Commentary
The Police News
May 13, 2008
Everything goes in love, war and politics, or so they say. And the city elections last Saturday were no different. I swear, some people, when they become candiates or the staunch supporter of one, lose all sense of value and what is decent, it seems.
Take the case of a first time candidate for the city council in Jamaica Beach, a tiny village on the west end of Galveston Island which some residents refer to as Mayberry RFD. It's a bedroom community. A laid back village founded in 1969 miles and miles away from the City of Galveston. Today it is sandwiched by Galveston on the east and west sides.
For some reason this guy who has lived in Jamaica Beach for years decided he wanted to be on the city council. I could never determine why or what, if any, constructive programs or projects he may have in mind to benefit the people of Jamaica Beach. The only thing I was sure of was that he was mad as hell because one of the sitting council members operates a pest control business from his Jamaica Beach home.
Not only did this first time candidate lambast the councilman, he blasted the rest of the council and the mayor for not throwing the bugman off the council. It was one of those overboard issues where one would get the opinion that this candidate wanted to exterminate the exterminator. Run him out of town, hang him on the city hall lawn from the tallest tree.
During the days prior to the election the radical candidate would be seen hanging around the community mailboxes handing out push cards proclaiming the bugman as a "lawbreaker." He accused he and another sitting councilman of using public property for personal use, which, by the way, is a criminal offense. I never found out what that was all about, it was just an allegation on the push card.
On top of that, this guy screamed that the bugman advocated allowing commercial businesses to be operated from homes in the village and posed the question: "Do you want an auto repair shop as a neighbor?" A real stretch from a man having his office at home.
"It's time to end 'Good Ol Boy' politics," claimed his pushcards.
In Jamaica Beach candiate's are elected by being the top vote getters on the list of candidates on the ballot. They do not run for districts. They do not run against each other. If there are three seats up for election and five candiates, as there was in this election, the top three candidates win. So why single out a particular candidate to bad mouth rather than trying to convince the voter's you have something new and better to offer than all the other candiates?
That may have worked better because this guy got trounced by the bugman who polled more votes than anyone in the five man race. In fact this guy came in fourth, ahead only of a candiate who didn't even campaign, didn't put up a sign, didn't hand out a card. He was on the ballot, that's it. I didn't even know the man and had never heard of him.
And what's really ironic about the mudslinger attacking the bugman is that he was a customer of the bugman for years. They are neighbors. And until he decided to become a candiate, this guy had never complained to anyone about the bugman running his business from his home. Never mentioned it to the bugman, never complained to city hall, never complained to the home owner's association.
It was all about politics. It was all about turning against your neighbor for politcal gain. It was all about mudslinging and downright filthy, dirty, politics. And in the end the voter's of Jamaica Beach sent this guy packing.
That's the way I see it.
What About You?
Breck Porter, Editor
Reader Comment:
Now everyone knows what a backstabber we have living in our backyards. Bugman won everyone's votes this time and the last elections with a good heart and hard work, no push card or billboard can compete with that. What an excellent strategy for a campaign, single out one person and bash their name and their livelyhood in hopes of benefitting yourself. To say it nicely, what a chicken, snakes slithering in the damp, dark voids of a swamp would look down on such a coward. At least snakes have to face their prey before they go in for the kill. What kind of a person can call himself a "Man" when he hides in the shadows and strikes when your back is turned and you least expect it. The beauty of it is that now the mudslinger has not only ruined his chances of getting elected, but hes ruined his name. I almost feel sorry for him...almost. In the end, Bugman stood strong when his livelyhood and reputation were on the line, and took the high road out. Apparently the low road was taken.
Reader Comment:
The Way We See It, May 13th Your article was very good, had an important message, and was nicely written. All too often many people base their campaign on negativism, usually because they have nothing themselves to offer. Even today, many politicians pander to the tittle-tattle and destructive appetite of many voters. While many people claim that they don't want a negative campaign, they are the same ones that forgo any intelligent debate of the issues, opting instead for the raunchy and titillating sound-bites of half-truths. Why are Americans so bitter when this generation has life so much better than all previous generations? We act like spoiled kids, never happy with indulgence after indulgence. Just like the brats who go around knocking down the castles and buildings that others try to create, there are many adults who measure their accomplishments by the amount of destruction. It is too easy to be destructive. I realize I am negative when I criticize the democrats for being so negative of this great nation. But everyone knows a double negative is a positive!
Reader Comment:
I love the article. It is the truth. I live in Jamaica Beach and for the most part found this campaign offensive. I happen to have assisted the bugman and another member of the JBVFD as we removed said dirty politician from a nasty boating accident. He could have drowned but no he was saved and only had a broken leg. I just cant believe how much people forget when the decide to run for politics. What is this world coming too...
