There are scenes in the Richard Pryor movie, Brewster’s Millions, where a man comes into a gob of money but needs to spend it all to inherit even more. He decides to spend it on a campaign for mayor of New York City and runs on the platform of “Vote For Nobody”. As it turns out, he becomes the front-runner.
The lesson here is that voters are fed up with the same ol’, same ol’ and want change. We want change from the messes our elected officials created. You know the story: these same elected officials want your vote again to make the mess even worse. Is this public service or serving self interests? You decide.
If the mayoral candidates run on their record of their performances while in office, they are screwed. If they can’t get things done while in office, why should they be re-elected? Good intentions don’t get things done.
If the mayoral candidates run on promises, they are screwed too because the majority of candidates had a chance to affect change in their own offices right now and are failing.
Performance or promise? Which weighs in more for you?
You can learn a lot about a city from the people who are in the thick of it daily. On my first visit to Birmingham in a cab from the airport to the hotel, I asked the cabbie for insights into the city. She didn’t mention Alabama/Auburn football or places of interest, she went straight to politics and race relations and how both are bogging Birmingham down. City vs. county. Black vs. white, etc. The same people she mentioned then are asking for your vote again.
Of course after moving here shortly I have kept current from various sources such as talk radio, broadcast and print news to form my own opinions and have already came to the same conclusions as Ms. Cabbie. As an imported transplant from another city of the same size, I see what works and what doesn’t and what could be better.
Mayor Kincaid is useless and should start packing now. Langford’s campaign slogan “Let’s Do Something” is a shot at Kincaid for sure, but that “something” doesn’t bode well with Langford’s fast & loose handling with other people’s (your) money. Those on the city council who are running haven’t a chance in Hades but are looking for that brass ring of power to grab onto anyway. I find myself wondering why I like Sheila Smoot as mayor even though she isn’t running. I’ve heard her stance on issues before. She is intelligent and has her opinions. Right or wrong, she speaks her mind.
I generally don’t endorse candidates until now.. My vote is going to the only guy who is currently not in political office. He is a nobody in politics for now and may be considered as the front-runner in a super tight race. I’ll vote for Patrick Cooper. If he doesn’t do the job, I’ll vote him out. For now, here is his chance. “Vote for the nobody”.
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