To which I take great offense. Cynicism and despair are the provenance of the disreputable blogger, thank you very much, and we don’t like folk tromping around in our territory.
Anyways, that’s how I read Dan Hart’s comments on the efforts of Obama volunteers to rid Nor’Town politics of its entrenched voter apathy and sense of disenfranchisement:
Dan Hart, a campaign consultant working for Buck, said that even though [Obama cum Robinson volunteer Alison] Schwartz is helping Robinson, she doesn’t bring any advantage to the campaign in terms of knowing which registered voters to target. The campaigns, he said, are targeting the same voters who voted in the last election, pure and simple. (Sun)
Ah, that’s right. Target the thousand or so city workers and city employee union cronyies whose jobs you can threaten! That’s the way to celebrate the American experiment in democratic government!
Thus continues the cycle of Nor’Town voter apathy and ennui.
Perhaps if one of the other less cynical candidates were elected, he or she might consider what could be done to increase voter participation. Perhaps even make it a civic campaign to increase citizen knowledge of the nature of city government. Maybe encourage Nor’Town High Schools to add a trip to City Hall to a civics course.
Granted, what really needs to be done is campaign finance reform placing real restrictions on the maximum amounts corporations and individuals can contribute and make campaign reporting take place more often and with greater transparency. Stuff, unfortunately, which happens at the state level and isn’t. Though moving city elections to the same time as other races would in itself get more people out to municipal elections.
Still, I suppose Nor’Towners would deserve the most cynical candidate if they decide to throw away their vote by not showing up at the ballot box. That seems to be what Dan’s planning for, anyway.
Let’s try to disappoint him, okay?
The people pictured in the Sun article are paid canvassers, not volunteers.