... Against Direct Election of the Mayor Petition
“Austin Lobbyist Behind Richardson Mayor Petition” read the headline from the latest email-bomb from “the men behind the curtain”. How dumb! The person they are talking about is not even a lobbyist. More lies. But, moving on ...
They start off with three questions: 1) Who is calling for this change? 2) What is their motivation? 3) Will this make Richardson a better place?
Their first step in this email-bomb was to try and influence people with a big fat lie by proclaiming an “Austin Lobbyist Behind Richardson Mayor Petition”. It seems McCalpin is turning his site into more of a “Rumors-R-Us’ site than a real rumor check source. He did write to Alan North and Chris Cutrone and implied it was in their best interest to response. They made the wise choice in not responding to him. They have apparently read his site and know what he is all about.
So by the “men behind the curtain” sending out their email-bomb pack with lies, it becomes apparent they are working on spin control and doing what they like most to do, manipulate the sheep in Richardson. By the way, there is a copy of the text at 527-organization-sets-up-in-richardson.html that Alan North sent out naming himself as the person leading this charter change. Why don’t they want to believe Alan’s own words is a mystery.
The next thing this email- bomb attempt to do is distract people. As typical, they do not seem to be concerned with the action, direct election of the mayor as much as they are concerned with “who is behind the curtain”. They are used to calling the shots from the darkened backrooms. They do not like people thinking for themselves. They want people of Richardson to be sheep. They want to control and manipulate for their own benefit. They enjoy trying to control council members through intimidations. Just the other day they Slagel Murphy and Eisemann summoned Amir Omar to a private meeting about this issue.
The question “What is their motivation” is a real gem. The men behind the coalition are shrewd and calculating. They seem to think that others are just as underhanded and as manipulative as they are. And once again, they ignore the fact that Alan North is behind this (even though they thing Amir is really behind it). They say the best they can do is “speculate” as to the motive. Well, maybe that is the best they can do when they ignore the open truth.
Finally, they ask “Will this make Richardson a better place?” Heaven forbid that the people of Richardson would elect a person to serve as mayor who has no history civic involvement and not a clue as to what has made Richardson so successful! Can you say scare tactics? This is the argument they have devolve to? Then they go on to suggest that it is more important that the mayor have a good alignment with other council members without mentioning how important the public will happens to be.
These men behind the curtain appear to be scared they are about to lose their grip on power and backroom deals. They have resorted to lies to maintain their behind the scene power. It is time to pull the curtain back and expose these people for who they really are and let the voters set their own paths.
Here are two links to petition information:
RichardsonCharterModifiedPetition.pdf – This is a text of what charter changes are being proposed. It sure doesn’t look like the scary stuff the men behind the curtain claim it to be.
PETITIONCityofRichardsonForm.pdf - Here is the petition to sign.
If you would like to donate, checks can be sent to:
Richardson Citizens For A More Democratic Government
11608 Emerald Falls Drive
Austin, Texas 78738.
So, who are you going to believe? What the scared men behind the curtain who are telling you what to believe? Or the actual words you can read for yourself?
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Cutrone lives in Austin, so what's the lie? That he's a lobbiest?
ReplyDeleteI'm not against the concept of directly electing our mayor, not that the mayor has any real power over other council members anyway, but this petition is about as shady as it could possibly be.
My wife was asked to sign the petition outside of the library last week. She said the guy looked like he had been picked up at a day labor site and didn't really know what the petition was about.
If there aren't enough actual Richardson residents that are knowledgeable and willing to collect signatures themselves, I'm not signing the petition. Though I might still vote for it if it gets on the ballot.
There are many actual Richardson residents out there collecting signatures. Barring any interference by staff or council, this will be on the ballot.
DeleteCDH
What a dispicable way to describe fellow citizens! It is easy to slide down the socio-economic scale when power brokers are looting the public treasury and destroying every body who gets in their way. It's tough to get a decent job in Richardson without pledging loyalty to the Pichardson Coalition. It's time their reign of terror comes to an end.
DeleteThe Richardson Coalition excels at propoganda. This is an execellent example. Chris is a political consultant. Not a lobbyist as claim. On the other hand, Fred Hill is a lobbyist, hired by the City Richardson. I like the term scared men behind the curtain. That is what they are right now.
ReplyDeleteHow quickly was the idea of voters electing Richardson's mayor shot down rather than being "annointed and chosen" behind closed doors? In the recent work session where such action was discussed, not long at all. Allowing the public to choose their own mayor was voted down 6 to 1. There wasn't "time" to do it, six of them heartily agreed. Besides, the very idea of allowing voters to make the choice of who will be the next mayor of Richardson; that would derail 5 decades of closely held control. Worse, it would negate who knows what promises that were made to any of the seven councilpersons before their last mayoral "selection".
ReplyDeleteJust musing, but I wonder if dinosaurs felt the same paranoia before they disappeared the Coalition seems to be exhibiting now?
Looks like you missed approving my comment from earlier today.
ReplyDeleteYuppers. I did miss a comment, the first one in this thread. But it is there now.
ReplyDeleteThe lie: "Austin Lobbyist Behind Richardson Mayor Petition". The person behind this effort is a Richardson resident, Alan North. The guy in Austin is a political consultant. What do you call it?
BIG TIME OUCHIE! The Richardson Coalition is not going to like this article.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.empowertexans.com/features/closed-door-democracy/
What's broken RC? Seriously?!? The fact that so many people in this city elect officials based on who they will then elect for mayor, rather than what they can do (or not do) for our city.
ReplyDeleteI must say I do not understand what you mean by this.
DeleteToo much LSD? What's broken in Richardson is democracy. An autocracy took over and has been calling the shots on everything from the water supply to garbage pickup while ignoring the common sense and voting rights of residents. Shame on anybody who thinks the Council holds the peoples' proxy to elect the Mayor. Shame, shame SHAME!
DeleteYou do such a wonderful job of mocking the RC. Don't stop yet Destiny! :0)
ReplyDeleteI believe that far fewer select Council based on who that candidate prefers as mayor than Destiny thinks. I think most all vote for a Council candidate based on what try say about city issues. I believe my opinion has about as much footing in substantiated fact as does yours. Why not debate the real merits of the change versus the status quo rather than the politics that surround it. THAT would be worth reading.
ReplyDeleteanon @ 7:49 P.M.:
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think are the real merits of electing a mayor at large by all voters in Richardson who choose to choose to cast a ballot rather than the current behind closed door "executive session" process where seven councilpersons select one of their number as mayor, but the reasons they do so can never be revealed?
I'm in disbelief, why the fear of change? So what if the public votes for a mayor, are they too stupid to do so? Are the six better than the majority? I can't understand why there's even the discussion, must be a fringe thing. Change can't hurt in in opinion. How could it be any worse.
ReplyDeleteThe only legit argument I've heard is it will cost more to run for election, who gives a crap. But then again, same 'ol, who has the money will probably win, so for the average folk, no change...
Looks to me like RC is worried, and rightly so. Fewer backroom shenanigans = less power for the string-pullers.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a little dated, the attached article entitled “Sociopaths in American Politics” explains what clearly is and remains a national epidemic, and how sociopaths in government along with their special-interest driven counterparts and supporters can succeed only when we fail to call them out and hold them accountable.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.marketwatch.com/Community/groups/us-politics/topics/sociopaths-our-world
Bottom-line on this is that we're dealing with a small group of sociopaths who want to remain in power and continue to control what goes on at city hall, and for whom many are clearly deriving direct personal benefit from the current setup.
That is why this petition is so important - to remove the Richardson Colonition's ability to operate and control behind closed doors.
According to this article and based upon expert studies, one in twenty-five Americans or 4% are sociopaths, which is defined as a person with a psychopathic personality whose behavior is antisocial, often criminal, and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.
Given the actions of the Richardson Colonition and its legions of henchmen who are dead-set against the people directly electing the Mayor, and with no honest, reasonable, or morally and ethically-defensible argument to the contrary that would hold a drop of water, one could wager that the sociopathic make-up in Richardson is most likely much higher than 4% given the resistance to positive change and reform measures like this initiative.