Friday, July 06, 2007

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.

7 comments:

Village Green said...

Don's a Kenmore boy, what do you expect? I know, I live in Kenmore. Have you ever seen the Don Plusqellic mural in the Kenmore Acme on East Ave? It is a very inspiring tribute to the Don's timeline from youthful football at KHS to early years in politics and on through mayorhood.

Anonymous said...

How does the mayor fight for your town when the surrounding mayors stop talking to him? You have to talk to get things done.

Scott Piepho said...

Anon, I don't believe any surrounding mayors refuse to talk to him, whatever gamesmanship their spinmeisters engage in. And yes, it would be nice if he was nice. All I'm saying is that Finley's only real claim is that he's nice and without demonstrating that he's also effective, he's not making a case for himself.

Anonymous said...

Better late than never! Who do you suppose wears the pants here in NEO? Jackson? Nice guy, no cajones. IMHO, another one term mayor in Cleveland; another term for one mayor in Akron.

Anonymous said...

Akron has been going down the tubes for years. Just drive trough what used to be great neighborhoods. Its pathetic. Don puts our hard earned money to poor use. Like revamping downtown. Who cares about downtown, no one goes there antway. Invest that money in police so our neighborhoods wont be taken over by drug dealers, pimps, and crack houses. Its time for a change in Akron. Vote Joe. Why are people so afraid of change

Anonymous said...

Effective? Gets things done? The mannerisms and the I love myself attitude he portrays? If this is how you justify corruption and missuse of funds then we truly are a disappearing town

Scott Piepho said...

Hi Lisa. Glad you found your way here. Work on your punctuation a little, hon.