Does Funkhouser Know What He's Doing?
A while back, I read a quotation something like "If a person tells you that 2 + 2 = 5, that's a mistake, but if a person tells you that 2 + 2 = 7,264, that's not a mistake, that's a different system."
One of the basic rules of politics is that you make certain you get complete credit for whatever good that you do. Politicians treat credit like a zero-sum resource - the more you get, the better. That's why ribbon-cuttings and award dinners are the favored activities of so many politicians.
Yesterday, Mayor Mark Funkhouser appeared to have forgotten that rule. In announcing his intention to join the National Coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, he unnecessarily diluted the focus on himself and shared the stage with Councilmember Cathy Jolly, Chair of the Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee, head cop Jim Corwin, and mayors who are already members of the coalition, such as Mayor Joe Reardon of Kansas City, Kansas; Mayor William Rodgers of Edwardsville, Kansas; and Mayor Carl Wilkes of Merriam, Kansas. Not only did he share credit within the city - he brought along living proof that this move is neither unique nor novel.
And it gets worse! He didn't even take the opportunity to whip out a quill pen and sign a parchment scroll, or any other publicity stunt to make his statesmanship the focus of the event. Instead, the only real visual image from the event was a pile of dangerous weapons - he focused attention on the seriousness of the problem instead of the "brilliance" of his "solution".
And, yes, it gets even worse than that! He didn't even have the political skills to sign the statement of principles of the organization! Instead, he will be introducing a resolution to the entire council that will direct him to join the coalition by signing its principles. And he's even doing that through co-sponsorship with Cathy Jolly!
Any moron can see that the proper way to do this was to have a huge press conference with a brass band and a huge gold pen emblazoned with MAYOR.
Instead, Funkhouser is sharing credit for a good thing, and getting the entire council on board for it. He's focusing on the problem rather than on himself.
Perhaps that's not a mistake. Perhaps that's a different system.
Labels: Cathy Jolly, guns, Mayor Funkhouser
posted by Dan at 8/06/2008 06:47:00 AM
12 Comments:
Obviously, this issue is so important to him that he scheduled it on the one day this summer (primary day) where it was assured of being ignored.
Or, if partnering with Bloomberg, the National Coalition of Liars against the Constitution.
I note the label says "illegal guns;" in fact, Bloomberg operates against gun ownership, period. I will not, at this point, question Funkhouser's intentions, but I know Bloomberg's. His agenda is not "illegal" guns at all. Rather, his agenda is a contempt for gun ownership, the 2nd amendment, the law, and the Constitution. And he has no honesty or honor in doing so.
And you are known by the company you keep.
gmc70 - I also have contempt for gun ownership and the 2nd amendment. It has been my experience (with very few exceptions) that those individuals who are most vocal and most strident about their "constitutional right to bear arms" are the very people who should be kapt as far away from weapons as possible.
They are generally combative, paranoid, reclusive, fearful and xenophobic. They tend to be suspicious of everyone around them and they view the world as a place full of dangerous people and dangerous ideas.
People who are alway looking for trouble will generally find it.
XO -
Then you need to get out more. My experience is that the folks you refer to (and I bet I've met far more than you) are just the opposite.
Given your writing here, I'd say that your second paragraph describes YOU more than most gun owners.
I'd just ask Bloomberg to understand and follow the law, and not spout such utter nonsense as "the gunshow loophole" (there is no such thing, there never was) and how the Tiahart amendment keeps cops from getting trace data (it does no such thing).
Further, you don't get to pick and choose the constitution you like. Ultimately, the 2nd amendment is the guarantor for the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. The founders understood that, and most Americans and the SCOTUS understand that as well, even if you're too naive to do so.
And now I may have to go to the range, just in your honor.
BTW - if the good mayor wants to send one of the those "scary" AR-15s down here, I'll gladly take it off his hands. . . .
I'll even 'name' it XO.
Is it true that the Mayor said:
"ADDITIONAL OFFICERS WERE NOT CRITICAL . . ."
and when asked why it took him over a year to join, funk replied "I had other things to do."
Last month a guy was shot in the back 8 times just one block from my house. Unlike Dan, who lives in snobsville Brookside, the rest of the city has been waiting a year for Funk to do anything about crime.
To Brooksiders, light rail may be more important than my kids getting shot in the poorer parts of town.
Of course I could be getting worked up over false quotes from the Mayor. Can anyone confirm/deny he said those things?
The foot massage continues. Someone let me know when it stops. Seriously, the Mayor said a year ago that he was going to do this and he is just now getting to it? How many people have died since then?
Obviously, I'm not blaming their deaths on him, but I'm saying that his failure to make crime a priority hasn't helped prevent such violence in the least bit.
DEMOCRATIC UNITY RALLY!! TOMORROW THURSDAY AUGUST 7TH, 9:30AM INDEPENDENCE SQUARE!! COME SUPPORT MISSOURI'S NEXT GOVERNOR!!!
That Unity event has been listed as starting at 9, 9:30 and 10. Sounds like the coordinated campaign is fucking with rank and file members of the party again. Their time means nothing so just lie to the rabble, says the arrogant event organizers. No wonder we lose elections we should win.
The answer is simple. Funk may be an adequate auditor but he is an idiotic Mayor.
I voted for him and I regret it.
Come on Dan. Did the mayor say those things are not? Outside of Brookside people are getting shot every day. Did he really dis on my problems by saying those things?
No credible source has claimed that he has said those things, so I doubt it.
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