Thursday, May 9, 2013

Older = Better Mayor


I am more mature!

What exactly does that mean? 

Does being older ensure you are going to make the best decisions?

What evidence is there to support the argument that older means wiser? 

Does a lot of experience guarantee that you will make the best choices?

The answer is of course no.

*I could end this here because I have made my point but I will continue.

Have you learned from your mistakes or do you still insist you were right and just misunderstood?

Do you live with your past glories or do await new opportunities?

Are your best days behind you or have they just prepared you for this moment?

Will you embrace change with open arms or hold it back because that is not the way we did it?

If you are in the last third of your life span are you as concerned about the future as you would be if you were in the first third?

Some would say that the more mature you are the less likely you are to be open to new ideas, that you are set in your ways and that change is more difficult for you.

Does a more mature person have the same level of energy and stamina as a younger person?

*I know I am asking a lot of questions here but my point is coming.

In my various jobs throughout the years my best bosses the ones I learned the most from have been younger than me.  There was often a trade off of learning.  I would be a calming influence on them and my age and experience was a good sounding board for them to bump ideas against. But, what I learned from them about technology, how to survive and thrive in a corporate setting and some basic people management and time management skills helped me to grow as a person and they opened my eyes to new ways of thinking to new ideas.  I was constantly shifting my paradigm.

In 2008 John McCain claimed his age and experience to be an advantage over the younger and untested Barack Obama.  Mr. McCain chose Sarah Palin to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency and Barack Obama chose Joe Biden.  I will leave up to you to decide whether the older more experienced man made the better choice. 

It is true that Obama did choose an older and more experienced man to be VP and he chose him for those very reasons.  But, the younger Barack Obama is the one in charge.

Bethlehem Mayoral candidate Bob Donchez is claiming to be more qualified to hold public office because he is more mature than the other candidate in the race.

Older = Better Mayor

Being Mayor of Bethlehem is not a retirement job.  Maybe in the past you would have had your career and now that you have the time and a pension you can give your full attention to the city and serve as Mayor.  The office of Mayor has changed since Mr. Donchez’s self professed role model for the office left in 1987.
Mr. Donchez and his benefactors have run a negative and disgraceful campaign and one they should not be very proud of.

I want a Mayor who will work hard to unite this city; Mr. Donchez is running a campaign that is trying to divide us.  If this is an example of how Mr. Donchez’s mature leadership will lead this city I say bring on the youthful J. William Reynolds.

6 comments:

  1. Well said, Donald.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much - and thanks for reading and taking the time to comment

      Delete
  2. Good points but negatve campaigns are part of the process

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That might be true - but you should offer more than that

      Delete
  3. I'm amazed and grateful for your courage to speak out. Local politics impact our daily lives more than we think. Perhaps it's the imbalance of television ads during presidential, senatorial or gubernatorial races? The lack of presence on TV does not negate the need to know about local politics.

    If I don't see a local campaign during a commercial break of some ridiculously banal television program, I'm glad that political fundraising isn't putting donations better spent on social needs. Without expensive TV ads, the public may seek local newspaper endorsements to aid their voting decisions; but with these enterprises being chewed up by national companies, we rely on the local writers who have made personal investments in our communities to stir conversation and to enlighten others. Local campaigns are dominated by mailers and lawn signs. Without the insight of engaged citizens who reveal the fine line of campaign practices, I could easily be misled. That's why campaigns hire consultants. I get it.

    When I see negative campaigns, I feel like someone is trying to scare me into voting for a "protector." Nonsense.

    My vote goes to the candidate who not only reflects my values, but gives me the best sense of who will empower citizen engagement after the election is over. An effective mayor doesn't "run" the city from the machinations of a private office. Policy is not accepted by the public if designed by a "behind the scenes" authority who knows what is best for the public. There are many leaders who need to work together, and citizens who must engage in the process beyond election day.

    You are one of a few local writers I have come to admire and trust. You help me stay informed on issues that impact my family's daily life. Perhaps bloggers are more of a threat to the way things were than we think.

    I am grateful to you and to all writers who engage in political conversation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (I thought I responded last week) Thanks Silagh for your response. This has been the most negative campaign for mayor in my (lengthy)memory and it is all on one side. I hope I provoked at least a few people to think about this election.

      Delete