||| FROM RICHARD GROUT |||
That letter from Mike Carlson, et al, was such a sad collection of falsehoods. So let’s analyze it.
Let’s start with partisanship. They allege that Kari McVeigh is violating the spirit of the county charter and “the island way” because she received the endorsement of the county Democrats. Ever since the Charter made the council positions non-partisan, back in 2010, this nonsensical charge has surfaced whenever a candidate was endorsed by one party, especially the Democratic Party. Getting endorsed by a local party does not make the office partisan, nor does it make the candidate partisan.
Now let’s talk about hypocrisy. Minnie Kinch, an active Republican, sent an email to everyone on the Republican’s email list telling them who to vote for in the primary, including Kari’s opponent. That meets my definition of a party endorsement. Also, Kari’s opponent asked our Democratic state senator for her endorsement. And I would guess that means she asked our Democratic state representatives as well. And let’s not forget Kari’s opponent has run ads touting the Democrats who support her. If it looks like hypocrisy and smells like hypocrisy it probably is hypocrisy.
Finally, they allege that she’s too new (eight years in the county), that she doesn’t understand the problems of working families (she was superintendent of one of the largest school districts in northern California with one of the highest poverty rates and
parents working two and three jobs). And she was superintendent on San Juan Island so she understands the challenges working parents face in this county.
The Carlson, et al letter reminded me of a quote I read somewhere. “When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.”
But, hey, to their credit, they didn’t accuse her of eating her neighbors’ pets.
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Really? This whole ‘race to the bottom’ is what I have come to expect of flailing politicians on the state and national level, but here at home? Surely we can do better than endlessly bad-mouthing one other! Let candidates for public office present their resume, publish their endorsements and most importantly, elucidate their policy positions and plans. Then let the voters decide. These surrogate “opinion” pieces are not helpful to civil discourse. Traditional newspapers (remember those?) frequently used to have an editorial/opinion page and usually a letters-to-the-editor section. Not that those were always filled with sweetness and light either, but there did seem to be more civility. Newcomers seem to forget that there is no anonymity on a small island and that we all have to get along with one another AFTER the election, no matter who wins a seat this time.
Though I personally disagree with newspapers using their publishing clout and large mailing lists to push their favored candidates using their editorial/opinions, I do agree with Ken’s posture that we should “Let candidates for public office present their resume, publish their endorsements and most importantly, elucidate their policy positions and plans.”
In fact, candidates work hard to earn their endorsements and I think they should be proud of them… so proud that they should come to the candidates meetings wearing suits advertising their endorsements like race car drivers do.
Speaking of which– I’m reminded that our next local Meet the county council Town Hall Meeting is tomorrow, Wednesday the 25th of September at 5:00 at the fire hall on Orcas Island