One of the continuing universal themes I'm continually hearing as the November Ogden City Council election approaches, is how government officials are perceived as isolated, and unreceptive to the ideas of the citizens by whom they're elected. This is a topic that comes up repeatedly, not only in blogs like Weber County Forum, but all over town, in the non-cyber world as well.
Another recurring theme centers around the emergence of "people power" in the political arena. With the emergence of the internet as a powerful new medium for the exchange of ideas, politically-oriented blogs have become a major force in politics, as further set forth their own here and here.
The above two separate ideas have come into conjunction, it appears, as political candidates are themselves now entering the internet fray, and setting up blogs of their own.
Tuesday's Standard-Examiner published a story on Tuesday, announcing that a seemingly formidable Utah challenger has thrown his hat into the ring in the 2006 U.S. Senate race for Senator Hatch's seat. Republican challenger Steve Urquhart is a blogger, the Std-Ex's Jordan Muhlestein reports. This came as no surprise to our gentle readers, as Utah State House Representative Urquart's candidacy and his blog was mentioned in an earlier article here, and his blog has been linked in the Weber County Forum sidebar since late in July.
Out of curiosity, I set about "googling," to find out whether the incumbent Senator-for-Life Hatch may have joined the blog revolution; and this is what I found. Yes! Orrin Hatch is now a blogger, too!
I'll make no further comment on this, except to invite our gentle readers to visit each of these blogs, and decide for yourselves which of these U.S. Senate contenders is actually using his blog to promote two-way conversation, and which one seems to exist in isolation in some elitist ivory tower.
Just because I've refrained for once from offering my own analysis, it doesn't mean our gentle readers have to keep mum about this.
Comments, anyone?
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5 comments:
I still think that Borin Orin would make a great coffin model.
I can't disagree.
We're missing one HOT story, here. Tuesday, our "friendly and "non-descriminating" City Council voted 4-2 to close down the West Ogden polling station, the old Fire House that had been in operation for 12 or so years. The closure was promted by the Fire Station not adhereing to the ADA (American Disabilities Act) and forces the residents of the "Avenues" to vote in the Union Depot. Other area facilities won't be allowed, claims the Mayor, because he desires that voting stations be in Public Bldgs. The rub is this: It's Jesse Garcia's Municiple Ward; he has a Mayorial hand picked challenger, one Dori Mosher, a good friend of Mad Matt's wife, as his chief opponent; and the residents of that area have to either take Wilson Lane/21st Street or Pennsylvania Avenue to 31st Street to Wall. Why? The viaduct is closed for repairs.
Most of those good people don't drive. Godfrey and Safsten claim theirs no political malfeasence and can't understand why Jesse is questioning the timing.
I understand why he is. They understand why he is. This is ONE MORE EXAMPLE of the Administration and City Council oppressing the minorities and showing their ruthless side to curry favor amongst one another so they can keep the City Council weighted toward the Mayor and his mega-million dollar policies.
The Landlord program, aimed at the lower class and minorites; the 90 day Motel Rule, aimed at the lower class and minorities; the Marshall White Center, aimed at the lower class and minorites; the 25th Street stores, aimed at the lower class and minorities; and now this dereliction of ethics.
Jesse, we will mobilize and get your people to the polling station. This will backfire and it has the potential to unseat many incumbents, because now we can see the "Emperor" really has no clothes.
It sure does seem suspicious enthused citizen, but Potiburo chairman Sasten has assured us that no monkey biz is contained herein. Therefore I for one am comfortable with this decision to close the unsafe fire department for voting.
Can you imagine the horror if the place were full of voters and a fire broke out? Pure chaos on the level of New Orleans could insue. We can't have that in our town now can we? The mayor is right to protect those "other" people in the west end. Their votes are not nearly as important as their safety. This is only for their common good after all.
Besides, I think it would be good exercise for those people in west ogden to swim through the river and hike over the old railroad ground to get to the voting place. It would test their true committment to our repulik form of government.
Every one knows that they don't understand what is important in Ogden anyway and they can't make an informed vote supporting the Mayor's visions. An un-informed vote is a wasted vote. So what is the big deal anyway?
The timing is something, isn't it? A couple of weeks before election and suddenly the Mayor wants to ensure the people's safety by moving the voting station. Now, instead of walking to the fire station, the good people of that area need to find transportation and drive in a roundabout way to Union Station, in order to vote. That fact, the driving and need to find a vehicle, throws out the Mayor's sneaky way of telling us it's best for the people due to ADA non-compliance. Road hazards, getting on and off a bus with wheelchairs, and the aged, all add up to saying that the Mayor is politically motivated rather than copncerned for their safety. He's caused a great deal of inconvenience and by forcing them to travel has subjected them to more hazards than they've faced in 20 years at the fire station.
Godfrey should be ashamed. He is absolutely LYING to the people of Ogden and thinks that we don't see through his pathetic smokescreen which is designed to cost Jesse Garcia some votes. This is similar to Kent Jorgenson's attempt to eliminate the At-Large Seats, because he is worried about how the ENTIRE city of Ogden views his double-talking ways. Also, Safsten, Jorgenson, and that bunch support Godfrey's lies, and by doing so, they lie themselves.
Where's the honor, the trust, the "serve the public" position that these Gang of 6er's should have? Nowhere.
Time for a change. This voting station thing will backfire on the Mayor and Jesse Garcia will win in a freaking LANDSLIDE!
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