How do we act?

Dr Shanks asks us how do we act when we are at our best?  We are service orientated, ethical and he believes that in the city of Santa Clara we are better than most places but he admits it is a work in progress.  Phew because as I listen to him via the streaming system the city had it makes me wonder if the people running for Santa Clara city council all went to the workshops he talks about candidates went to at the start of the campaign.

We all know that politics is dirty but here in Santa Clara this year it appears it’s dirtier than normal.  Clearly the 49ers issue was at stake and as such who gets to sit on our council for the next few years.  Dr Shanks clearly wanted to limit the discussion and to address the ‘hit pieces’ and to focus on how the candidates ran their campaigns.

The campaign between, Bouza, Kennedy and Emerson was very amicable and the candidates all spoke well of each other, same goes for Mathews and Lowery.  Brian Lowery commended Mr Mathews for pointing out that there are rules that did not allow for his suit to be a deduction.  He quickly addressed the fact and he reimbursed his campaign.  Mr Lowery used his own money to fully fund his campaign – not one dollar came from an outside organization or individuals.  He unlike Mr Mathews did not have money from other groups buying big postcards, making phone calls etc.  I commend him for doing a grassroots campaign vs mega bucks.  That to me is a person who clearly has our city at heart not the interest of other cities or other large groups.  Touche to him – I hope he does well tomorrow.  And how fair of Mr Mathews in pointing out this issue – I hope he wasn’t the one that leaked the story to Internal Affairs in the SJ Merc?  That would be sad. 

Dr Shanks reminds as that this event tonight is to clarify and set the record straight – so here are some questions still:

 What is the story on the hit pieces Mr Blair’s supporters had put out on Jamie – Mr Blair said that they were not his hit pieces they were hit pieces by other interested parties and his supporters and went out without his knowledge or agreement. That those hit pieces were not authorized by him.  He actknowledges that at his website but he says he would have done them differently.  So even though he didn’t authorize them he admits he would have done them but in a different way.  Good for him for being honest about how he would have done them had authorized them.  However, remember the ethics program says that if there is inaccuracies or anything misleading the candidates need to correct that  – he does not refute them even though Dr Shanks indicated that there were mistruths made regarding Ms McLeod’s voting record. After some prodding Mr Blair says he should Apologize – you got to watch the streaming and this little snippet it’s like seeing someone caught and trying to get out of a trap.  Bottom line is the pieces were sent out – they were not sent with Mr Blairs approval and they are not factual.  They were dirty hit pieces – will they harm Jamie – probably – boy I hate dirty politics.

The other issue is that there were automated telephone calls made by Mayor Patricia Mahan and Don Van Raesfeld.  The city did not pay for the calls – but the calls did go out without saying who paid for those calls. So I can understand that people felt that they were misleading and it sounds like they are being investigated. There was obviously some issue regarding the phone calls being made out of State because when they are made out of State they are not regulated.  What does that mean? The main issue is that they did not clarify who paid for the calls – so today as the school bell goes off, so to speak, they made a third call clarifying who made the first two calls supporting those three candidates.  Wow what would have happened had they not have made that call?  Apparently these three candidates were concerned that there would be a hit piece put out on them, according to what Mr Mathews says on line.  Which makes  me wonder what were they worried could be said against them?  Hmmm very interesting.  That the three of them amount to a full deck on city council?  that the three of them all have connections to one major city family?  That should Mr Blair and Moore get elected that with Mr Caserta sitting on council that Santa Clara would now have three employees of one Real Estate office on council?  Wow I don’t know what could be said that is not already known by a lot of local residents.

Dr Shanks thinks this process is a work in progress – well I think a work in progress is a city council that is hell bent on stacking the numbers that is ‘a work in progress’ and I hope that the residents tomorrow when they go to vote remember it’s time for Change here as well as in the country.

 

©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008

Country looks to change so should the Cities

So as a country looks towards change is it not fair to say that cities should look towards change.

CNN (constant negative news) has done a survey of some of the States that were leaning toward the Republicans before the Wall Street Turmoil and found that those voters are now favoring Democrats.  

There are certainly enough candidates in this Santa Clara election to give you reason to look towards change – unfortunately some candidates are either more of the same or been here done that type candidates and don’t necessarily give you the Change that you might be looking for.

Without endorsing any of them I would recommend asking them what is the change they see is needed in Santa Clara?  Is it in housing, is it in having the 49ers, is it in cleaning up El Camino …

whatever the change does it warrant them representing you?  I may not agree with Jamie McLeod on some of her view points but I rather a person like her that asks questions and thinks than someone who blindly votes as the ‘caucus’ recommends.   There are other candidates like Jamie McLeod running who I feel will also ask questions, inquire, disagree and think for themselves rather than be the party ‘hack’. 

And remember one vote can make a difference.

©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008