Candidate forums for a long time around here have had a lousy track record in attempting to enlighten voters. We’ve seen it all, you know — the cattle calls, the boring speeches, the waxing about grandchildren and what a wonderful place Barry County is to live in, work in and raise a family. The only thing that seems to have been missing is thoughtful political discourse to help us poor shmucks decide on election day which one is the best man or woman for the job.
The First Friday series, virtually the only game in town (Hastings) for the last 17 years, has made a valiant attempt to bring these essential debates and information to the voters via the forums themselves and through coverage in the Hastings Banner. Yet, “at the end of the day,” there always has been a disturbing lack of critical information about who is more qualified, capable and deserving of being chosen to go to Lansing or Hastings and make decisions on our behalf.
However, there are whispers gradually growing louder that this year’s “meet the candidates” affairs will be more substantive, filled with pointed and sometimes somewhat embarassing questions. In other words, there is a promise of holding incumbents and challengers accountable in open public debates on important issues. My sources have told me the people responsible for the forums are working diligently on developing a list of prepared questions that matter, questions none of the candidates will see ahead of time. They have told me they have absolutely no intention of allowing candidates to drone on and on or dance while not adequately answering what is being asked.
The key is to have no-nonsense moderators who possess solid bullshit detectors and somebody handy with a stopwatch to limit candidates’ responses to say, three minutes or less. The key is having a referee who insists on straight talk about serious issues that enlighten attendees, viewers, readers and eventually the voters so they can make more informed choices on primary election day, Aug. 8.
What makes this even more interesting is that there is an indication Ionia plans to have a similar serious forum for state rep candidates there, one that puts the accent on what the candidates say about the issues rather than on how many children and grandchildren they’ve been able to have (as if this talent makes anyone qualified to serve in public office), what church they attend or how much they love living in beautiful, rural Barry County.
The goal this year, I have been told, is to avoid a comment like the one former County Commissioner Bob Wenger made at the Gary Newell-Jim Bailey debate in July 2000 that there wasn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the two and rather than waste an hour at the First Friday, “I should have stayed home and planted corn.” If we get two informative candidates forums for state rep. and one good one each for the county prosecutor’s race and County Board of Commissioners’ contests, I’ll finally believe we have served our Founding Fathers well, and it will be up to the voters to sort out the buckwheat from the bullshit.
OK, from what I’ve been hearing, here in Barry County, there are three forums left before the August primary:
• Thursday, June 29, at 7 p.m. — Thomas Jefferson Hall, Hastings, for the two candidates for prosecutor, appointed interim Julie Nakfoor Pratt and challenger Thomas Evans.
• Thursday, July 6, at 7 p.m. — Thomas Jefferson Hall, for the 10 candidates in the GOP primary races in the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Barry County Board districts.
• Thursday, July 27, at 7 p.m. — Thomas Jefferson Hall, for the six candidates in the GOP primary for 87th District State Representative. At the risk of being totally biased (it’s my blog, after all), I’ve already endorsed Brian Reynolds for state representative and I’ve seen absolutely no reason to change my opinion.
Do yourself a favor and either show up for any or all of these forums, read the Banner accounts or watch them on Local Cable Access Channel 12. To paraphrase what a friend of mine once said, the stakes are too high for you to stay home or look the other way.
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24 comments:
I atended the Lukasiewicz - newell debate a couple of years ago and presented several very good questions but the moderator failed to ask them as they brought up new problems with Mr. Newell. I am speculating the reason as I don't know for sure but did find it strange that lesser questions did get asked. I hope that the moderator asks ALL substantial questions this time as this debate for the prosecutors office could very well turn the tide strongly against Ms. Pratt if her track record gets out.
On thing that might help here would be to get one of those "aplause" signs used on live telivision shows. we could turn it around and have it say things like "wrap it up" or "speed it up". This could be useful but only if the canidates can read.
Is it possible to get someone like Simon Cowell (American Idol) to verbally abuse the candidates if they drone on about non issues like grand-childrens birthday parties, and family values?
Bye the way Wade, when are we going to see a blog/journal with more of your insights?
Maybe something with stories from the campaign trail.
I, for one would be interested in your platform.
I think Don Rickles would work better for insulting canidates. Or does that date me a little, lol.
Is he still alive?
Maybe Dennis Leary could be the understudy.
Bring back the Gong Show.
I do not think that Fred Jacobs or Dave Young should moderate any of the First Friday Forums. Both "report" the news and shouldn't have a hand in creating it.
If it is to be fair and just an outsider should moderate. No one in this county is unbiased or unconnected enough
Sounds like a "cliquer" speaking. What would an outsider know about you insiders???????? The news people moderate just about all debates around our Nation and do a very good job. Sounds like you don't want any "hard" questions asked?? Someone has to keep score in this County, who else can we turn to?????????
Always trying to protect your turf! That's what got us into the mess we have in County and State Government!
"Cliquer" I am not. This is common sense: Think about it-They are in the news selling business. Of course they are going to want it to be an event worth reading about. They WANT people to say, "Have you seen The Banner Today?" It's just not appropriate.
And really-they can't be opinionless. They have people that they root for and how can that not effect your judgement. You can't be unbiased in a small town, that's all I'm saying.
I agree with your premise and your right to voice it and feel it. For me, the bias has always been in favor of the small town hoods that run Hastings and the County Government (by the way, I'm looking for a part-job with full bennies). I agree with most of what the Banner exposes. We are short one former sheriff and one former prosecutor, both who strung their own rope up and dangled from it. When the political corruption in Hastings and Barry County subsides then I believe a more subtle and harmonious debate of the issues may occur. I believe Fred Jacobs did take a little too much personal talk time in the last debate. But, we were going off the main topic of what the debate was really about, "Fire the Senate!" I can understand his trying to steer us back. Hopefully this time it will be pointed questions and the candidates will stick to the issues at hand, what they're running for! Not that their kid got a blue ribbon at last years County Fair or they were a former member of the Peanut Gallery! I for one will attend the Prosecutors Debate and will not recognize "Incumbent" status at all!
There should be a box next to Pratt's name, (A) for Annointed. Still, I am undecided, will give both equal consideration and want to hear hard facts and answers, not promises.
I think JNP wouldn't want people to vote for her just because she is the "incumbant" but it isn't fair to hold it against her either.
Tom is so wrapped up with the local sheriff's dept. that he is much more a part of the "town hoods" than she is.
Not holding anything against JNP, will listen to her and Mr Evans and make my decision. Neither one has spent much time in Court, hence, how can we really judge them? Can't hold it against her????? She accepted the "annointment." If it chooses to be a duck, it probably walks/quacks like one!!!!! Sorry!
She should have known she was joining a list of previously unacceptable jerks picked by the Hastings hoods.
I believe it is too early to characterize the Sheriff's Deptmt has part of the "hoods." Alot has been acomplished by the new Sheriff, at least he shows up for work, thats one up from the former.
The Sheriff can only do so much. The County Board must come up with funds to support more Deputies. After, of course, paying their health bennies!
Due to Federal/State/Local budget constraints there should be a law enforcement summit, attended by all municipalities in the County. If some Villages, Townships, and one ittie-bittie City can spend extra on police patrols it is time that all governments contributed to a county-wide police funding, even if from their General Funds. $25,000 to 50,000 a piece, would make a big difference in one small County! Or, go for a County-wide millage? People want protection, before Parks, etc.
The State is trying to fund a new State Police School, money which could be funneled to county and local governments to hire more deputies/officers, cheaper than hiring the tailored uniformed clones of the State. Funding only includes the school, not their salaries before, during, and after. It's time we started to use our money wisely. Let me repeat, OUR money! A new state school will put out about 75 new state officers. With 86 counties in the State the question begs: Will we see where our Money goes? NO! One here, one there, who can see the difference???????????
State Police outdated in populated Counties like Kazoo, Allegan, Kent, Calhoun. They all have their Labs, K-9, Bomb Squads, SWAT Teams. State is needed in the northern parts of Michigan, send them there! Or, base them in Lansing and send out when a Mass Murder in Sault Saint Marie, etc. Maintain the main Lab in Lansing, and maybe satelite labs around the State. Cut their numbers and increase road patrol deputies and locals at less cost! The days of money to burn won't be back!
Brings up Smallville #1. Chief retiring, word is his clone Deputy will succeed him, and Officer Pratt will be new Deputy Chief????????????? Two Pratts to join the "clan." Why doesn't the City advertise for the Chief's position and get the best possible person for the job. If the Deputy scores high and gets chosen, at least he won on his own and was not "annointed" like the rest. This annointment would have snuck up on you, right???????
Anyone suggesting David or Fred from the Banner not be involved had better get real and start naming names and making phone calls. It's not like people line up to do the job. I doubt Suzanne Geha cares a whole helluva lot about making the drive down to Mayberry to call our little square dance. Unfortunately, anyone who knows enough about what the issues are probably had a horse in the race or at least has connections to some of the stables to carry the metaphor probably farther than it deserved. Saying the editor of the local paper shouldn't moderate is a bit ridiculous when you look at the fact that the media that covers the race is always the one who puts on and moderates political debates.
And while I'm at it, I'm just going to warn certain parties right now that they need to keep the comments on local races civil and fair. While it has stayed that way so far I have a bad feeling that in another month at the rate the discussion has been going things might get more heated. Comments will be deleted if they go beyond the pale which unfortunately is going to have to be a judgement call on my part and one I don't want to make.
Thanks for reading and commenting. Your interest is always appreciated.
Tom in with the "town hoods"? Hardly. JNP is married to one-though a city cop. She has also chained herself to the courthouse clique, a move that didn't help Fekkes in the Probate Judge race.
It is fair to hold the incumbant label against her--she is one . She's flaunting it by putting "retain" on her signs. If she actually worked to change the bad practices of the office, maybe I'd have more respect for her.
I think both divy the doughnut faction pretty well, since both draw from different groups within the faction.
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As in past forums for Commissioner, it will be interesting to see who doesn't attend. Then Jacobs/Young have the rest of the month to harp on it. I know the Englerth/Tripp race could be a Democratic fundraiser. Have them mud wrestle and charge admission.
I love it, "The donut faction." LOL
What a hoot this has been reading all these entries. For those interested in public safety issues visit the Agitator 3 link on this site.
I have not seen where tom is "in" with the local sheriff. Although I am not a regular up there, i do have frequent indirect interactions with the department. I do not see a direct want of the department to have tom be prosecutor but more a want of someone different than what we have now. All we see of the officers there are our contact with them durring speed enforcement or simular situations. But a tremendous amount of their time is spent doing things that we, law abiding citizens, would shy away from as best we could. they put in a tremendous amount of work in some pretty terrible situations only to have there work undermined by the current prosecutor. A case tossed around in several blog lines now is the Wymer drug case. the officers spent many hours on that one and many of those hours were on holidays, night shifts, and the like. Since the Wymers had been under investigation since sometime in 2002, I would trully hate to see the time log on that case and the money spent by the department to perform the investigation. Ms. Pratt not only tossed all of their work in the trash can but totally disrespected them as officers due to her lax execution of her duties.the sheriff's position is that he has to work with her so he is not going to say anything but one knows he is pretty disappointed and possibly discouraged. He fights for more funding but then what he has now is thrown away by Pratt. a pretty rotten situation for the department and this county.
And speaking of funding, what is going to happen when Mr. wymer gets out of our local lockup in November? Since he has proven he will return to manufacturing illegal narcotics (he has spent time in Jackson in the past for it. got out and went right back to it.) it will be a sure bet he will go at it again. this means that the Sheriff Department will not only have investigations ongoing then of others, but will be forced to return again to the wymers. And the wymers will only be more bold as they were given a "get out of jail free" card (I just had to use that myself, lol)this time by Pratt. Just take what has been spent on this past investigation and double it. We will pay it. We will have to. where will it come from? Higher taxes? Other programs? Or will whining babies in this county hold their hand out and demand it from the state? the state should not have to pay for our screw up.
Tim Wymer's wife Melissa only got probation out of that bust plus the one after that and she is back in court on some other matter right now. How much is this county going to pay to deal with these two?
Hope to see you at the debates????????
Is the Wymer case Julie's Willie Horton?
Or does it fall near the McNeil/Pennock range?
The Wymer case falls squarely on Pratts watch. She was the one calling the shots. She was the one giving the Sheriff department grief for the news of her actions getting out. When the Wymers were raided again and found to be once again possessing, It was Pratt to refuse to even charge them again.
Yes, This could very well be Julie's "Willie Horton".
And the sad thing is she as well as her supporters have maintained stone cold silence about it. It appears they know their goose is cooked.
The only thing McNeil had to do with this is to hold off any action by the police department to the Wymers until he left office. This may be because he had represented Melissa Wymer durring his private practice on a civil matter (immediately prior to becoming prosecutor) in which he had proven his failure as an officer of the court. It turned out the Wymer woman had sued her ex 6 times in the previous 6 years and had lost every time. She would refuse to pay her attorney and retain a new one and sue again. She walked into McNeil's office playing the helpless woman, Bonehead McNeil's "White Knight" personna kicked in and they were off to the races. Bonehead demonstrated this same self destructive behavior pattern durring his failed prosecution of some Drug dealer (Rosenberg?)for rape based on the victims embelished testimony. there may have been some basis to the case but it was evident McNeil had not investigated things adequetly and the guy was aquitted.
the funny thing was that the accussed told McNeil that he should have investigated things a little better. McNeil was his arrogant self and ended up throwing away many thousands of taxpayer dollars.
Barry County citizens should start a "Court Watch" Program. It has been successful in many Counties in Michigan. Volunteers, oftentimes retired persons looking for valuable community service opportunities, sit through trials and hearings, submitting lay evaluations of Judges, Prosecutors, etc., to the local newspapers. They report also when the Judge is late for Court, Prosecutor reamed out for mistakes, weak plea bargaining, etc.
Good project for the Banner. Have this report card right next to the police beat.
The Banner already has a police beat reporter. Was don't they research sentancing/plea bargins/ and the like? It is public information. Fred Jacobs should concider this as it would greatly increase sales of his paper and that is what he is trully after, lol.
The Banner has the "Court News" under the police beat. It usually has 4-8 cases with a brief description. It is close to this discussion, but would need a little motification
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