Comments on You Know Your City Council Candidates aren't Too Impressive When...

Why aren’t any of the top-shelf candidates running for city council?

Because we need districts. Too much money, too many powerful neighborhoods, and a largely irrelevant council add up to a climate where good candidates run away from the council races rather than running to them.

What to make of the mediocrity of our City Council candidates? I think this speaks to the brute efficiency of the political marketplace. For a lower-profile office, a candidate can get away with such liabilities as intellect, freshness, candor, and concrete proposals. City Council is much more the big leagues.

I also have to give some credit to David Della and his brilliant Karl Rove-style campaign against Heidi Wills four years ago. Wills probably spent 1/10% of 1% of her time on the circus issue, and yet she got Swift-boated for wasting her City Council seat on that. Not to mention the City Light issue.

I think it was RateHikeHeidi that got her back to the private sector along with oh yeah the strip club thing.

But one reason might be cheap shot rehashing about a cheap shot story done by another reporter about something that happened twenty years ago that has nothing to do with making decisions about how our city should run. I'm guessing that there will be more mentions to make sure a google will bring up the twenty year old event.

Another thing is the $250,000 it takes to be considered a strong candidate.

And who in the hell wants to sit for four years with the other eight members.

Why aren’t any of the top-shelf candidates running for city council?

Geez, Josh, it really isn't complicated.

To run for the job is to subject yourself to Josh Feit, which was once summarized in a different context by Thomas Hobbes: nasty, brutish and short.

whatever: I think it was RateHikeHeidi that got her back to the private sector along with oh yeah the strip club thing.

My point exactly. Just the fact that four years later we still remember the nickname "Rate-Hike Heidi" just shows what a brilliant smear campaign David Della ran.

As for that Rorschach association between "Heidi Wills" and "strip club" -- well, that was just a gift that fell into David Della's lap. (Oh, excuse me, "lap" is perhaps not the best word.)

'Cool people' don't necessarily make good councilpeople. You don't get the job done by being cool.

Della did a smear campaign --- huh ??? --- under the leadership of that strange council, incl. Heidi and Margaret and Jim, others --- my utilities went up 40 per cent in two years.

Truth as smear? Don't be stupid folks. Facts are not smear.

Della will win, big margin. Burgess runs as democrat and gives campaign money to republicans, yuk.

Lloyd, it's a fact, I'm sure, that your rate hikes went up 40%. It's also a fact that, when given the opportunity to chair the committee that oversees City Light, David Della declined. (So much for the courage of one's convictions.)

It's not a matter of fact, however, but of interpretation how much Heidi Wills was to blame for your electric bills going up 40%. But Lloyd, I can be persuaded. Perhaps you can explain this linkage a little.

As for Burgess getting nailed for contributing to Republican candidates (even though I bet those contributions pale beside those made to Democratic candidates) -- well, there's a great case why nobody runs for City Council and why Sally Clark is the modern-day prototype of those who do.

I'll tell you what. Since you're all so thrilled to be rid of Judy and "RateHikeHeidi" why don’t you take your 'progressive' issues to the stalwart candidates who replaced them. I'm sure they'll be eager to champion issues like renters rights, housing fairness, bike lanes, skateboard parks… you know things regular people might like the city to address, but business doesn't.
And BTW… what is it with the volatility of that circus issue? Why are circuses such an emotional issue that even holding hearings about them is verboten? The measure was defeated. Circuses can still come here. I don't get it.

As for why top tier candidates don’t apply… are you kidding? The way those two women were deserted by every element of the left is the most graphic lesson of just how treacherous that job can be.

The MSM led the attack and the left went right along with it. Those women were deserted by everyone! Progressive organizations raced to abandon them and join in the excoriation.

Compare that to how charges against Tim Eyman are handled by his "community". When the MSM attacks Eyman his supporters don't rush to finish him off for them.

Which is why he survives but the left can never get a solid majority on the Council.

Ms. Cressona - did Sally beat you out for the open seat? You sound bitter and sour.

Sally Clark is a newbie, at a distant time, at the end of her 24 year career on the council, she will be in the company of J. Williams, D. Sibonga, J. Noland, et al - a circle of distinguished women retired from the Seattle City Counil.

Time, just a little time. She is a quick study and as smart as a whip.

(Assuming she is not in Congress or an appointee of President soon to be, Hon. Hillary Clinton.)

#6 'Cool people' don't necessarily make good councilpeople. You don't get the job done by being cool."

What does that mean? Are you saying Heidi and Judy were too "cool" to be effective?

Because actually it's Nick Licata who has been crowned by both The Stranger, and the Seattle Weekly as the King of Cool in Seattle. And they know cool!

Or, are you using 'cool' as a euphemism for Heidi and Judy being too 'attractive' to be effective? In that case, shouldn't this council be more effective than it has been?

There's nothing but ugly up there now.

What's more apparently none of them follow Slog. Maybe local politics doesn't interest them or something.
The fact that none of the challengers have been mentioned in the comments underscores Josh's original point.

Well, I know I am paid to say nice things about a lot of these folks, but Josh, show Sally some love!

She has been at this job for 16 months and frankly has more to show than many after four years. To name a few: a comprehensive review of neighborhood plans now underway; the unenviable task of leading a complex debate on night club policy; and relatively obscure but highly effective policy to create family wage jobs in a city quickly evolving into a community of the wealthy and the people who serve them coffee.

Sure I work for Sally, but I honestly believe she has the leadership chops to do great things.

Plus she has a great sense of humor, rides her bike to work and is very kind to animals. That too is worth something, isn't it?

Zander,
If the press including the Stranger would actually cover what the candidates are promoting or championing maybe they could get a mention here. All I've seen are personal attacks, general remarks that they are all of no value instead of publishing more of what they are saying.

Go read the Stranger coverage.

Sinderman what a hack- "frankly has more to show than many after four years. To name a few:
the unenviable task of leading a complex debate on night club policy; and relatively obscure but highly effective policy to create family wage jobs in a city quickly evolving into a community of the wealthy and the people who serve them coffee."

She has to show that she has been given tough jobs? Most people think she has done less than a stellar job on these.

She may bike to work but she drives an SUV to election night parties.

Sally Clark is certainly wicked smart. She's also not wicked.

She's a straitlaced prude who seriously needs to lighten up a lot and take a stay or three out of her corset.

I know her heart is in the right place, but her head is holding that heart back big time.

And, yes, this pack of challengers leaves everything to be desired. Maybe time for the first serious write-in campaigns?

I nominate Lisa Daugaard.

Better candidates don't run for city council for one big reason in my book- municipal politics in this city consist of process, process, process.

Why would the average person want to run for an office in which you're constantly belittled and in which its damn near impossible to get stuff done?

Oh, what a sin, an SUV on election night. Not PC at all - the PC police are watching your every move.... along with the fashion police and bad hair cut observations ... and no good tatoo police

Some of you people have become worse than the Pope, checking out and issuing fiat about how you must screw people to please god.

How about some depth and real analysis?

And substantial reasons that show failure of ideas, actions, and leadership roles.

Shallow wallow....

A - Here's what her campaign said:

"Plus she has a great sense of humor, rides her bike to work and is very kind to animals. That too is worth something, isn't it?"

That's some pretty in depth stuff.

hilda:

Ms. Cressona - did Sally beat you out for the open seat? You sound bitter and sour.

Yup, hilda. If I have a problem with Sally Clark, it must be personal. Good job raising the level of discourse on Slog.

Actually, my issue with Sally Clark is that she seemingly has nothing to take issue with. Perhaps someone can point to one truly courageous stance she has taken on anything.

Sally Clark is a newbie, at a distant time, at the end of her 24 year career on the council, she will be in the company of J. Williams, D. Sibonga, J. Noland, et al - a circle of distinguished women retired from the Seattle City Counil.

A "newbie" is someone who is not experienced enough to have developed actual plans and positions, i.e. someone who really shouldn't be running for City Council. Should Tim Burgess start saying?, "Don't ask me what causes I'm going to advance on City Council. I mean, for God's sake, I'm just a newbie; I haven't even been elected yet."

If Sally Clark is going to someday join the list of distinguished women on City Council, she could start by distinguishing herself. (BTW, this seems like an odd aspiration for any female councilmember -- to join the "circle of distinguished women" on City Council. Bit like wanting to rank Steve Nash among the best white guys to play in the NBA.)

P.S. to Ms. hilda. As to the Ms. Cressona, you seem to know more about me than I know about myself. I mean, (A) I never knew I had lost out to Sally Clark for that City Council seat, and (B) I never knew I was a woman.

Cresson - I know you are not a woman. Other, you would understand that Sally is a lesbian feminist and her list would be distinguished women, pioneers and fighters, not white guys.

I thought you were on the long list that lost to Sally for the open seat. Would explain to me the personal nature of your posts.

Newbie is first termer. And country common sense says she will be bolder in the next years after her assured re election is over.

And, yup - well, Mary, that is a phrase used by a hick.

Hilda, care to explain the "personal nature" of my posts?

Also, would you care to say how Sally Clark will be bolder in the coming years? And in the name of what issues? It's hard to imagine how, or even if, someone will be bold when we don't have any sense that they stand for anything aside from an aversion to rocking the boat.

Actually, Josh, I was talking with some of the candidates at the KC Dems endorsement meeting about how to get thru the Stranger endorsements.

Cool people - you want cool, look at Briel.

Cressona - you need to deal in the obvious real world.

Most elections, and they are a part of democracy, are won by not rocking the boat a few months out.

Enter real world. You must win, good intentions and close are just excuses, the curve is in your favor, you don't rock the boat.

Stay tuned, dear. I have know Sally since her baby dyke years, and she is the real thing - but - she is not an old guard socialist. But she has the brains and the touch.

Sorry you have not taken a look at old stale Licata - president of the council, isn't he??

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