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.
Labels: funkhouser, jeff roe, kansas city, mayor, nace
posted by Dan at 2/15/2007 07:10:00 AM
12 Comments:
I wish I could remember the site I just saw a comment on the other day that implied Funk hated poor people, or something like that. I wondered what the heck the reference was. Now I can't remember where it was to go back and address it.
Anyone who knows anything about Funk knows he sure as heck isn't pandering to big biz.
There are also rumors that Reiderer is getting ready to go negative.
Jeff Roe is an easy target for liberals who have had there own attack dogs for years (Pat Grey locally, Carville, Begalla nationally.) Pretty hypocritical to blame him for below the belt politics.
I also doubt Roe did this one. He has never hid before, and he does a much better job. This smells of Grey.
I was thinking it sounded a lot like something Grey / Glorioso would put out, but they at least put their names on their hit jobs.
Hates po'folk is wrong. Pandering to big biz is wrong but the quote is basically correct if cut short and the message is: City Services before indigent care.
I don't like hit pieces, I agree about the merits of this propaganda and I see Dan's point . . . But what about the issue . . . Doesn't this "services before sick folk approach" strike anybody else as cruel?
I hear what you're saying, Tony, but I think all he's doing is providing a lot more information than was necessary to answer the question. It comes down to the proper role of local government. Indigent care should not, in fact, be the responsibility of local government, because it allows leech-like suburbs to shirk their responsibility, and provide lower taxes to business. It ought to be provided on a state basis, or, dare to dream, a federal basis.
Don't forget Jackson County Dan. Truman Medical Center is an amazing facility that provides health care for people from all over. They don't check ID's and say "we're a Kansas City facility." People from Independence, Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, etc. receive much needed care at TMC. Perhaps the county or those municipalities should help shoulder some of the financial load in a proportionate manner.
Mark, I totally agree on TMC - a great facility with wonderful people doing outstanding things. Methinks there might be some Kansans showing up there, too, as well as the occasional visitor from another country.
I happily voted in favor of the tax to support Truman, and would do it again.
This attack smells like Steve Glorioso. Who's he working for, besides Kay's bid for Congress?
Let's do an investigation. If you received one of these post cards, look to see how the postage was paid. If it's a first-class stamp, then they can anonymously drop it in a mail box. If there is any kind of discounted postage on it, then I think it must have been received at the Post Office along with paperwork.
Even better..look at where the postcard came from. It should have a city name in the postage square. If it says Liberty...it's Jeff Roe.
Amazing how you all are more concerned about where the postcard came from than whether or not it's true. Funkhouser tried calling it lies at first, but the Star said otherwise. I don't think Funkhouser hates poor people, but I don't think he gets that programs and hospitals help people and cutting funding affects more than just the budget.
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