Voter Turnout - Is the Glass 19% Full, or 81% Empty?

The "experts" were wrong again, but you won't find anyone pointing it out, or even admitting it, in the Star.

Remember this?

Election Commissioner Brian Newby said the reduction is driven in part by expected low voter turnout. He’s hoping 10 percent of the county’s 345,000 registered voters cast ballots, but history suggests turnout could be lower. The last countywide spring primary in 1997 drew less than 6 percent of registered voters.

The "experts" were claiming that we would have fewer than 34,500 voters in Jackson County, and they used that as an excuse to shut down polling places, helping to make their prophecy self-fulfilling.

Well, they were wrong, even though the Star today includes references to "low turn-out" rather than "unexpectedly high turn-out". By my count, 43,871 Jackson Countians cast ballots in the primary. That's over 12.5% of Jackson Countians voting. while that is a low number, that is more than double the "less than 6%" who voted in the last countywide spring primary.

Is the glass 12.5% full, or 87.5% empty? In this case, where the Star and the "experts" were assuring us the glass would by drier than ever, I think someone needs to point out that they were wrong. And who knows how many might have voted if the KCEB hadn't given Kansas City citizens completely wrong information on where to vote?

Update: Thanks to ubiquitous commenter "Anonymous", who pointed out that the quotation I included above actually comes from Johnson County, Kansas. Kansas City, Missouri actually did quite a bit better than I represented - 44034 of 235759 voters cast ballots - 19%. In the 2003 primary, only 9.6% of the voters cast ballots. More than twice as many voters cast ballots this time around - and yet the Star is reporting a low turn-out. So-called "experts" assured me that only 50,000 voters would cast votes the primary, but, counting Platte and Clay counties, 57692 ballots got turned - more than 15% over predictions.

At the Flea Market last night

The evening started out the way the campaign began - kind of a ragtag, polyglot collection of true-believers and political neophytes. Many of us wore orange, but a lot of us hadn't gotten the word, so we didn't even look like a spiffy campaign group. But it was a warm and friendly group of nervously optimistic people who gathered to crack wise and wait for numbers at the Flea Market. Not a tie to be seen, except for Mark's orange one.

Flash forward a few hours and several Boulevard Irish Ales . . .

Holy Crap! It really happened! We're in the general! And the people who weren't there at the beginning start rolling in. Jerry Riffel is chatting with a reporter. Mike Sanders and Charlie Wheeler have both come by. Kansas City's political insiders crowd around the star of the hour, Kansas City's next mayor.

Joe Miller is on a bar stool off to the side, and I finally get to meet Allie. She's charming and happy and way too good for Joe, but that's the way most successful couples are.

We have a whole new campaign now - 4 weeks in a race between two vastly different people. I've always liked Alvin Brooks, and I hope that nothing over the next 28 days changes my mind.

I bet there'll be more ties at the next watch party . . .

How to Vote + Predictions!!

(Yes, I am a sign whore.)

Here goes - my endorsements and my predictions. The predictions reflect the top two vote-getters, in order of their total.

Mayor:
Endorsement: Mark Funkhouser
Prediction: Alvin Brooks, Mark Funkhouser

2nd District:
Endorsement: Chris Byrd
Prediction: Russ Johnson, Chris Byrd

3rd District:
Endorsement: Sharon Sanders-Brooks
Prediction: Saundra McFadden-Weaver, Carol Coe

4th District:
Endorsement: Mark Forsythe
Prediction: Jan Marcason, Mark Forsythe

4th District At-Large:
Endorsement: Beth Gottstein
Prediction: Beth Gottstein, Deth Im

5th District:
Endorsement: John Shields
Prediction: Terry Riley, John Shields

5th District At-Large:
Endorsement: Cindy Baker Circo
Prediction: Cindy Baker Circo, Michael Brooks

6th District:
Endorsement: Darrell Curls
Prediction: John Sharp, Darrell Curls

6th District At-Large:
Endorsement: Cathy Jolly
Prediction: Cathy Jolly, Octavia Southall

And I salute all who are running. In the words of Teddy Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

ELECTION WARNING - VOTING PLACES CHANGED!!

I started to post my endorsements and predictions, and decided to help voters out by linking to the website that tells you where to vote in Kansas City. Imagine my surprise, though, to find out that it gives you the WRONG INFORMATION!! For example, if you have always voted at the St. Peter's Legacy Center, you don't vote there this time, but, if you go to the Kansas City Election Board website, it will say you do.

Where DO you vote? I can't tell you, and neither can the Missouri Secretary of State, nor the Kansas City Election Board site. All I can tell you is to try to find the little card they mailed you recently, that probably got stuck in with all the campaign pieces, and tossed into the recycling bucket.

UPDATE: After playing around with the site, and trying other methods of figuring out where to vote, I have come up with a work-around to help Kansas City voters. Please follow these instructions carefully if you do not have your little postcard sent out by the Kansas City Election Board.

First, go to the KCEB website and enter your name and street name at the bottom of the left-hand column, where it says "Check your voter status", and hit "enter". THIS IS IMPORTANT - DO NOT BELIEVE THE POLLING PLACE INFORMATION ON THE PAGE THAT COMES UP. Instead, write down your four digit ward and precinct number (mine is 0809). The first two digits are your ward number, and the second two digits are your precinct number. With that information, you should go to the list of polling locations on this page, and find the polling location that will be serving your ward and precinct. Go to that location and vote for you chosen candidates.

Folks, this is ridiculous. In the last election, they made the unfortunate choice to make us use SAT-style, fill-in-the-oval forms without any assurance our votes were tallied. This time, they're shuffling the deck of polling places, on the probably-foolish assumption that we will have low turnout in an election with 12 mayoral candidates.

WHAT KIND OF NINCOMPOOPS CLOSE MORE THAN 20% OF POLLING PLACES ON THE EVE OF ONE OF THE MOST CONTESTED CITY ELECTIONS IN OUR HISTORY?? WHAT KIND OF CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE IS IT TO THEN FAIL TO UPDATE THEIR OWN WEBSITE TO TELL THE VOTERS WHERE THEY MAY VOTE?!?! I sincerely hope that the victorious candidates will get to the bottom of this scandalous stupidity.

Riederer Slimed

A week and a day ago, I wrote about a slimey postcard attacking mayoral candidate Mark Funkhouser. Today, a very similar postcard with similarly poor production values came out, attacking Al Riederer:

This piece of junk was mailed to anti-LGBT and anti-Choice voters in Kansas City.

Obviously, Mark Funkhouser is the best candidate in the mayoral race, and Riederer has embarrassed himself by running a completely bogus faux-outsider campaign funded by lawyers who need to appear before his wife/judge. But I have to stand up for Al and say that if your only reason to vote for a different candidate is because of this sort of bigotry and hatred, please reconsider your vote.

Fairfield Smack Down

After writing my blog post criticizing Proposed Ordinance 070180, I wrote each of the committee members expressing my concern about the legislation. Today, I received a response from the author of the anti-street-performer legislation, mayoral candidate John Fairfield. Here is what he had to say:

Dear Constituency:

I am concerned about 3 basic things. One, I have sincere concerns about safety at street intersections. Second is my concern about how aggressive some panhandlers have been and how that could damage our new entertainment area or other areas, or lead to violence. We have invested too much to let that happen. Individuals have told me stories of three panhandlers following a person down the street at night to their grocery store or home. Third, over amplified music is unnecessary, does not create the atmosphere we want, the gas generators are dangerous on crowded streets, and the excessive noise could also drive people away from these areas.

It is interesting that an ordinance designed to deal with aggressive panhandling and safety issues has been converted by the press as some evil attempt to attack street performers. If you read the ordinance carefully, you will find that it focuses on panhandlers and safety.

The bill does not make street musicians the same as panhandlers. They are already considered such by the courts, and the ordinance just recognizes the courts position. It is unfortunate that the courts consider it arbitrary to treat street performers different than panhandlers. When I started to address serious panhandler issues, I was dismayed to find that anyone asking for money (actively or passively), including street performers could be impacted. However, since the courts take this position, we were better off including references to street performers in the ordinance so we can try to deal with the issue. That is one reason I made it clear that we wanted to take the time to consider the issues and possible solutions. The ordinance is just a starting point for discussion.

I have been trying to find legal solutions which would allow the performers but control some of the aggressive panhandling. I have been working with attorneys representing the areas of impact, and have asked them to research how we might address the street performer issue.

We have panhandlers at street intersections causing vehicles to swerve out of their lanes into other vehicles to miss the panhandlers stepping into the street. If we do nothing and someone is killed in an accident, we will be asked why we did nothing to prevent it. As I stated above, panhandlers have ganged up and followed people at night to the grocery store or back to their home. This should not happen. It is easy to say, let the person file a complaint but that is only reactive, and many times has not worked. It seemed better to define times (especially at night) and places when any panhandling was inappropriate.

Last fall I was eating dinner on the second floor deck at the Brio restaurant on the Plaza, and a street performer over a block away had amplified his music so loud our party could not hear each other talk. This is certainly unnecessary, and would not create the atmosphere anyone would favor. Business owners and pedestrians have rights which must be balanced along with the rights of the panhandlers, and street musicians. I knew it would not be an easy task, but true leadership is not about ignoring difficult issues. It is easy for the press to criticize, but much harder to try to find fair solutions to these difficult issues. I would not be much of a Councilman if I always took the easy path.

Believe me, I want the ambiance of street performers, as you do, but I also want to protect the public from those that abuse the panhandling situation for their own benefit. It is always the case that a few bad apples create issues for those who we like.

One possible solution to the street performer issue is to have the owner of the shopping/entertainment district provide a pool of funds for street performers during the non-panhandling hours. I have recently spoken to the some of the district owners’ representatives about this idea. I asked them to discuss how the districts might essentially hire street performers (or rotate them by groups) as a possible solution during the non-panhandling times. Hopefully with continued discussion we can save the good and lose the bad.

Testimony will be taken during the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee hearings that are held on Wednesdays on the 26th Floor of City Hall at 2:00pm. All innovative suggestions towards a reasonable solution are welcome.

Sincerely,

John Fairfield
City Councilman 2nd District-In-District

Here is my response:

Mr.Fairfield,

Thank you for responding to my comment. I emailed each of the committee members, and you are the only one who bothered to respond to me. I sincerely appreciate your responsiveness.

That said, it seems like you're not being straight with me. You claim that you were motivated to propose this ordinance because somebody was followed home or to a grocery store. Where did this happen? There aren't grocery stores on the Plaza, or in the South Loop, or in Zona Rosa. Aren't the VAST majority of grocery stores and Kansas City homes OUTSIDE of the areas your proposed ordinance seeks to protect? It seems to me that well-heeled developers are MUCH more likely to be protected by your ordinance than people walking in residential areas. We can agree on that, can't we?

Your attempt to blame the courts for the fact that your proposed ordinance would ban street performers is silly. Neither one of us believes that you need to ban all street performers in order to eliminate excessive noise, and your attempt to point the finger at the courts is a subterfuge. If you really need help in drafting an ordinance to ban gas-powered, excessivley noisey amplifiers and generators, please resign your seat on the council and turn in your bar license.

It is also silly for you to blame the press for criticizing your proposed ordinance. Mr. Fairfield, it is not the press who is criticizing your ordinance, it is me. One of the citizens of Kansas City who cares deeply about this city, and the people in it. I am not a wealthy developer, and I do not live in any of the areas your ordinance seeks to "protect".

Finally, you claim that this ordinance is just a starting point for discussion. Even you seem ashamed of what you have drafted. I ask you, do you pledge not to vote for the ordinance you have proposed, now that you are aware of how deeply flawed it is?

I look forward to your response. Again, I thank you for your willingness to address the concerns of a constituent.

Sincerely,

Ouch

I was at a fundraiser this evening, waiting in line at the bar, when a nice elderly lady turned around, looked me up and down and politely asked, "Mr. Glover?"

Barred from "The Club" - For How Long?

Because my wife and I are members of the Mug Club at 75th Street Brewery, "The Club" has become family slang for the brewery. Heads turned at the Pembroke Hill mother-son luncheon when the quotation "Let's have lunch at the club" was identified as our family's quotation. One wealthy matron quizzed my wife - "I didn't know you belonged to a club. Which one is it?"

While our club does not have golf, tennis, swimming or a history of segregation and exclusion, it more than makes up for their absence with a great selection of handcrafted ales. Their Good Hope I.P.A. is a great splash of hops, and their Possom Trot Brown Ale is a good beer that achieves insanely wonderful heights when they serve it as their cask ale - a naturally carbonated, keg-conditioned version that they serve at "cellar temperature". Better yet are their seasonals - there's almost always something special to taste, from Fountain City Red to a rich Imperial Stout served in a snifter. For those who appreciate good beer, and who really appreciate astounding beer, "The Club" has been a source of joy since its opening in 1993. And yes, their food is good, too.

Unfortunately, the fire at Kennedy's has resulted in damage to 75th Street. Here's what their website has to say about the matter:

Friends, Guests, Loyal Patrons

Thank you for your inquiry about the status of the "Brewery." We know all of you are curious as to when the Brewery will re-open for business. Because of the fire we have sustained considerable smoke damage, and we are currently without utilities. There is a lot of work to do before we open for business and do appreciate your patience. We will continue to update this website on a weekly basis to keep you informed of our progress.

Our thanks and prayers go out to the injured firefighters and their families.

Sincerely,

Your Friends at the Brewery

It looks like I'll be looking for a new lunch place on Saturdays . . .

What Are They Doing to America?

One of the main points we all need to understand about security is that the level of threat is proportional to the level of interest. If you drive a piece of crap car that leaks oil and has rust, don't bother to lock it, but if you're driving a Ferrari, don't park it in the open. Similarly, if you are a Rockefeller, hire a bodyguard, but you don't need one if you're working the day shift at Burger King. If you're storing gold bars, you might want to invest in a better alarm system than the average house.

Unless you're somebody way more important than most people I know, go ahead and assume that a box in your backyard is just a box, and not a terrorist threat.

Come on, America. Don't let the Republicans scare you so badly. Get a grip.

Kansas City is for People - No on Ordinance 070180

When I posted my piece a few days ago about the moral depravity of rich people's representatives calling fellow human beings "visual blight", I didn't really take a position on the underlying ordinance. I am now. Please take a couple moments to contact the members of the committee and tell them that you don't want them enact Proposed Ordinance 070180 - I'll even make it easy for you by providing you with email links to the committee members.

Proposed Ordinance 070180 enacts a $500 fine and up to 6 months in jail for seeking donations in areas where rich people would prefer not to be bothered, defined in this ordinance as "the Country Club Plaza, Westport Shopping District, South Loop Area of the Downtown, and the Zona Rosa Shopping District."

The definition of panhandling is so broad as to ban the Salvation Army bell ringers, the people who sell newspapers on Kansas City Day, and even little Johnny in his Hollister t-shirt asking mommy for money for an ice cream cone at Murray's on a hot summer day. It is a bad idea to enact poorly-drafted legislation that prohibits activities we don't want prohibited. Even though we're assured that it won't be enforced against us, I don't want to hand over to an over-zealous police the legal right to toss me or anyone else in jail for asking a friend for a dollar.

But, we all know that's not who they're really after. They are out to clear the fashionable areas of panhandlers and street performers. The guitarist with the open case. Jerry, asking for his downpayment on a cheeseburger. "Visual blight" rattling a change cup when you leave Barnes & Noble after buying a $4 coffee drink. It makes us uncomfortable. And I can't stand mimes, either.

But, in this instance, the solution is not to bleach our public spaces of any and all character or characters. The solution is to grow up and stop whining. Really, it is okay to walk past a beggar without giving money. We already have laws that make it illegal for them to rob you or beat you up. 070180 won't do anything more to protect you. All it will do is give special breaks to the developers who have made large campaign donations to John Fairfield.

*As promised, here are the email addresses of the members of the committee which will be revisiting this proposal on February 28.
Troy Nash: troy_nash@kcmo.org
John Fairfield: amy_dahlstrom@kcmo.org
Bonnie Sue Cooper: jackie_burton@kcmo.org
Mayor Kay Barnes: mayor@kcmo.org
Saundra McFadden-Weaver: saundra_mcfadden-weaver@kcmo.org

My Opening Offer

I admit that I occasionally look at the KC Buzz Blog, despite its many flaws (tedious, repetitious commenters, a flair for "truthiness", etc.). It's an okay blog, but not nearly as engaging as hundreds of others on the net, and it doesn't even really do very well with local news.

It's not awful, but it's not worth $395/year!!!! But that's what they've decided to charge.

$395/year?!?! For a blog???

If the KC Buzz Blog is worth $395/year, I've been underpricing Gonemild horribly. I think I need to start charging, and I think I should start at $395/month. While they do post more often than I do (though I'd post a whole lot more often if I manage to generate enough cash flow to quit my job . . .), my posts are a whole lot more thoughtful, informative (have they shown the Nace/Roe slimecard yet? I saw a link to this site in their comments), and prescient (need I remind y'all about the uncanny power of my yard signs in the November elections?).

More importantly, I have vastly superior commenters. I wouldn't trade XO or Les or Travelingal for 50 of the wankers posting comments over at the KC Buzz blog. As a matter of fact, because they are so crucial to my success, I hereby give them free memberships in "Gonemild Premium" (how's that for generous?).

Now, some of you may be balking at the $395/month pricetag, though I'm not sure why you would. But still, keep in mind, it's only an opening offer. Feel free to make counter-offers . . .

(More seriously, now that the KC Buzz Blog has committed web suicide, what will become the next gathering place for local political junkies?)

(Update: A concerned reader has pointed out that the KC Buzz Blog is still available for free, though in a different format that requires registration. I still think it's dead, but I've been wrong before.)

The New Orleans Post

It's been just under a week since I returned, and I still haven't lived up to my promise of "much more later". Try as I might, I haven't been able to lasso the whole experience into one theme or one point, and I don't feel right about just picking a little piece of it out and letting that represent what I did and saw. So I'll break it down in vignettes - pick and choose what you like, and leave the rest.
_________

First off, let's get one thing out. The city is back for visitors, and it might even be better than ever. The restaurants are open serving local oysters, the crawfish are great, the daiquiri stands are open, the tourists are there with their hurricane glasses, the street performers are fantastic, and the city hums with vitality. The people making it all happen are there because they want to be there - they love New Orleans, and moved back because they want to be there. Everyone there either came there after the flood, or returned after the flood.
_________

It was the first weekend of Mardi Gras - what a fantastic thing to see! The whole city turns purple, green and gold. Our hotel was on the main parade route, and people would line up hours before the parade with chairs, coolers, and, most amazingly, ladders with wooden boxes on top for their children. They looked like precarious perches for little ones, as drunks and kids chased the floats around them, but it's a part of the local flavor and tradition of New Orleans.
_________

Off the beaten path, off the main roads, you can still see the devastation. Flying in, you can see the FEMA trailers still in people's yards, and you can see the bright blue temporary roofs everywhere. Branches still rest on cars that have never been moved. Their owners may have died, or they may have left New Orleans behind entirely. Ali talks of the heartbreaking sadness of emptying houses of belongings left behind, and dumping framed photographs on the curb. Many, many houses have the FEMA X's still painted on their doors or pillars - coded messages of when the house was inspected, whether corpses were found, etc.. When I say that New Orleans is back, and better than ever, I don't mean that it is unscathed or that the signs of the storm have been erased. The city is damaged, and the signs are everywhere. The fact that it still lives is one of the things that makes it all so amazing and special.

New Orleans has always been trashy and it always will be. Katrina is a part of it now.
_________

We drove past the Convention Center, and I could see where that woman was left in her wheelchair. Driving down roads, you couldn't help but wonder if this was the place that you saw that body floating face down, or that person was photographed taking food or drink (looter if black, salvager if white). New Orleans was full of voodoo and tourist ghost tours when we visited the weekend before Katrina. Now, there are new ghosts in New Orleans, and they are spooky.
_________

I went to Mass at St. Louis Cathedral, the glorious, historical church that served as a Disney-like backdrop when George Bush did his pathetic press conference in front of the statue of Andrew Jackson and focused all the electricity of a struggling city on himself. That building has stood through hurricanes and even a terrorist attack. The majesty of the Cathedral dwarfed the small man who did so little for New Orleans, and has shown himself so incapable of dealing with challenges.
_________

On Sunday afternoon, we visited the Tulane Emergency Room, near the French Quarter. (No, the reason for our visit involved neither alcohol nor priapism.) An elderly, shabbily dressed black man was in a wheel chair, waiting for hours to be treated, and introduced himself as Robert. He knew everyone in the place. A young white man, probably in his early twenties, came in with a friend who had overdosed. As the young kid waited for his friend, Robert approached him to ask what had happened. The conversation meandered for a while, until the kid began telling him that he had been "jacked for two bills" a few nights before, and that "I normally would have killed the fucker that fucks with me like that." In fact, he bribed a local guy who knew the perpetrator to bring him to a place where the kid would be lying in wait. In the meantime, though, the kid has a bit of a religious awakening, and decided that "vengeance belongs to the Lord, and he will extract it seven-fold, which means that the Lord is going to be coming after that dude for fourteen hundred bucks."
_________

One day, we had coffee and beignets from Cafe Du Monde, muffuletta sandwiches from the Central Grocery, and dinner at K Paul's. New Orleans is the best city in the world for eating.
_________

It was great to see Ali and her friends. Bright, talented young women facing the baffling array of majors and career choices - you can tell that they are kind of frightened to be facing a world so ripe with possibilities. You can't really be helpful, so the best thing to do is shut up and enjoy them.

Ali thinks she might want to stay in New Orleans after graduation. I can understand why.

Thou Doth Protest Too Much?

It's not my place to question the way anyone chooses to worship God, nor is it my place to make people face up to their own latent homosexual tendencies. But I can't help but be amused by this piece in today's Kansas City Star about "testosterone theology" (italics by me):

“I started talking to men outside of the church,” he says. “God has given me a passion for men outside the walls of the church. In doing that, I spent a lot of time talking to guys who didn’t look like church guys — intentionally.”

The leaders of the movement, including Murrow, don’t like contemporary Christian praise music, railing against “dreamy songs with lovey-dovey words.” They don’t like the sermons, which they say are boring, or the image of a sweet, loving Jesus. And they even complain about the sanctuaries’ decor, which reminds them of Martha Stewart.

Instead they want more martial music such as “Onward, Christian Soldiers” and “Rise Up, O Men of God.” They want short services and short sermons, with masculine, athletic metaphors, mostly about a rebellious and manly Jesus. They want swords and battle axes on the walls of their sanctuaries, and they want to call their spiritual leaders “coach” instead of “pastor” and see them dressed in camouflage or orange hunting vests.

“The battle for men’s hearts is going to be fought on many fronts,” Murrow says. “You have to use the right lure to get them in the door.”

At the United Brethren in Christ Church in Holly Hill, Fla., the Rev. Chuck McKeown has already made adjustments based on the teachings of Murrow and others. He has put swords and battle axes on the wall of his sanctuary. On Sunday evenings, he has been holding cookouts for men.

“We chat about our struggles and victories, tell men stories,” he says. There is an informal, 10-minute lesson, “sometimes around violence and addiction issues in a nonthreatening atmosphere where a guy would open up and talk.”

Sometimes, this emphasis on masculinity and muscular Christianity turns into something else — an obsession with the “feminization” of the Christian church.

There is a good deal of sexual imagery: Murrow and other authors use the terms “emasculation,” “homoerotic,” “macho-deficit” and checking “your manhood at the door” in describing a traditional churchgoing experience. Other authors talk about “impotence.”

In one magazine column, Murrow wrote, “The Christ I found in Scripture was a wild stallion, but the church seemed intent on turning me into a gelding.”

Is anybody else picking up on some unresolved issues here?

Jason Kander, a Patriotic Progressive in Uniform, Signs Off on a High Note

I can't add anything - go read the whole thing. Here's one of my favorite paragraphs:

I'm a Progressive Democrat, so when I get into debates about the war with ill-informed, indoctrinated regressives who don't know me well, they generally throw Rush's talking points at me, insinuating that I love my country and support the troops just a bit less than them. Whether you've served or not, love of country isn't about blind faith. It is not about a piece of cloth that I wear on the shoulder of my uniform, but about an idea, about Americans themselves. I have little patience for those who claim to love America but clearly can't stand the majority of Americans. As a progressive, my beef with President Bush isn't that he's fighting a war, it's that he's doing it wrong. I want to win every bit as badly as he does, if not more, but I believe that means the symbol of America can't just be a soldier with an M-16.

People Are "Visual Blight"?!?!

The Star this morning included a quotation that I sincerely hope makes people stop and think. Regarding a proposal to ban street performers,

Representatives of the Plaza, downtown and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce endorsed the proposal, calling panhandling a matter of public safety and “visual blight.”

Folks, when you catch yourself seriously describing your fellow human beings, no matter what their circumstances, as "visual blight", you need to stop and think hard about the path you're on.

Another Funny Thing About Jeff Roe

In light of the grisly record of defeat his clients have suffered in recent elections, it's no huge surprise that Jeff Roe is so much better at promoting himself than he is at promoting his clients. As an example, google - "jeff roe" 2007 - and then google - "becky nace" 2007. Take a guess who wins . . .

Funk Slimed - Do I Smell a Roe? Or Not?

I received the following post card in the mail yesterday. The front included no identification of who produced or paid for it - it is a classic political hit piece put out by a coward who cannot get his or her facts straight.



Stuff like this makes me wonder what the people who worked on it and paid for it are thinking. Do you really think something like this will have an effect? I agree that the public is gullible, but this is too visually ugly and too factually wrong to be convincing. Dumb voters will be put off by the lousy production values, and smart voters will know that Kansas City has a dedicated tax to fund indigent health care. Even if Mark wanted to deny people health care (and anyone who knows him knows that is utterly ridiculous), it's not his choice.

But, really, does the producer of junk like this have no conscience at all? S/he knows that s/he is lying, and also knows that s/he is violating the law by sending out something like this without identification. Is it worth it? Do you feel like you're doing a good thing? Do you feel like you're helping Kansas City?

Of course, the obvious suspect is Jeff Roe, who is well-known to resort to lies and innuendo in sliming opponents. He's also known for being ineffective, so the fact that this was so poorly done seems to show Jeff's reverse midas touch.

But the funny thing is, having an amoral creep like Jeff Roe involved in the race gives cover for anyone else to act just like him. If you're with another candidate's camp, you're pretty safe to get as slimey as you like, because everyone will assume that the slime comes from the Nace campaign. Having someone like Jeff Roe involved in local politics lowers the ethical standards not just of Nace, but of everyone who is willing to engage in his tactics.

Back from New Orleans

Much more later, but New Orleans is alive and wonderful. It still needs lots of help, but at least it didn't greet me with slick highways and snow!

I think I found the only hotel in the world that doesn't have internet access available, even for a charge.

And, you know what? That's okay.

Buses Running On Troost - Only Forsythe Knows

Regular readers know that I like Mark Forsythe for Kansas City's Fourth District City Council in-district race, and that I like Troost Avenue. Troost is regaining its former glory as a home to cool shops and fun places - I once did all my wife's birthday shopping on Troost Avenue, and got some great stuff.

Yesterday, Mark's blog showed a confluence of a great candidate and a great boulevard. He reported on funding for a new bus line on Troost, and then treats us to a spectator's seat in a policy wonk discussion about what is and is not BRT. This is uncut Mark Forsythe - caring about a part of his future district that is outside the Ward Parkway corridor, caring enough about the voters to engage them in serious discussion, and being cool enough to use a blog to just put himself out there. Fantastic stuff.

Meanwhile, Solomon, Marcason and Amador are silent and irrelevant.

Hien Vuong - Great lunch, Fascinating Company

Having read the laudatory review of Hien Vuong penned by newbie blogger Ancillary Adams, I had to give it a try. So, when a friend from Liberty suggested meeting for lunch, we chose this little shopfront on the west side of River Market.

Superb choice. My friend chose Fried Rice with Barbecue Pork and Chinese Sausage, and I chose something (#67 was the only way I could pronounce it) with crispy fried noodles and chicken. Hers looked good, but I know mine was better. Lots of crispy noodles, plenty of tasty chicken chunks, a nice sauce, and perfectly done chinese cabbage. Then I grabbed the bottle of home-made pepper sauce and made a few bites hotter than a Kansas City chemical factory. Beat me, hurt me, make me write bad checks. That was some good eats.

This is a tiny little shop - probably around a dozen people gathered to eat there. But it was a who's who of Kansas City. First was super divorce lawyer Barbara Hecht, who I haven't seen in years. Then came in Gonemild's favorite Jackson County legislator, Scott Burnett. Then there was the former proprietor of much-missed Waldeaux Wines and Liquors. Finally, the subject of Matt Bartle's 17-hour hissy fit, none other than Warren Erdmann. All that, and Kansas City's most urban blogger. Quite a crowd for a small restaurant.

So, where do you go to see Kansas City's famous and infamous?

Idiotic Democrat

Lest anyone accuse me of having a liberal bias, or not being fair and balanced, let me be among the first to point out that State Senator Tim Green, from the east coast of Missouri, is a goofball for proposing legislation firing principals who don't send all their 9th graders to prison for a day.

How confused must you be to think this is worth proposing? How badly must he have been shaken as a baby?

On the other hand, maybe it is a nice plan to encourage people to visit Governor Blunt and the rest of the his corrupt republican cronies after they are imprisoned for their misdeeds.

Jolie Justus - Let's Keep in Touch

After they get elected, political candidates tend to become like former workmates. When you leave, you promise to stay in touch, and then you get busy, and then a few months go by, and you realize you haven't talked to your old buddy in accounting for a year. Then you run into him at the grocery store, and have a warm and enthusiastic exchange of greetings, and swear you're going to have lunch soon. And you mean it. But then, 6 months later, you see each other at the grocery store again . . .

It's worse with political candidates, because they come around every few years, wanting to re-win our votes, and even, perhaps, a campaign contribution. I used to hold an association office that required running every four years, and I always felt sheepish calling and writing to people I hadn't spoken to since I last needed their vote . . .

It's good to see a local politician do a bit better than that.

Not surprisingly, Jolie Justus is a creative leader in this area of public service. Her blog, Fresh Meat is as fresh, comfortable, and direct as the Senator herself. Through it, she keeps us informed about what she's doing and working on. It's not some PR site run by a focus-group-obsessed consultant - she says what she thinks and serves her self up like, well, fresh meat. You have to appreciate Senator Justus asking for our luck before her first meeting with Blunt, or expressing her admiration for Matt Bartle's filibuster. It's a great read, and a way for Jolie to stay in touch with those of us who appreciate her (and those who don't) while she's not running for office.

Absentee Ballots for Kansas City Races

I know that this blog has a ginormous following on college campuses across the nation, and that students hailing from Kansas City have used it to keep in touch with my gritty, non-suburban outlook on their hometown.

It would be remiss of me not to use my enormous popularity for civic good, so here's a link to the page where you can get absentee ballots for upcoming Kansas City elections, including the upcoming council primaries (Go Mark Funkhouser, Beth Gottstein, Mark Forsythe, and Cathy Jolly!). Here is a .pdf of the application for the primary, and here is one for the final election. The applications sent in by mail need to be received by the Wednesday before the election - Wednesday, February 21 for the Primary - so go ahead, print them both off today, and get them in the mail.

Both of you.

Cinematic Super-Size!

This is pretty cool. Local company AMC is showing all 5 of the Academy Award Best Picture nominees for only $30, and they're throwing in a free large popcorn, a free large drink, and unlimited refills all day.

Fortunately, the only one I've seen is being shown last, so I'll be able to leave a little early.

Funk's in the Hunt!

Today's Kansas City Star confirms that Mark Funkhouser and Alvin Brooks are leading the pack in the Kansas City mayoral race. That is HUGE, because the primary eliminates all but the top two candidates for the race, and then the two finalists square off man against man (figuratively speaking, of course - it could be Shields or Nace) in a race to be decided on March 27.

It doesn't matter too much who actually wins in February, because the whole shooting match starts over when the supporters of the also-rans choose their mayor. It's hard not to believe that Funkhouser, with his unique advantage of being a political outsider with a more thorough knowledge of the inside than anybody else, will not emerge as the most attractive (did I just call Funkhouser attractive?!) candidate.

I know, I know, it's just a survey, and Mark needs money if he's really going to make it. Toward that end, I am taking the liberty of stealing the following image from his website - come on out and let's have some Funk!

After all the money I spent on my Master of Public Administration degree, it's good to know I can get a Doctorate of Funk for only $150!

I'm so Proud of Kansas City Nutcases! Way to Go, Landmark Legal Foundation!

Even though he's from Topeka, I sometimes like to claim that Fred Phelps is local nutcase. Let's face it - he's attracted attention from the entire nation, all without relying on intelligence, good looks, or athletic ability. But, truth be told, he's really Topeka's nutcase, and we are basking in reflected glory.

But Landmark Legal Foundation is a 100% homegrown bonghit, and they have captured the national eye today. They went ahead and tried to nominate drug-abusing, misogynistic, xenophobic racist Rush Limbaugh for a Nobel Peace Prize. Except they screwed up, by not being qualified to make the nomination.

Thanks for bringing it home. It's good to know we have our own world-class nutcases right here in Kansas City.