What's the leadership like in your local government?

[Bertha Venation]

Diversity, Thy Name is NOT Charles County, Maryland.

Here's a photo of the Charles County Commissioners:


I'm sure they're all fine human beings and capable politicians. (I'm giving the benefit of the doubt; I honestly don't know if they're all fine human beings and capable politicians.)

But I just opened up the Charles County web site to find out how to report the two huge volcano-like crags that have opened up in front of our house. It seems that the last road crew didn't do a thorough job of repair on a pothole, because water must've seeped under the asphalt & frozen, blasting the blacktop out at least one full foot. :eyes:

And when I opened the site I saw this photo and it made me wonder at how underrepresented women -- just for starters -- are in this county.

How about where you live? Do you feel that you have adequate representation?

[ikojo]

1. St Louis city has 28 on the Board of Aldermen. This is the

same number they had when the city had a population near a million 60 years ago Now the population is around 300K.

The mayor of the city of St Louis is white. They city is majority black. There have been two black mayors but both of them were one termers. The current mayor pretty much favors whatever the developers want. Currently while city budgets are being slashed, and employees laid off or positions not filled, the City found money to give the billionaire owners of the Cardinals so they could build a new ballpark with more luxury boxes for the rich.

Here's a pic of Francis Slay..

[mike_c]

2. Arcata, CA....

One of the most liberal enclaves in the nation. Nice....

[kodi]

3. those who show up get to make the decisions. those guys show up

the same goes here. the people who are involved in the life of community are the ones who make the decisions.

be they lawyers, real estate agents, or bankers, each plays a critical role in advocating their demands on government. they do it daily and they have more influence over people who are merely drive-by citizens on election day.

read Lewis' Babbitt for the machinations of boosterism.

[Bertha Venation]

5. hmm.... drive-by citizens.

I know my limits. I most definitely do not have what it takes to enter politics. I do as much as I can, and -- not that you are giving me shit -- I refuse to take any shit from anyone who says I must do more. I barely have the energy to write my representatives, but I do, on every level.

There are other ways to be involved besides actually entering politics. Those of us who cannot, for whatever reasons, do as much as we can. If it's only by voting, well, we "drive-by citizens" are doing more than approximately 3/4 of those eligible to vote.

How does one motivate the apathetic?

(I have read Babbitt, several times. I always feel the need to wash my hands every time I put it down.)

edited to fix html tag

[Fight_n_back]

4. Gavin Newsom

The most famous Mayor in the country right now.

[GOPisEvil]

6. Austin has an at-large city council, led by a mayor and a city manager

Mayor: Will Wynn (seriously) - white male
Council: Jackie Goodman, white female. Raul Alvarez, hispanic male. Betty Dunkerley, white female. Brewster McCracken, white male. Daryl Slusher, white male. Danny Thomas, black male.

The City Manager is a white female: Toby Futrell (for now).

[LWolf]

7. You don't want to meet these people.

George Runner, former private christian school director, then city council, then state rep; termed out, and hired back by the city for a $60K annual stipend as a "consultant." Sent his wife to sacramento to hate liberals in his stead. Now awaiting his chance at the state senate, when Pete Knight is termed out this year.

State senator William J. "Pete" Knight; retired airforce flight test pilot, former mayor, and homophobe deluxe. Introduces legislation to restrict marriage to hetero couples, among other things. Publicly denounced by his gay son. Also hates immigrants; famous for passing a bigoted poem about hispanic immigrants in the halls of sacramento. Introduces and supports anti-immigrant legislation. Local high school district names a high school after him.

R. Rex Parris, local leader of the republican assembly; a private injury attorney carrying so much local power that they have named a high school after him, too.

I could go on; they are all the same flavor.