Council Election Recap as of 9:15 PM

[Red Arrow]

Just think about sitting in a movie theater with 100 people and only 10 voted.

And how many of those 10 actually knew what they were voting for.

More frightening yet.

[Hoss]

Your old.  O/T. I hope the changes with yesterdays vote lifts the party stuff out of local politics. Hoss is right to a degree that social issues such as LGBT or abortion have little to do with running a city. Still, a candidate's position on immigration, health care, housing, which are part of the national dialogue, do have a place in local politics in my opinion.

But not to the same extent though, because the local politicians can't really effect change upon any of those to a measurable degree.  Sure, they might be able to pass on recommendations to those in higher state or even national offices.  Maybe housing moreso, but health care and immigration, as the subjects are understood within the context of the current national dialogue on both, aren't affected in nearly the same way.

What I worry about in a city leader?  What are you going to do to fix infrastructure and how do you plan to pay for it?  How do you intend to work with the CoC to bring business, and therefore jobs, to the metro area (not just Tulsa because when suburbs win we all win)?  What can you do to make sure you balance the budget in a fashion that doesn't break the bank but also lays out a framework to promote this city and area for that matter as  not just a destination for businesses, but for people looking for change?  How do you retain those young people who have made Tulsa their home for four years at TU to want to work and start a family here.

I know I won't curry a lot of favor when I say this here, but I think the Vision 2025 package was the most progressive and smart thing this city has voted on in years.  Sure, it took two tries to get something like it passed, but I think it will pay for itself in spades over the long run.  I wasn't a huge fan of Mayor LaFortune, but he deserves big kudos for working that vote over.  Even the Boeing part of the vote was smart.  It was a win/win.  We get the Boeing plant and we would have had a huge job influx.  Didn't get it?  Who cares?  We don't pay for the tax.

My concern now is that the council election will become a free-for-all with 12 candidates running for office in each district.  But I think this method will be better overall, because, as I stated before, not only will it force voters to be more diligent about finding out whom they're voting on, it will make candidates less nervous about stating what their stands on issues are.  Those that know me know the following:

I'm a registered Democrat (only because of the stupid closed primary rule; if I could register Independent or Whig I would)

I'm a social Democrat.  While I'm against abortion, I think it's the woman's right to choose what she does to her body and to live with those consequences, however they affect her.

I'm ambiguous about gay marriage, although I will say it should be their right to be as miserable as the rest of us.

I believe in what Clinton called a 'hand up' and not a 'hand out'.

I believe that Social Security should stay solvent, but we better start looking at other means.  In other words, don't touch what I've already put in to the system over the course of my working life.   

Fiscally, I'm a moderate conservative.  I can't understand how we got to this point, although I'm sure two wars (one of which we should never have been in) didn't help.

We need to trim everywhere we can, and nothing is off the table aside from SS for the time being.

We should increase taxes where it's prudent.  Everyone should have skin in the game, and it should be equal proportions with the exception of those people deemed to be in poverty (for me, this is those people who choose to work lower-paying jobs to try and stay afloat).  These are the people that need the 'hand up'.

Change the tax code.  Stop using stupid catch phrases like 9-9-9.  Make it simple, but also make it something with feasibility and that is financially viable for the future of this country.

And finally...I know Washington will never read this.

Quit.Bickering. Among.Yourselves.And.Fix.The.Problems.In.This.Country.

Sorry, didn't mean to put out my agenda.  I just want to make sure that when I post something with some semblance of substance (and it hasn't been often lately) that everyone knows where I come from.

But yes, to answer, it does embarass me that only 10 percent of us voted.  Your civic duty.  I used to complain at my dad when he would grumble about our current president (whatever president it happened to be at the time).  My dad has never registered to vote.  I finally told him 'you can't complain because unless you're voting, you're not part of the solution'.

[Red Arrow]

I finally told him 'you can't complain because unless you're voting, you're not part of the solution'.

I have always called my vote the right to complain.

[guido911]

Yep.  Pretty soon all you youngsters will supporting me on Social Security.   

Thanks for the grammar fix. I better double check the brief I'm writing tonight....

[guido911]

But not to the same extent though, because the local politicians can't really effect change upon any of those to a measurable degree.  Sure, they might be able to pass on recommendations to those in higher state or even national offices.  Maybe housing moreso, but health care and immigration, as the subjects are understood within the context of the current national dialogue on both, aren't affected in nearly the same way.

What I worry about in a city leader?  What are you going to do to fix infrastructure and how do you plan to pay for it?  How do you intend to work with the CoC to bring business, and therefore jobs, to the metro area (not just Tulsa because when suburbs win we all win)?  What can you do to make sure you balance the budget in a fashion that doesn't break the bank but also lays out a framework to promote this city and area for that matter as  not just a destination for businesses, but for people looking for change?  How do you retain those young people who have made Tulsa their home for four years at TU to want to work and start a family here.

I know I won't curry a lot of favor when I say this here, but I think the Vision 2025 package was the most progressive and smart thing this city has voted on in years.  Sure, it took two tries to get something like it passed, but I think it will pay for itself in spades over the long run.  I wasn't a huge fan of Mayor LaFortune, but he deserves big kudos for working that vote over.  Even the Boeing part of the vote was smart.  It was a win/win.  We get the Boeing plant and we would have had a huge job influx.  Didn't get it?  Who cares?  We don't pay for the tax.

My concern now is that the council election will become a free-for-all with 12 candidates running for office in each district.  But I think this method will be better overall, because, as I stated before, not only will it force voters to be more diligent about finding out whom they're voting on, it will make candidates less nervous about stating what their stands on issues are.  Those that know me know the following:

I'm a registered Democrat (only because of the stupid closed primary rule; if I could register Independent or Whig I would)

I'm a social Democrat.  While I'm against abortion, I think it's the woman's right to choose what she does to her body and to live with those consequences, however they affect her.

I'm ambiguous about gay marriage, although I will say it should be their right to be as miserable as the rest of us.

I believe in what Clinton called a 'hand up' and not a 'hand out'.

I believe that Social Security should stay solvent, but we better start looking at other means.  In other words, don't touch what I've already put in to the system over the course of my working life.   

Fiscally, I'm a moderate conservative.  I can't understand how we got to this point, although I'm sure two wars (one of which we should never have been in) didn't help.

We need to trim everywhere we can, and nothing is off the table aside from SS for the time being.

We should increase taxes where it's prudent.  Everyone should have skin in the game, and it should be equal proportions with the exception of those people deemed to be in poverty (for me, this is those people who choose to work lower-paying jobs to try and stay afloat).  These are the people that need the 'hand up'.

Change the tax code.  Stop using stupid catch phrases like 9-9-9.  Make it simple, but also make it something with feasibility and that is financially viable for the future of this country.

And finally...I know Washington will never read this.

Quit.Bickering. Among.Yourselves.And.Fix.The.Problems.In.This.Country.

Sorry, didn't mean to put out my agenda.  I just want to make sure that when I post something with some semblance of substance (and it hasn't been often lately) that everyone knows where I come from.

But yes, to answer, it does embarass me that only 10 percent of us voted.  Your civic duty.  I used to complain at my dad when he would grumble about our current president (whatever president it happened to be at the time).  My dad has never registered to vote.  I finally told him 'you can't complain because unless you're voting, you're not part of the solution'.

It is well documented that I am a single issue voter: Life. I am anti-death penalty and anti-abortion. It's the Catholic in me and life experience. Taxes, social security, and everything else are a far second.

[nathanm]

It is well documented that I am a single issue voter: Life. I am anti-death penalty and anti-abortion.

I applaud your consistency on this issue. Anti-abortion pro-death penalty people make me go  .