Joe Finley Handed Me a Flier

Quixotic Mayoral candidate Joe Finley was handing out fliers at the neighborhood Fourth of July bike parade.

The parade itself should be enough of a hoot. Kids decorate their bikes with red white (or silver) and blue stuff from Pat Catans and ride from the tolerably snooty intersection of Delaware and Sunnyside to unbearably snooty intersection of Delaware and Mayfair. Then they one at a time parade in front of the judges narrated by -- not making this up -- Tom Cousineau dressed like George Washington. One of these years I'll get video and post it.

In any event, standing, waiting for Kid T to ride before the judges I got the flier from Joe:

This is the exact flier that Kyle got last week at his house, but I hadn't looked at it closely. That bit I've circled is interesting. Lets get in a little tighter there:


Well that's what its all about, isn't it? Apart from the dark whispers from people who think everyone is corrupt, the real issue with Mayor Plusqellec is his utter lack of tact, politic or social graces. He is forever combative, defensive, brusque and high-handed.

He's also an effective mayor. Akron is in far better shape than most cities in northern Ohio and at least as well off as any. We fret about Akron losing population, but visit Youngstown and it looks like a neutron bomb went off. Finley is right; no one should have to endure public insults from the Mayor's office. But if the Mayor is doing most things right, even though he's generally a dick, it's a lot easier to put up with that. And anyone trying to challenge the Mayor needs to demonstrate that he is as talented, along with being nicer. From everything I've heard, Joe Finley is not that guy.

Which brings me the best picture I've taken as a blogger, but haven't yet shared. The occasion was the Advance Northeast Ohio launch. Both Mayor Plusquellec and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson were there and after the launch program, all the VIPs were available for pictures. Plusqellec and Jackson were set to stand together for a photo, but first Don had something to say. And say. And say.

It went on like this for a solid ten minutes with Mayor Plusqellec gesticulating, arguing, driving his point home and Mayor Jackson overwhelmed by the tidal rush of Don-ness. The press photographers waited to take the picture and Jackson for the most part just listened, looking increasingly like he'd gladly give up the office just to make it stop. You could almost make out the thought balloon reading "Geez Don, this is a photo op. Can't you chew on my ass in private like usual?"

Well, maybe in a perfect world no one would have endure insults from the Mayor's office. But in the world we live in I want someone who will fight for my town. And in an argument between Plusquellec and the Mayor of the big city to the north, our guy wins every time.

Polite or effective. You make the call.