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Thursday, January 12, 2006

Hour Five

Posted by on January 12 at 17:52 PM

As today’s city council hearing pushes into its fifth straight hour and the last few stragglers take their three minutes at the mic, the six council members who are here are starting to look noticeably weary. In the next week, the council will pick its top 12 contenders; I doubt we’ll see many (if any) unfamiliar names on that list. While it’s nice to see so many outsiders interested in public service, it’s a bit of a mystery to me what compels people to apply for a job they have no chance of winning. They can’t all be megalomaniacs, after all. Slog readers: Any thoughts?


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Seattleites are very metrocentric. They love their city unconditionally and with a passion. The wonder is that so many can live their lives here and never try to make more out of the relationship.

Erica - Youre a Texan, so those unfamiliar names to you are not so unfamiliar to the rest of the council.

I did it because I knew that, while I might have the ability to do the job, I do not have the ability to win an election.

I think #48 hit on a good point.

Also, some people who otherwise wouldn't pour resources and time they don't have into running for office figure this crapshoot's worth a shot.

Again, this is not a wise or effective way to fill a vacancy. Districts, plz.

Not being able to win the election IS THE SAME THING as not being able to do the job.

Is it?

I can think of quite a few people who *can* get elected and *can't* do the job.

Why do you think the two are linked? Getting elected is a popularity contest.

Have you ever tried to switch careers, where you had no applicable experience to do the job, yet you could do the job at a higher level than entry level?


Getting in front of the Council for three minutes is a big deal for some people and a way of getting noticed for future leadership positions. It's a way of telling a bunch of influential people "hey, I'm interested in being a civic leader". This list will most likely be referred to for future boards, commissions, etc. and introduce the council to some fresh faces, thank god.

They are drawn to the council by the hypnotic power of Jan Drago's mammoth necklaces.

If getting elected is the same as being able to do the job, how do you explain George W. Bush?

I'm not sure districts are the answer either because every position would then still need to be on a specific moving target of a committee....a rediculously steep learning curve in itself.

Meanwhile, some of the council members are busy with their "constituency" which is supposed to be focused around their committee work for the mostpart, (I think) but in reality, that isn't consistently happening.

For instance, David Della as chair of the Parks, Education and Neighborhoods Committee. By the time Della gets this committee's task at hand in hand, maybe he'll be gone or off to another committee and meanwhile no one, no one, really runs the Parks department, one of the biggest money sucking disgraces this city has to be ashamed of. Yet, Della's constituency seems more to be specificaly his neighborhood, people he's worked with previously, and people of color who need someone (rightfully so) to represent for them. Argh.

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