Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Standard-Examiner: Vacated Ogden Council Seat Up for Grabs

We're delighted to find out this morning that the Standard hasn't forgotten that besides the Ogden mayoral race, there are some important council races boiling on the front burner, too

In hope of kicking off some new Weber County Forum discussion, we'd like to shine the spotlight on this morning's most-excellent Tim Gurrister story, which profiles the three eager candidates who're battling it out for Brandon "Sockpuppet" Stephenson's soon to be relinquished Ogden City Council Ward 2 Seat:
Amidst all the "fussing" by the Northern Utah press over the Ogden mayoral race, we're delighted to find out that the Standard hasn't forgotten that there are some important council races boiling on the front burner, too.

The extremely talented Tim Gurrister does a fine job profiling the three Ward 2 candidates, considering the limited amount of page space available in the SE print edition. But for additional information about these three Ogden City Council hopefuls, be sure to visit our WCF "Council Candidate Roster", which is also planted for your convenience in our right sidebar election module.

The world-wide blogosphere now awaits your ever-savvy comments regarding the Ogden Council Ward 2 race.

19 comments:

StephensonSucks said...

I'd settle for either Neil or White for the Ogden City Council Ward 2 Seat.  They're both fiscally-conservative, and either of them would be a great changeup for The Sockpuppet Stephenson.

BlameJohnsonNotMe said...

I apologize to all of the Mike Caldwell supporters. He is not a sockpuppet, he is unquestionably a Godfreyite. To qualify for "sockpuppet" status, a person must vote along with the mayor at council meetings and publicly agree with the mayor on a regular basis. Mike will not divulge his desires and views publicly because they might sound too much just like the previous administration. Again, I regretfully retract my sockpuppet statement and support other people who have shared their assessment of his Godfreyite status. I hope this this adds clarity to the mayor's race.

Since when is BIG MONEY the best choice?

If this were true, Donald Trump would be the Republican presidential candidate! Mitt Romney would easily trump most candidates. (His achilles heel will always be his Massachusetts "Obama-Hillary care" that follows him everywhere, pun intended) and Meg Whitman, former E-Bay CEO and financier of the most expensive run for governor in history! (Although I believe Meg would have been much better for California than the re-tread Jerry Brown.)

Mike Caldwell's ability to raise LARGE contributions from LARGE companies should tell you exactly who he will beholding to and it would be obvious within the first year or so of his "reign". 

Susan VanHooser has the city's and taxpayer's best interests in mind.  Sockpuppets need to wait at least four to eight years for the healing and budget issues to work their way out of this broken system.   

Bob Becker said...

BJ:

   Since this thread is about the Council race in the northern part of the city, did you post this on the wrong thread?

Bob Becker said...

I don't live in the council district for this seat so will not be voting for any of the candidates.  If I did, I think I'd prefer Ms. Neil.  Here's why:  

There's a series of TV ads on now which has someone looking at a used car, and demanding before the deal is closed "Show me the Carfax!"  That demand reminds me of Ms. Neil's approach to city government.  From my discussions with her and her comments over the past few years on city matters, seems clear to me she's a pragmatist.  I think that when whoever is the new Mayor presents a major proposal to the Council, she's likely to ask the government equivalent of "Show me the Carfax!"  I.e. to demand that the administration make its best case for whatever it's proposing, to insist on seeing the numbers behind it, to ask if the numbers are good [did the research precede the conclusions?], and to insist that the numbers stand up under rigorous scrutiny.   I think Jennifer "Show-Me-The-Carfax!"  Neil is a pretty fair description of what she'd be like on the Council.It's that kind of prudent and cautionary skepticism that the Council in past years has too often lacked, I think.   And, being a pragmatist not an ideologue, I don't see her opposing something simply for the sake of opposing it out of pique if the research behind the proposal is good and stands up to scrutiny and the case for its being a good idea for Ogden rests on solid grounds. 

Mr. White may have a similar approach to the role of Council member. I don't know enough about him to know.  Hope so. 

BlameJohnsonNotMe said...

No Bob, you completely monopolized the previous thread with your pro-Mike Caldwell rhetoric so I moved onto a thread where people might actually read the information. Sockpuppet is in the subject matter and it seemed like a good fit.
Are you the "blimp floating and watching over us" for this website?

Bob Becker said...

You wrote: you completely monopolized the previous thread with your pro-Mike Caldwell rhetoric.

Well, let's see: the previous thread has 24 comments up at the moment.  Five are by me,  two of which deal at all with Mr. Caldwell's candidacy, and one of those two also points out that it'd be unfair to criticize Ms. Hoozer for taking money from the N. Utah realtors when her major opponents are doing so. That that'd be expecting her to engage in a kind of unilateral [financial] disarmament. 

Wow. I must be one powerful poster if you think my  two comments about Mr. Caldwell out of 24 "completely monopolized" the discussion.  I'm flattered you think so highly of me.  Truly.  [Insert smiley for "blushing" here.]  2/24 = complete monopolization.  Or even 5/24.  Wow.

Or, which is more likely I think, you could benefit from a short course in remedial math. 

Danny said...

BlameJohnsonNotMe is right.  These people don't write four figure checks for a small town mayor's race because they're public minded and want good government.  You write checks for $50 if that's what you want.

You write outsized checks because you want to be at the table when the big cash starts getting pushed around.

Mike Caldwell has been at that table for years.  These people know him.  His is slick.  He is smooth.  He is vague about his positions.  He is taking lots and lots of the crony network's money.  Meanwhile, the bumbling Brandon Stephenson is not getting the money.

Sure, it's circumstantial evidence against Mike Caldwell, but how much more evidence does one need, or ever expect to get?  Do we need to see him rolling out of bed with Sue Wilkerson?  Do we need to see him taking a $5,000 check EACH from Larry Miller Group, from Marketstar, from the Realtors?  Oh wait, he did, I mean the money, don't know about the G-Train.

Dorrene Jeske said...

I hope that I don't offend you, Bob, but I'm not sticking strictly to comments on the candidates for the Ward 2 council seat.  Although I do agree with "BrandonSucks" comments about Hyer.  I felt that his stand on several of the questions at the debate were way out in left field, and I know for a fact that he would not even try to represent me on the council.  I've worked with him in Scouting and our church, and he has made it quite clear that he knows more than anyone else.  And he doesn't appreciate women in leadership positions. 

I am having a "Meet the Candidate" cottage meeting for Susie Van Hooser tomorrow (Thursday) night at my home at 7:00 PM.  If anyone would like to come and meet with Susie in a small informal and comfortable setting, you are welcome.  Just let me know so that I have enough chairs.  I live at 1056 E. 425 N., just behind St. James Catholic Church on north Harrison.  Our street is only a block long and hard to find, but the best way is to turn into St. James' parking lot off Harrison and follow the road on the south side.  It winds around a bit and ends by going into our street.  We're on the north side of the street in the middle of the block.  I have one of Susie's signs in my front yard, and I will fly the American flag to make it easier to find our home.

BlameJohnsonNotMe said...

Now that you have "self-diagnosed" yourself as one of the "elite, educated and looking down at all other persons" in this forum, how does the $1,000 from Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors accepted by Susan VanHooser even compare to the $5,000 accepted by both Mike Caldwell and Brandon Stephenson? PLEASE help me to understand the math!!! Is this that NEW MATH all of the politicians are using these days??? Your POSt is an absolute work of art and will remain steaming for days!

Dorrene Jeske said...

Oops, it's "BrandonSucks" comments.

Dan S. said...

Danny, while I don't disagree regarding Caldwell's slickness and smoothness and vagueness on most of the issues, you're wrong to smear anyone who writes a four-figure check. I've written some four-figure checks myself, and I would probably do so in this race if I weren't trying to remain neutral as director of the Ogden Ethics Project. Some of us are fortunate enough that we can afford to do that; others are less fortunate financially, so they contribute $50 or nothing at all. Please don't judge my motives purely on the basis of the depth of my pockets.

Dorrene Jeske said...

Just read my post and I forgot to list my telephone # -- it's 801-782-5827.

Jennifer Neil said...

Really Bob?

Jennifer "Show me the Carfax" Neil" ?????

TLJ

Bob Becker said...

As describing a style, an approach to proposals, plans and projects, sure.  Seemed to me a compliment. Meant it as such, anyway. 

Bob Becker said...

Reply to BJ below:

You wrote: "Now that you have "self-diagnosed" yourself as one of the "elite".....

Wasn't me, BJ.  You're the one who decided my two posts [out of 24] on Mr. Caldwall had "completely monopolized" the discussion.   Didn't know you were that much of an admirer.  [Insert smiley for "blushing" again.]

Bob Becker said...

Not offended, Dorrene, just thought the Council race for Mr. Stephenson's old seat was important enough that it deserved its own thread where the issues/candidates in that race could be discussed as the primary topic. 

Bob Becker said...

I too have written four figure checks to candidates.  Of course, two of the four were after the decimal point....

Jennifer Neil said...

How 'bout "Show me the TaxFax" ...

It's all good!

TLJ

rudizink said...

I believe you're entirely on the money with the "Show me the Carfax" characterization.  I've known Ms. Neil since the early nineties; and I can assure you that she's smart as hell, and doesn't "take wooden nickles." :-)

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