A recent Argus Leader article shed light on the mayors race as it relates to political contributions. The council races are the same, some with lots of money, some not so much. The one’s with money usually win out in the end. It does not always have to be this way. The deep pocket candidates of the mayors race will spend a lot of money on newspaper ads, radio airtime, and television spots. Repeat the same name over and over again to a hurried, busy electorate, and the same special interests get their man/woman in. If you’ve followed the council meetings at all, and draw a parallel between important council votes, and political contributions, you know deep pockets get what they want.
What needs to be different? Print, radio air, and television need to give equal time to all candidates, and all issues some important to all the citizens in these races. This blog does a great job. The Argus has also been good. Same for Patrick Lalley. The others need to improve to give all candidates their due, especially in the runoff elections. Without some form of leveling the playing field, council members like Stehly, Starr, and Neitzert will not exist under the new rules the rubber stampers want in place. We desperately need council members like these three.
HERE is a quick link to see the candidates history of who gave how much to who. Very telling.
Remember, he who greases the palm is whose a$$ to kiss.
Guilty as charged. When Ringler ran as (then) commissioner, my street got repaved. Some favor satisfaction is expected yet inappropriate. Different story when a mayor becomes a multimillionaire from private contractor compensation and inappropriate director raises bribe.
Thank you for the quick link to candidate campaign contributors. If I chose to give $250 to a candidate for mayor, I would certainly do a lot of research before laying down that money. The candidate would be the one who most closely aligns with issues that are important to me. Every election, I see the same names giving the same maximum $1000 contribution to multiple candidates running for the same position. It does not take a degree to figure out this is nothing more than “cover your ass” in the futures game.