Wednesday, November 5, 2008

How Predictable

Really, no election is totally predictable. There are plenty of things that happen at the last minute, lots of items people mull over and weigh one way or the other when they walk into the booth or fill out that early ballot. Nobody really knows the result until the numbers come in, but what is predictable: folks who don't listen to the message.

Tonight's reaction from the Issue 8 folks, I figure, was what one would expect if it had just ended at disappointment...but this one is different.

Mayor Plusquellic: "there's a special place in hell" for those who "misled" Akron voters on his sewer lease to fund scholarships program. Nice. I guess that means nearly seven out of every ten Akron voters ought to be prepping for a suntan.

Why is it candidates or advocates who lose the hard fight have such a hard time admitting it either just wasn't time for the idea -- or, worse yet, it just didn't make sense to all of their fellow citizens? Instead, blast away. Look for the sympathetic editorials decrying the lack of vision by the voters; "tsk tsk," they'll say, "how unfortunate the sheep won't follow the lead we set for them. How dare they!"

The impulse to blame the loss on "misunderstandings" or "misleading" opponents is universal to anyone on the short end of the stick, but most handle it professionally and understand the rest of the story comes after the loss. If it were that easy to just float an idea and have everyone embrace it we wouldn't be going through this process every four years...we'd just wake up and have a new leader whenever someone got the itch.

Here's a thought: people weren't misled because they really do see through the blather and ask their own questions. When they aren't comfortable with an idea that's so bold it has to be rushed to market without any real, open debate and discussion the best course of action is to vote no. If City Council can't take the time to bore in on a truly "big" idea, passing it wholesale with nary a dissenting question after getting the goods a few days before the first (and only) vote why should the public buy into it?

It's easy to slap the voters around for not having the vision because it saves one the trouble of actually looking inward and maybe admitting the proposal could have been better to begin with. Saying Akron just didn't understand is calling the 20-thousand more people who voted no-than-yes too dim or selfish to embrace the grand concept.

How condescending. You want respect from people when you ask them to support an idea? Start by giving respect to begin with. A nice step would be applying some salve to the bruised ego and recognizing the common ground shared with opponents instead of each working so hard to destroy the other.

One is reminded leaders in the past were skilled at making use of the bully pulpit by understanding "bully" didn't mean then what it apparently means now. Preaching from the pulpit with a club in one's hand has such a poor track record of capturing hearts and minds, and getting folks to willingly stay on your side rarely comes after beating them with verbal two-by-four again and again.

That might actually prove a valuable lesson to the next generation that still could use a scholarship program -- but one that makes sense, even to those rubes who wind up paying for these grand proposals.

4 comments:

  1. Ed ... think you're missing the mark here ... from your own blog post:

    "Mayor Plusquellic: "there's a special place in hell" for those who "misled" Akron voters on his sewer lease to fund scholarships program. Nice. I guess that means nearly seven out of every ten Akron voters ought to be prepping for a suntan."

    Sounded to me like the Mayor was directing his anger toward the coalition that led to the downfall of Issue 8 ... not to each and every voter that voted no.

    There's a big difference.

    Unprofessional? Probably.

    At least he's passionate about trying to improve the lives of those living within his reach.

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  2. Chris - just how is questioning authority something worth "a special place in hell?" Not much of a difference in my mind and a symptom of far bigger issues on South High. From the start the thought was not to debate and discuss -- if it had been you wouldn't have had the police delivering the scholarship plan ordinance on a Saturday and Council suspending their rules for a first-time reading passage the following Monday.

    There were plenty of reasons to question the details and the fact so many voters didn't feel a trust or comfort level on letting City Hall run with the ball while not having more answers clearly left voters with no alternative but to vote no -- which explains in part a 25-point loss.

    Supporters pulled out plenty of stops including TV and radio ads and got plenty of support from the Beacon Journal editorially; it was even part of the strategy to link the issue to buying a Big Mac. What didn't change was the personal attacks aimed at opponents who were asking real questions and that also sent a message to voters: asking questions isn't to be tolerated.

    When voters get in the booth it is precisely that kind of environment that emboldens the vote those in authority usually seem surprised to see.

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  3. I think you misunderstand my point, Ed.

    I'm all for debate ... and pointing out when a plan is bad.

    And if voters thought the plan was bad, and voted accordingly, more power to them.

    However, I don't believe the Mayor was referring to those "7 out of 10" voters when he used the "special place in hell" line.

    Right or wrong, I believe he was referring to the opposing campaign ... and it organizers. Oh, and probably any members of the media that criticized it, because that's how Don is.

    What is true is that Don has probably exhausted any goodwill he has left with the community.

    I think if the GOP can find a good candidate next time around ... Don could get voted out.

    And for the record, win or lose, I had no stake in the issue ... no kids ... and I don't live in Akron!

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  4. Mr. Plusquellic, refoering to your immature remarks about issue 8 on election night. I hope you enjoy that special place. I am sure you'll find it most comfortable.

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