How about a completely unconnected mayor for a change?

someone not connected to the business community
someone not connected to the labour community
someone who is bought and paid for by the salary he/she is paid being more then they ever dreamed of, so they will bend over backwards to ensure they get voted in again by pleasing the voters.


someone who actually know a good chunk about the operations of the city as a whole because they have spent time reviewing council minutes and budget decisions.

someone who is not afraid to let people know what he/she thinks.



anyone?

What do you have against business-people? I thought we wanted the City to be "run like a business"?? ;-)

I don't think the people who advocated (and voted) for the business man have anything to complain about, this IS how business is done (not all businesses operate this way of course). Ugly as it is...

Remember when Skammy was originally running for Mayor? The hyperbole was that WPG wasn't business friendly...Skammy was going to come in here and clean up "all the red tape"....because if anybody were to know what red tape was all about, surely it would be Skammy.

Many, including me say he's done a pretty good job of finding ways to avoid red tape, both for himself and his friends/business pals...wouldn't you?

I don't think a City is a business, nor should it be run like one. Not all businesses are successful, in fact, most of them are expected to fail! Only the successful ones thrive.

I dont have anything against them. I just think we need a mayor with no connections. So he/she is not unduly influenced by one group or the other but makes sound decisions based on the information at hand.

I'd agree with you, but then I'd be accused of looking through the same rose coloured glasses as you. ;-)

It's a nice pie in the sky dream though.

How about average citizens running for that office? Wouldn't that be a neat idea! Sure it would take some time for them to learn how the system works (as it does for anyone...Skammy got a free pass for 6-9 months as a rookie!), but the decision making would sure improve.

The only problem? The media

They ignore every single unconnected candidate.

Without equal play in the media, (because lets face it, people dont actually read the pamphlets that get delivered to their houses) a no body candidate will never make it anywhere.

Yup, that's a huge problem, probably the biggest.

I was genuinely hoping that with the internet and social media taking off, an "alternative" candidate would rise to the occasion and buck the status quo. (there I go with the pie in the sky day dreaming again) Just look at the affect social media has had in middle East politics (Arab spring?) and elsewhere. The grassroots type affect...it can happen, it just needs to be well organized.

Have to remember, many younger people do not get their news from the MSM or in traditional formats. So perhaps the old guard MSM days in control are starting to decline...?

Just think if a candidate were to have a swell of grassroots support and denied the MSM access (re: direct influence)...of course that's risky as many older voters get their info exclusively through the lens of the MSM, so the candidate would be essentially cutting off their message to those voters...however for arguments sake, if they did do that the MSM wouldn't have the same kind of control, and the use of social media could counter the lies and misinformation the MSM spews.

Of course, the MSM likes to control the process, such as debates for example...and can collude together to exclude candidates as they choose. But there is no stopping the social media based candidate from holding an online debate, inviting the other candidates if they so choose.

Or, screw the debate system all together. They produce no benefit afterwards anyway. The ground rules forbid any type of meaningful debate anyway, save everyone the time and hassle.

Food for thought.

"Have to remember, many younger people do not get their news from the MSM
or in traditional formats. So perhaps the old guard MSM days in control
are starting to decline...?"

only if YOUNG people actually vote. Its great to listen to a message, unless you dont act on that message.

Good discussion. I wonder what the specs would be for the "perfect" mayor?

Business savvy
Socially conscious
Open-minded
Forward thinking/progressive

What else?

Who has these skillsets?

Does he need Business Savy? Or does he just need to be able to properly utilize people who do? ie.. the CAO.

Needs to be decisive and able to speak his/her mind.
Needs to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away and know when to run. ( seriously )
Needs to be able to admit when they are wrong

Deank wrote:only if YOUNG people actually vote. Its great to listen to a message, unless you dont act on that message.

Agreed.

I myself am a young person (somewhat I guess)...I find amongst other people my age, many to most don't vote. I vote, and I get my wife to vote. I let her make up her own mind, but usually she doesn't pay attention and relies on me to filter the info. Right or wrong, at least she's voting.

The real challenge is most young people don't any advantage to voting. They don't see that their vote counts. Hell, I've voted in at least 6 elections total, and never once have I seen my vote "count"...yet I still vote.

Most times the "issues" that are peddled by the media turn off young voters when they should be the most concerned. They have the most to lose...as conceivably they have longer to live than older voters (one would assume anyway).

The question is, how does a candidate engage young voters in a meaningful way? They are the single most un-tapped block of voters out there. If I had the answer, or even a theory, I'd be in a different line of work!

Good question to devote some brain power to though.

Many to most candidates I cannot (speaking as a younger person) identify with. The older population see's elder candidates as more like them..."seasoned" or at the least "not green" and I think that has a lot to do with it. Why would I want to vote for someone who acts, looks, and talks like my parents? What do they think they have to offer to the younger voters? To a younger person, not much! Heck, most of the older candidates aren't' tuned into the younger population, aren't online, have someone else use technology for them (and thus perceived as phony or patronizing)


sorry for going a bit off topic.

Deank wrote:Needs to be able to admit when they are wrong

100% agree. Needs to be able to accept fault for their own actions or inaction(s) and that of their staff!


Also needs to not be concerned with offending friendships by fulfilling duties of the job. Re: CAO is out of touch and needs to be replaced, but due to friendships, this is less likely to take place. This pretty much rules out hiring friends to fill positions for you, weather they are qualified or not!

I let her make up her own mind, but usually she doesn't pay attention
and relies on me to filter the info. Right or wrong, at least she's
voting.

snicker

at 40.. am I young or old? worse yet. I look significantly less then 40.. So the old folk wont vote for me because they see me as a young pup. The young people, IF they vote, are not paying much attention to the actual issues either.

heh.

It is your hairstyle that prevents people from voting for you, but I will donate , if I am ble!

I made a huge error in the last civic election in not supporting you. I have very little money most of the time!

ha! This city would not be able to handle me as Mayor. The growth and prosperity would simply cause far too many people to swoon.

thank you for your support.
i am becoming your next mayor.
you will be grateful.
my first promise is to run in naught but three moccassins
at the crack of new year
from portage to my new office.

whats the 3rd one for?

my second platform is to not drag my personal business along main street.

hence extra large finest doeskin mockabreechclout.


i also promise three drug and alcohol related scandals,
two political incorrectnesses
and one survived assassinnation attempt.

sounds like a plan. I can help you out in that last one.

xxellent.
which side would you like to be on?
you could be the dumbkoff who mistakenly loaded blanks
or the stalwart yeoman who bravely impacted the shooter.

either way, you'll be on the news.




--------------------------------------------------------

if you want to see finging you gotta look in a mirror when you fing off the clingons.

tick wrote:xxellent.
which side would you like to be on?
you could be the dumbkoff who mistakenly loaded blanks
or the stalwart yeoman who bravely impacted the shooter.

either way, you'll be on the news.



--------------------------------------------------------

if you want to see finging you gotta look in a mirror when you fing off the clingons.

hmm.. you know what? Can I be the guy who bravely jumps in front of the target to take a bullet? ( even thought the bullets are not real I will still get some huge street cred from that )

good idea.
good job.
i thought about that and decided there's a good chance the dumbkoff may mistakenly load real lead.
better to scuffle the barrel upwards.

hmm.. good point. will practice my upward thrusts tonight

upthrust good
also,
please pickup my application papers and collect the 900 name fone address for me to sign.

ty in advance.
ill buy you a beer thursday.