Bottoms Up! Put the Top Down! - Jackson County Legislature Keeps its Privileges
Theresa Garza Ruiz represents the best of the Jackson County legislature. So it came as no surprise that she came up with a workable solution to the awkward and unfair system of "first come, first served" ballot filing for County positions. Our current system, where candidates are made to wait outside the courthouse or obtain early access through favoritism, is simply an embarrassment. Rather than cursing the darkness of insider politics, Garza Ruiz lit a candle of fairness and proposed a lottery system for first-day filers, similar to the one that has been working effectively at the state level.
Garza Ruiz's common-sense solution got rejected 7-2 by a County Legislature that refuses to surrender its insider perks for the good of the County.
This may be a little thing, but tt's the little things that show character. Garza Ruiz showed that she is working for the improvement of the County. The 7 who voted against her showed that they are in it for themselves.
There will be a future round of elections for those 7 legislators, and I am quite confident that they will eagerly use their insider access to gain themselves the fruits of the system they have protected from improvement.
I propose that those of us who reject their ugly system of privilege launch a campaign to encourage voters to punish them by rejecting those at the top of the ballot. Perhaps the slogan could be "Bottoms Up!" or "Put the Top Down!", and it could foster the sort of anti-incumbent fever we need to rid our legislature of the self-serving seven.
Labels: election, jackson county
posted by Dan at 4/30/2008 06:08:00 AM
17 Comments:
Garza-Ruiz had a bad day.
Did anyone else notice that her candidate in the 44th lost the CCP endorsement yesterday? I guess Garza-Ruiz needs to focus on her business in on the county legislature and quit trying to tell us who to vote for in contests that do not concern her.
Garza-Ruiz aligned herself with Sanders early, so the old guard on the legislature simply will not deal with her. Keep rattling cages T!
Dan...
I'm with you 100%.
The efforts by Garza-Ruiz to change the filing procedure/ballot order were the right thing to do. It’s unfortunate to have a council that is evidently so self-serving.
Unfortunately, getting re-elected seems to be the #1 priority of incumbents. It truly is more important than doing what is fair and just. Looking out for one’s self is more important than doing what is best for the people they allegedly serve. The results of the vote tell the story. Those that began to serve, for the first time, after the 2006 election want the process to be fair. Those that have been there longer than 2 years are more interested in protecting their position.
This is not just a Jackson County problem. It occurs at every level of our government.
I wonder what the Founders would have thought had they experienced such tooth-and-nail fighting to become "public servants", or the use of insider favor that gives the incumbent an unfair advantage.
I can't believe that the citizens remain so gullible and naive.
Holding Public Office, at one time, was a sacrifice. It was an honorable thing to do. The only reward was a simple "thank you" from your constituents.
Today, becoming a "public servant" is the stepping stone to higher power. The longer you stay in the game, the more power you can grab.
The Masters are only wearing the name-tags of the servants.
Talk about a simplistic view of history. I agree with Dan, but whistleblower is a registering pretty high on the kook-o-meter. Public service was considered an honor and not torture -- you just were not supposed to get rich off of it.
Anonymous 8:47...
How do you confuse sacrifice with torture?
Power has an allure much stronger than riches. However, those with power always enjoy the benefits of the richest.
I think most of our elected representatives enter public office with the right intentions, but power is the aphrodisiac that causes most to run for multiple terms. Lobbyists treat them to the good life in exchange for their vote. Do you think the Founders would have found that to be acceptable?
My "simplistic view", as you call it, is demonstrated throughout history.
Whistleblower said:
"I can't believe that the citizens remain so gullible and naive."
I can believe it.
People are assaulted daily with fluff- non-issue news and this sort of REAL issue- if reported at all- is usually tucked away in a C-segment on TV news or the back pages of THE local newspaper.
The lack of citizen outrage over this and MANY issues is why America is headed for the recycle bin....
Cheers-
CSW Groucho
I hear that Theresa's punishment will be to walk into Mike Sander's office and explain to him that the Rodent-Pelt Rug he wears does not look natural or normal. He will probably kill her because he is already in a bad mood for getting caught killing the REGIONAL light rail proposal that all those voters in Brookside would like to see built.
Actually, that's his real hair. Sara
Dan,
I am pleasantly suprised that you are actually calling out "Tammany Hall Midwest".
I am dissapointed that you fail to mention the names or parties of the 7 clowns;
Dennis Waits-Democrat
Henry Rizzo-Democrat
Fred Arbanas-Democrat
James Tindal-Democrat
Scott Burnett-Democrat
Dan Tarwater-Democrat
Bob Spence-Republican
I am also dissapointed that you didn't call them out for spitting on the Constitution in regards to WitbolsFuegen.
Now, this may have sounded a bit "snarky" and it was meant to. But I truly hope that you and the rest of the CCP can put some decent candidates to challenge Rizzo, Tarwater, Burnett, and Waits. I lost what little faith I had in the Jackson County GOP when they let the Ron Paul kooks take over their meeting.
Garza Ruiz didn't have a bad day, she made a big statement. I agree Dan. She is doing a great job on the Legislature.
I see Phil Levota is still posting his anonymous "Sanders is a hideously ugly beast" blather. Phil, I have sat next to you at CLE's when you've said these things, almost VERBATIM. Get some class, and some new schtick.
Dan I think you need to inform your readers that the CCP endourcement will not be made until early June.
No Idiots,
This reader knows that this legislative body isn't even up for election for 2 more years. Gives the CCP plenty of time to find someone qualified.
No idiots -
As pointed out by Craig, the Self-Serving 7 are not up for election. Also, I am NOT saying that each of them ought to lose - some of them are good people and fine legislators who happened to make one extremely wrong decision. It happens.
Also, I most definitely do not speak for the CCP.
Craig you ARE and idiot because you swallow the Republican line. Look t the top of the list of comments. No fatties made a comment about the CCP endorsement in the 44th State House district, which is up for election this year.
Thankfully, because hatemongering scum who gravitate to the Republican Party are in the minority in the 44th, we will know the winner of that seat in August.
Now Craig, please try to avoid the salt and the beer traps left for your ilk by some gardeners.
WOW,
idiot,
Who peed on your pop tart?
Sorry I didn't memorize the entire list of comments.
I guess I should expect hate speech coming from a liberal blog, but I would hope that it would actually make sense.
Dan has really done a good job of limiting his "snarkiness", he even admitted to it and posted his desire to improve.
Maybe you should see if he will give you a private lesson.
Oh, and sorry that I don't vote party line Democrat like a sheep, but I like to actually review candidates and make my own decision.
One more thing, most races in Jackson County are decided in August, which is a major reason why Jackson County is so screwed up. Like I said before, the only thing more inept than the Jackson County Dems is the Jackson County GOP.
Dan,
"some of them are good people and fine legislators who happened to make one extremely wrong decision."
No offense, but, HUH.
Which one of those seven has actually made a single contribution to the county? You could write a thesis on the mistakes made by these self serving buffoons.
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