The Academy of Local Politics is closed for Spring Break March 8-12.

Go Brewers!

Candidates living in warm climates do not have the challenge of maintaining yard signs during times of melting snowbanks and frozen tundra.

It is that time of year in the Pontificator’s home town.

What to do?

As the snow melts, bare ground appears.

With a hammer and screwdriver you can make the holes in the frozen tundra needed to get the stakes in the ground.

Yes, it is work. But it is the best solution I have found to this problem.

There is going to be a candidate school in Ottawa.

More specifically a women candidate school. But whatever. A candidate school for women interested in running for city council or school board.

I am all for these kinds of schools. They teach the basics and every candidate needs to start with the basics.

If I could give only one piece of advice to those students I would say…

If you lie you have to remember who you lied to and what you lied about.

It’s far easier to simply tell the truth, then you don’t have to remember anything.

I have always believed that political apathy starts at the bottom. That is the citizens. They do not go to meetings when issues are being discussed that impact their lives. They do not speak up at the earlyist opportunity to provide input. I recently came across an article that challenges my theory.

It was written by someone who just refers to himself as Dan. No last name. It was written in 2002. Dan lives in Britain, but what he says could also refer to the United States. Dan believes that apathy comes from the top down. Not the bottom up.

Dan writes, “It is an inevitable end result from the transition of politics from an art form that is dominated by those who engage in politics for the love of politics, and a genuine desire to improve conditions and see good done, to cooler, colder, more calculating ‘career’ politicians, who see it as a job, like in any other company, where the goal is to keep the current party, or company, in power, without the regard to what happens in the country as a whole.

Politicians are, indeed, apathetic. They seem to have no true beliefs these days. This is sad, but also inevitable; since to belong to a major party these days is to allow oneself to be submitted to their rules – namely, you must not have an opinion unless it is that of the party. There is no belief behind their politics.”

Dan continues, “Now, if the politicians really cared and were there for love of country, then they would be more outspoken and genuinely campaign for what they think is right. But they do not, since they love their jobs far too much for that. They stay in the safety and toe the party line. They are apathetic, in short, about genuine politics.”

Dan’s conclusion is, “If politicians or other commentators bemoan that no younger people these days are interested in politics, then how can they be blamed? They should look around them – the politicians aren’t interested in politics, the politicians in power aren’t interested in the public’s wishes, and the public, in term, has nowhere to turn to get things done. They created my apathy. They must remove it.”

Dan is certainly correct. Partisan politics now permeates our government. It does not matter what the issue is. If one party supports an idea, the other party opposes it, just for the sake of opposition it seems. There is no attempt to find common ground to solve problems. The bickering is non stop. Politics as we know it today, is split along party lines. Period. Exclamation point!

Dan, you’ve made me think. I’m not ready to agree that apathy is a problem that starts at the top down. But, you definitely have made me think about it.

I loved reading the following from the Liverpool Daily Post so much it rendered me speechless …

COUNCIL bosses are embarking on a multi-agency exercise aimed at reducing the opacity of municipal information resource materials. Confused? So are they.

In a bid to end the practice of clogging up important documents with impenetrable language that neither they or the public understands, town hall leaders are turning “jargon busters” in a bid to put plain English back on the agenda.

And, in a sign the action could not come a moment sooner, the report in which the recommendation featured contained 117 uses of words on the banned list of confusing language from the Local Government Association (LGA). The recommendation itself contained three.

As part of the effort to bring the “jargonauts” back down to earth, the council is considering sending senior officers on courses to help them rediscover the benefits of plain-speaking.

Another option is to change senior officer job titles so it is easier for the public and other council employees to understand what they do all day.

It is hoped that straight-talking will encourage more people to get involved in local politics.

Does anyone watch Undercover Boss. A great new show where the CEO of a company goes undercover to see what it is like to work at the bottom of the pyramid. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it.

It is very difficult for a Mayor or Alderman to go undercover in their own city. But if you are a Mayor or Alderman I highly recommend observing what it is like at the bottom of your pyramid. Get in a plow truck and ride for a shift. Ride with one of your police officers for a full shift and see what the streets look like to them. Don’t know how your Wastewater Treatment Plant works? Get down there and find out.

Come on. Get your backside out of the chair and see your decisions in action.

I dare you.

A few important reminders about the Academy of Local Politics.

1) Everyone should download the free ebook “Why Your City Council Makes Dumb Decisions and What You Can Do About It.” The link is on your right side. At the top. A common sense approach to better government which encourages a partnership between elected officials and their constituents. Did I mention it was free? What are you waiting for?

2) Just below that is the link to become a Facebook Fan of the Academy of Local Politics. Don’t miss a single post made here at the Academy.

3) At the top is the link to Moving Mountains and Molehills Local Politics 101. The definitive book how “Fight City Hall.” It comes complete with a checklist so you can’t forget to do something. A must buy for anyone who plays the game of local politics.

4) And of course the Contact Page. To contact me.

The Local Government Pontificator

This is the strangest political promise (New Years Resolution) I have ever heard.

San Francisco Supervisor Makes F-Bomb Promise

Supervisor Chris Daly’s resolution for the new year is to utter the word “f***” at every Board of Supervisors meeting in 2010, which by his calculation will happen about 59 times.

Daly has a long history of controversial behavior and has repeatedly drawn criticism and calls for censure for what he has said during public meetings.

During Thursday’s Board of Supervisors Rules Committee, Daly made his intentions known during the public meeting, uttering the first “f***.”

Daly’s New Year’s resolution is his reaction to press scrutiny after swearing during a December meeting.

The plan, however, is not sitting well with Board of Supervisors President David Chiu.

Chiu told The Examiner that he “dropped off a bar of soap” at Daly’s office “so he cleans up his language.”

“The Board of Supervisors should be an example of civil and mature leadership,” Chiu said. “Our city is facing far too many challenges to be distracted by this.”

Daly told The Examiner after the committee meeting that the resolution is like a pledge to go the gym.

“It will probably peter out by like February,” he said.

What a jerk this guy must be.

Do you have a bigger jerk on your city council?

It was a squeaker but the Gavels came through and achieved victory in the Pipe Bowl by a score of 48-44.

In addition to the great game it was an outstanding educational trip for our students.

A short history of the Pipe Bowl …

In the Blue Hills of Western Wisconsin lies a legendary quarry where the ancient Ojibway extracted the soft red stone from which they formed the peace pipe. A finely grained stone running from a rich red to purple in color, pipestone is soft and easily carved once fresh from the earth. Once exposed to the air for a period of time, it turns rock hard. According to legend, pipestone is said to be stained red by the blood of the Creator himself.

The Blue Hills pipestone quarry is on the National Register of Historic places. No one knows when this quarry, a humble pit in the side of a hill and about as deep as a person is tall, was first tapped for it’s stone, but pipestone from the Blue Hills has been in use since 3000 BC.  Located about 50 ft. from the quarry is a small circular area where the trees don’t grow; only some brush and a few saplings are beginning to emerge. Known as the “peace circle”, supposedly many generations of moccasined feet of the ancient indians padded the ground during a ceremony that would be performed here. After many centuries, the vegetation is now just beginning to grow on this trampled piece of land again.

See you next semester!

Peace.

The Academy of Local Politics is now closed for Semester Break.

The Academy staff and students will be cheering on the “Slammin’ Gavels” as they play the Institute of Government Redundancy in the Pipe Bowl on December 29.  Coach K expects a high scoring game as the Redundants have an effective playbook running the same plays over and over again to perfection. Go Gavels!

The Academy returns from Semester Break on January 4, 2010.

Become a Facebook Fan of the Academy of Local Politics to insure you don’t miss a single class next semester!