as a third party piece. So the candidates are out there, each to some extent.

I really wish the League would have a pre-primary forum. Since it is their policy not too, I would like to see one of our civic organizations plan for the future. If we build it, they will come. Candidates will talk about what they want to talk about, but we need to direct the conversation as a community in a positive direction.

Missy Limkemann · Post by **Missy Limkemann** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm

I am sad now...I have yet to get anything regarding anyone running.

sharon kinsella · Post by **sharon kinsella** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm

Missy, I'm thinking that now that Dan and Ryan have seen that you and Heidi Hilty have not had any type of info from candidates, that they will stop at your house when they do their door to door visits.

Maybe you can get them to adopt a pup or make a donation!

Brian Powers · Post by **Brian Powers** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm

Hi Colleen:

Everyone likes my wife better than me. Me included!

You are correct, in one sense of the word, anyone who holds an elected position, even a part-time one like Lakewood City Council, can be considered a "politician." I was using the word more in line with these dictionary definitions:

POLITICIAN
1. a seeker or holder of public office who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.
2. a person who seeks to gain power or advancement within an organization in ways that are generally disapproved.
3. the schemes and devices of a person who engages in (esp. small) politics for party ends or for one's own advantage
4. one who seeks personal or partisan gain, often by scheming and maneuvering.

As John F. Kennedy said, "Mothers still want their sons to grow up to be President, but . . . they do not want them to become politicians in the process."

Regards,

Brian Powers

Ryan Patrick Demro · Post by **Ryan Patrick Demro** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm

Brian, or you could use the more respected definitions by political science scholars such as Ball and Dagger who in their book Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal define politicians as, "those who engage in conflict over public policy."

-Ryan

marklingm · Post by **marklingm** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:05 am

The Mayor and everyone sitting on and/or running for City Council or the School Board are politicians, including me. I would respectfully submit that many of our civic leaders are politicians given the above definitions being bantered about. And, frankly, I am not interested in playing out Charles de Gaulle’s theory that: “In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.”

I believe in a representative and transparent form of government wherein politicians (in good faith) make decisions (some very difficult) in the best interest of the community in which they are elected to represent. I am proud to represent Lakewood and take that responsibility very seriously, some say too seriously.

I am hoping that everyone holding or running for political office will move away from discrediting everyone elected or appointed to a political office as a mere “politician” and show more interest in playing our Plato’s theory that: “Mankind will never see an end of trouble until ... lovers of wisdom come to hold political power, or the holders of power ... become lovers of wisdom.” The Republic.

Since we have all been tossing quotes around in this thread, I will take the liberty to add one additional quote from Walter Lippmann: “Before you can begin to think about politics at all, you have to abandon the notion that there is a war between good men[/women] and bad men[/women].”

What I am interested in are each candidate’s respective positions on various issues, including those posted on a thread entitled, “Post your response to the LO 5 17 Council Candidate Guide!!,” which can be viewed by clicking here, and hope that the answers to those issues and more will come before any “politician” is sworn into office.

Matt

marklingm · Post by **marklingm** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:29 am

Brian Powers wrote: ... my personal cell phone is listed on the City web site and I take calls from residents day and night.

Brian,

It should be noted that when I previously contacted every councilperson to dispel the notion that I was somehow responsible for certain decisions and actions that took place almost one year (if not more) before I ever became a school board member, you were the first councilperson to respond to my invitation and to meet with me. Thank you.

It should also be noted that you have recently communicated with me, directly, with respect to the questions I posted on the thread referenced above. I thank you for that as well.

Matt

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:18 am

Matthew John Markling wrote:I believe in a representative and transparent form of government wherein politicians (in good faith) make decisions (some very difficult) in the best interest of the community in which they are elected to represent. I am proud to represent Lakewood and take that responsibility very seriously, some say too seriously.

I am hoping that everyone holding or running for political office will move away from discrediting everyone elected or appointed to a political office as a mere “politician” and show more interest in playing our Plato’s theory that: “Mankind will never see an end of trouble until ... lovers of wisdom come to hold political power, or the holders of power ... become lovers of wisdom.” The Republic.
Matt

AMEN Brother!

Never elected them to ask me how to do things. I voted for them because I trusted them
to do the right things. If they do not, that is why there is always another election.

.

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:01 am

I for one, am getting a little tired of people painting fellow Americans, whether elected or aspiring to office, as being evil.

The same goes for political mud-slinging and fear-mongering.

I will vote for no one who will sling mud. As I've sometimes mentioned, I am a Political Science honors graduate, so while I recognize that negative campaigning can attain a few percentage points in the polls, I personally believe that this tactic appeals primarily, only to a limited percentage of idealogues. I do believe that it loses as much as it gains.

We must recognize that differences of political opinion are not causes for condemnation, but are instead, opportunities for problem-solving and consensus building, even though at first, the exercise might seem to be time-consuming or even impossible.

Takes a little work, (oh yeah) but when it happens rightly, then all of those who might aspire to being hot-headed attention-seeking rabble-rousers start to lose their power, and common sense again prevails in the land....

That's the way America works. This I do believe.

As the Good Book says- By their works shall ye know them.

Back to the banjo...