Monday, October 29, 2007

Star Wants Democratic Council Without Gray

MEDIA SILENT ON PETERSON KILLER CALLS
The eggheads on the Star editorial board once again prove how pathetic they are when making recommendations to their readers on which political candidates to support. The Star endorses CCC President Monroe Gray's Republican opponent, Kurt Webber. That's easy enough. The district is about 72% Democratic and Webber has a snowball in hell's chance of winning. Meanwhile, the Star wants voters to hand a currently held Republican seat to the Democrats. They want Carey Hamilton (D) instead of Christine Scales to take the seat of retiring council member Scott Schneider in District 4. If voters followed their advice, the Democrats will most assuredly win control of the council again as it will be nearly impossible for the Republicans to regain control if the party loses any of its currently-held seats. And guess who will still be CCC President? Real bright. I can't wait to see the rest of the Star's council endorsements.

Perhaps unable to separate all the money Mayor Peterson's campaign is throwing their way these days with paid advertisements, area news media have imposed a blackout on any coverage of Mayor Peterson's desperate killer phone calls. It seems his campaign is calling up households all over Marion County and telling voters complete lies about Greg Ballard to scare them into voting for four more years of Peterson's failed and corrupt leadership.

Folks, if you want to take back your government, you're going to have to take matters into your own hands. The establishment has circled the wagons, and the big corporate media is doing all it can to ensure they remain in power. They want to continue operating our city/county government as a kingdom unto themselves where your role is limited to that of mere servant. You have to make sure all your family and friends get out and vote next Tuesday to end the rule of this city by the elitists.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Join us for a howling good time at Monday's (10/27) CCC meeting. We're rallying outside the City-County Bldg at 5:30pm before the 7pm meeting.

Dress up or wear one of our memorable masks. We have treats (Smarties and Whoppers)though we'll need to keep them away from Sweet Pea's sticky fingers!

This is the LAST full Council meeting before the election. Your presence will help send a STRONG message that we're fed up with some of the Council members and their tricks!

Anonymous said...

The sword cuts both ways.
It is not any big secret that Peterson wants to consolidate ALL the Township schools during the next four years if he is re-elected.
Consolidation of all school districts in Marion County into one entity has been a goal of the Peterson "insiders" since day one. With the Governor's help regarding property tax reform it's a fact that ALL Townships in Marion County WILL lose control of their schools.
Peterson voters in the Township need to know this before they cast their vote.

Anonymous said...

7:34, where in the world do you get this stuff? You need a stern civics lesson. It's not a task Bart could accomplish, IF he wanted to, and he doesn't want to.

Take it from me--I know the insiders' thoughts on this one. The reason Bart pushes charter schools is that he has no desire to meddle in township schools' affairs. It's political suicide.

School districts are established by state statute, anyway.

Find another hysterical reason to oppose Bart. But this one's a red herring.

Also, Gary; I know how you feel, and you know how I feel. Good luck to your favored candidates next Tuesday. I think we're all glad it's almost over. But, "elitists" ? Come on.

Anonymous said...

ok, i'm changing my vote if that's true. i've been a major peterson adversary all year (first name basis with campbell), but if he seriously could get through that kind of consolidation i'm with him. if you look, that is the largest opportunity for efficiencies to slash property taxes.

ok, back to reality. it will never happen or only would in some crisis situation. do you really think you can get the townships to do that? you have franklin growing and stable, washington in a buget crisis, perry in a political mess, and IPS is IPS. all the boards would have to agree or the state would have to intervene.

the mayor would never be in a position to influence this. just ask steve goldsmith who tried to influence the schools for years.

so, in this reality, bart needs to go.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Bart's daughter attended Park Tudor. I've always found Democratic politicians to be such hypocrites when it comes to public education. They always line up behind the teacher's unions and demand more and more money for our public schools without implementing any real reforms which will lead to better schools. These same Democrats won't even send their kids to the public schools. As for his charter school initiatives, that turned into a completely political cesspool for rewarding political cronies of Mayor Peterson. Just look at who is behind those schools and making money off of them. Well, even Ron Gibson made his living off of them.

Anonymous said...

We literally have thousands of voter endorsement cards to hand out.

If you can take 100 or more cards and help distribute, it will make a difference.

Call Melyssa to arrange pickup. I'll have a good sized quantity with me at the CCC meeting tonight.

317-938-8913

Anonymous said...

AA, you reference ron gibson "making a living." i have long wondered what he actually did for gainful employment. my democrat friends don't even have a clue. apparently you do.

does he have a job now? if so, what is it? what has he done in the past?

Anonymous said...

8:10, You are 100% wrong on the school consolidation issue. Consolidation of all Marion County school districts was one of the original goals of Unigov along with the consolidations that Peterson has done and the ones he is still tirelessly promoting.
The goals of Unigov did not stop in 1971. In fact, at the time Unigov was passed by the State Legislature, the general consensus was that for a Mayor to want to merge the Marion County Sheriff's Department with IPD would be political suicide.
Property taxes are the issue and say what you might about political suicide for anyone to push school consolidation in Marion but it's going to happen within 4 years. In 1971, for racial reasons, it might have meant political suicide but consolidation of Marion County Township Schools today is a necessity to get property taxes under control.
The consolidation deal was made between Gov.Daniels and Mayor Peterson.
I have no dog in this fight but the reality is that consolidation will happen when Peterson is reelected. This is what Unigov was meant to be. Call it Indy Works or whatever name you wish, but it is still Unigov and isn't going away. Too much money at stake.
Have the media contact the Mayor and the Governor if you want the truth. Don't take my word on it.
BTW, Lugar did not approve Unigov, it was the State Legislature and schools were not exempt.
How the hell do you think schools have been consolidated in Indiana, by papal decree? Go get a new civics book, please.

Anonymous said...

You're right about Gibson. Which is why he'll never get my vote again.

Well, that, and his smacking a police officer. And his support--kicing and screaming, and tardy--for the HRO. Which is hilarious.

Also: never criticize a parent's school decision. There are many, many reaosns which go into the choice. Some of them are intensely private. I know. There are often handicapping conditions, special learning requirements, or personality conflicts, which push parents to alternative schools.

And Bart's choice was the state's largest high school, North Central, or Park Tudor. NC isone of the nation's premier college-prep high schools. Ask any college recruitment officer. But it is huge. If a student is not well-suited to large schools, PT is a good choice. White, elite, not the real world...but, if it fits the student's needs, so be it.

These are very personal decisions. You ask around, you visit schools, you ask questions, ,and you make the call. Sometimes, it isn't right. It's a huge gamble.

Charter schools--well, they've stripped IPS of many of its better students. The ones Cathedral or Scecina or Brebeuf or PT or Heritage hadn't already taken.

Until and unless all Marion County public schools get off the insane architect-superintendent bandwagon, the budget crises will not evaoprate. And parents will continue to make tough choices.

Anonymous said...

People, you all need to get a grip on Unigov. Why leave the schools out of the consolidation game?
Is racism in the townships beginning to rear it's ugly head again.
Embrace Unigov aka Indy Works, it's going to happen, Marion County cannot afford for it not to happen.
When it comes up in the State Legislature I'm afraid racism won't look good on our Mayor's resume should he decide to run for higher office.
What floated the boat in 1971 won't keep the boat floating today.
If the issue of race IS the only reason for not voting for consolidation then that argument won't see the light of day on the floor of the General Assembly.
When all of you say look at IPS what you're really saying is look at all the n....rs!

Anonymous said...

Charter Schools is just a fancy name for Segregated Schools.
Not everyone is allowed into Charter Schools.

Anonymous said...

jen wagner at TDW has posted that those who attended the tea party event at the canal in broad ripple. of course that includes democrats representative david orentlicher and candidate for the CCC cody kendall who were not only present but also spoke. and there there are the senior citizens, moms, kids, and other ordinary citizens who were there. according to wagner, all of them nutballs.

while it's not hard to go along with david o. as a really creepy, if he's a nutball certainly she will not support him next year. yeah right.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't send my kids to any public school in Marion County.

Anonymous said...

You're entitled to that opinion, Jason. But you'd be missing, by almost all accounts, some tremendous college prep programs. North Central's is continuously rated among the top 1% of public schools in the nation. Their graduates are well prepared for college.

None of the schools--anywhere, including charters--do a decent job for the kids not going to college. A pity.

Jason, here's another couple of factoids you need to mash through your mental gymnastics:

Indiana's constitution gaurantees (and mandates) a "free and appropriate" public education for all students. So, anyone who presents him/herslf to the doors of a public school must be properly educated. Including any discipline or handicapping conditions.

Charter schools do not take many, if any, handicapped students. And as a group, charter scores are still not that good.

Beyond the insane test scores, we need a wholesale re-thinking of what we need from public schools: a system to prepare students for the enxt level of their life, whatever that is. For some kids, they're ready at 16. Some aren't ready until 25. Social promotion dicates all must be finished by the time they're 18 or so.

It's not the real world, and the burden of pushing that much through the system is killing public schools.

If Bart tackles that issue, regardless of school boundaries, he's truly doing students and parents a favor. Charter Schools are a cruel and insane hoax.

Anonymous said...

Charter schools have failed all over the country and they are failing here....look at the scores and the staff turnover....they even handpick their students and on a whim get rid of any student who they dont want and their scores are still horrible. Another 5 years and they will all be gone here also.

Anonymous said...

The only reason Unigov did not include schools was that white people did not want their children going to school with black children and that attitude has not changed.

Anonymous said...

The only reason Unigov did not include schools was that white people did not want their children going to school with black children and that attitude has not changed.

I disagree somewhat. While I am sure that played a role back in 60s/70s, I know class was more of an issue for some parents than race. It wasn't the fact the kids were black being shipped out to the township schools, it was the fact that most of them came from the ghetto. Folks of different classes have different morals. Some folks who don't think teen mothers are a good thing don't want their kids in school with kids who parents don't see a damn thing wrong with teen mothers.