Assume for a moment that Charles and David Koch decided to use their vast billions to dominate Whitewater’s local politics. They’d spend whatever they had, under this hypothetical, to put their hand-picked candidates in office, for advertising, public relations, goodwill community events, and lobbying to get their way in elections, appointments, and in pressuring local…
Politics
Elections, Politics, State Government
Low Comedy in 3, 2, 1…
by JOHN ADAMS •
Democrats have three choices for the 15th District Senate Primary: Evansville’s Assembly Rep. Janis Ringhand, Janesville-native Austin Scieszinski, or former Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan. One sometimes encounters a politician who simply refuses to remain a former politician, and when one encounters such a person, that discovery probably sounds like Mike Sheridan. (He’s reportedly walking about,…
Politics
He Should Have Filed on April 1st
by JOHN ADAMS •
Via the Gazette: Mike Sheridan files for candidacy for Senate seat. Sheridan said earlier this week he planned to publicaly [sic] announce his candidacy early next week. He filed paperwork to run for the 15th Senate District seat Friday, according to the state Government Accountability Board’s website…. Sheridan was elected to the 44th District of…
City, Local Government, Politics
Policy in the City
by JOHN ADAMS •
Council had a busy agenda Tuesday night, and there’s much to consider from the meeting. For today, though, here are two points not about specific policies, but about policy generally. First, Council Pres. Singer and Pres. Pro Tem Binnie were re-elected unanimously to those posts. That’s good for the city, as they’re steady in manner,…
Animals, Cats, Politics
Be The Middle Cat
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Local Government, Politics
“The Closer You Look, The Less You See”
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Elections, Politics
On the Spring General Election 2014
by JOHN ADAMS •
A few observations on yesterday’s election — The 4th District Council Race. Despite experiencing the most negative campaign in recent memory, Lynn Binnie won reelection handily over Paul Yvarra. Of the two-candidate vote (excluding write-in votes), Mr. Binnie received 283 to Mr. Yvarra’s 111. By percentage, that’s a winning share of 71.8% of the…
Film, Music, Politics
An In-Case-You-Missed-It Post
by JOHN ADAMS •
Spring Break in our school district and campus is now over. For those who were on break, whether traveling or relaxing in the city, one hopes your time was pleasant. Here’s an ICYMI post with links to selected posts from the last week at this site. Politics, about our 4th District Council race: A Dodgy…
City, Local Government, Politics
On Paul Yvarra’s False Claims to the Gazette
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s another development in the Common Council race between Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra. In a published story in Saturday’s Gazette entitled, Whitewater council candidate admits mistakes about opponent, Paul Yvarra acknowledges what every reasonable person in all Whitewater already knew: that Mr. Yvarra’s charge about Fairhaven Senior Services being responsible for municipal fiscal difficulties…
City, Local Government, Politics
Positive Perspectives for Local Politics
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater’s now seeing what it’s like to experience a negative and deceptive campaign, but our city is better than that. To cleanse the palate, consider what politics should and can be. Respect for facts and sound reasoning. People are naturally smart and reasonable, not just a few, but many, in every part of a community.…
City, Economy, Local Government, Politics
Mr. Yvarra’s Campaign: Even More Deceptive Than Before
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve written previously about the contested race in Whitewater’s Fourth Council District, an election choice between Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra. See, on this topic, On Whitewater’s 4th District Council Race, and (about the Yvarra campaign) A Dodgy and Deceptive Campaign. In a statement to the Gazette, for their comprehensive election series, Paul Yvarra has…
City, Elections, Politics
A Dodgy and Deceptive Campaign
by JOHN ADAMS •
Of our local elections, with a spring general election next Tuesday, one may confidently say two things. First, there is one contested Whitewater election on the ballot, between incumbent Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra for the 4th Council District. Second, and sadly just as true, the Yvarra campaign is running the most error-prone and deceptive…
Politics, Religion
Presence Rather Than Partisan Answers
by JOHN ADAMS •
Years ago, during a controversy in Whitewater, someone told me a story about an official who, I learned, asked God’s help to relieve that official from a political burden. The official delivered his request, apparently, in blunt, specific terms. I don’t know whether the official received an answer to his prayers, or whether he believed…
Local Government, Politics
For Diligence on Policy, There Is No ‘Above and Beyond’
by JOHN ADAMS •
I read an interview yesterday, of a Whitewater political candidate, touting his years of experience. He declared that, among those who were aware of his work, most “would likely say that I almost never miss a meeting and I come well prepared, often having gone above and beyond in researching a matter.” It’s important to attend…