Power

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Recently many want to critique Mayor Walling for 2 of his appointment. So be it. But what is the goal of elected leadership. Maintaining political power, hopefully by providing services the cliental voters desire. To lead requires the maintenance of political power. Individual and coalition support of a Mayor will achieve that power. Mayor Walling faces a quick re-election battle. If he calculates the appointment of Eason And Poplar both tough seasoned political operatives who have the ability to delivery public services then that is his right. The Mayors objective is maintenance of political power.
Self governance be messy business at the local level, but then some say all politics is local so there3freo messy. Are you a member of this Flint self-governing political community or “ merely the helpless pawns of larger faceless forces”. Nobody wants to admit they are a pawn so how do you expect your political community to act? Do you not expect a Strong Mayor to collect the levers of power and a cadre of loyalist to accomplish his public policy objectives?
What we need is a Mayor who can forge powerful pro growth political coalitions block by block, precinct by precinct, downtown and in the neighborhoods. This is tough work. It appears this Mayor is surrounding himself with tough people. Good move.
We have experienced for the last decade local decision making dominated by entrenched elites that could not cope with the obvious economic decline of the USA auto industry. Small increments’ of effective policy are working mostly in the University corridor on third street downtown and the peppering in infill housing. This did not reflect a dispersion o pluralistic power ,rather the same entrenched actors have effectively pushed elected leadership aside except for the country treasurer and created their own foundation lead urban policy. Our Mayor is of this brotherhood but his survival will rely on a broad based coalition and will be in conflict with the referenced entrenched interests. He must surround himself with tough smart independent operative he can control. My question to the Mayor is not to question his picks but rather his ability to control them. Both Eason and {Poplar can make things happen in this community. But what things. The Mayor will be measured by their performance.
So lets not be one dimensional smart tough political operatives are by the application of power and influence Pollyanna’s. We elected a Mayor to find them, smart tough people who understand Flint, appoint them, direct then control them and take the credits or deficits cause by their performances.
The Mayoral General election of 2011 is almost upon us. Mayor Walling show us what you have got.