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Edited on Tue Jan-25-11 05:01 PM by ChipperbackDemocrat
A few hours from when I write this, I'll know the results of a election in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. An election that should have never been declared.
The city's mayor Jim Suttle. Duly elected in May 2009, was the target of a recall assault on the part of some wealthy well-connected operators with financial and political ties to prominent city Republicans, included the former mayor, who was beaten in successive election campaigns.
Those supporting the recall say this is a grass roots effort as a protest to increased taxes. The truth is, the engineering of the recall movement began as early as summer 2009, and following the money on the part of some local media outlets confirmed it. What did the mayor do to force a recall? Make tough choices in this economic climate that had to be made or else the city would face a demotion of its bond rating and possible bankruptcy in the face of certain programs (revamp pensions for the police and fire departments) and civil projects (new baseball stadium for College World Series, new arena, road and sewer improvements) for which the bills have came due.
But what irks me the most, given the reports that show that the recall could narrowly pass, is how once again, the whiners on the right wing threw a tantrum and people bought it. Just like they did at the federal level on much needed legislation the last two years. The whiny right basically took a fair election and said, "it doesn't count". Kind of like Florida in 2000.
I hope I am wrong about what may happen in my hometown tonight. Should the recall pass then the whiners on the right have won another round. Our nation in general, my hometown, and it's electoral process in particular will be poorer for it.
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