In Ashland Oregon When the Going Gets Dumb The Dumb Turn Pro

Toni Buckley Dockter – Founder; Publisher; Editor-in-Chief; Distribution Manager;

Intrepid Reporter; IT Guy; Coffee Girl

email: fwepub@aol.com

www.fuchsiawoman.com/blog

MOTTO: When telling the truth is a revolutionary act. 

All editorial     All social commentary    All for the common good

 Issue Number 43  –  October 18, 2020

 

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First, thanks to Hunter S. Thompson for a variation on his quote in the headline above. Also thanks to Mark Twain, America’s beloved satirist, who said:

“Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”

Good advice. But alas, we at the Outlandia Gazette choose to ignore it. Can’t help it.

Because we feel it is our patriotic duty to sideline the stupidity in Ashland, Oregon.

We will continue to argue with Ashland’s City Hall peeps–the BuBu’s (Bumbling Bureaucrats); Graham Crackers; and associated associates (like previous mayors and their sidekicks) as long as it takes to:

• * alleviate the anancephalic agony;
• * banish the bad behavior;
• * correct the crony corruption;
• * demolish the debilitating dishonesty;
• * eliminate the — well, you get the idea.

Such as:

City Councilmen Rich Rosenthal’s false accusation on-line labeling me as a racist. How “unfortunate” he had to be scolded by jurisprudence for committing a legally actionable offense. Imbecilic behavior.

City Councilmen Stephen Jensen’s false accusation on-line that I am a member of a political campaign. How “unfortunate” he had to be scolded by jurisprudence as well. Idiotic behavior.

Then he writes a letter to a newspaper (10/19/20) stating that Ms. Graham Cracker’s candidacy being supported by 5 of the 6 Ashland councilpeople is a good thing! No wonder he won the 2020 Cognitive Himpairment Man of the Year Award.

City Councilman Dennis Slattery’s false accusation in an email to me stating that my political donation means I “own” a candidate. How would that even work? I make a donation and said politician is now my property? Like slavery? Like the politician is now required to do my housework? My grocery shopping? My laundry? Slattery also thinks that satire is supposed to be fact-checked! Boneheaded thinking.

Linda Gadfly Adam’s false accusation online that I wrote the Shaun-Sham Postcard. She also stated my donations to two candidates were $3,000 and $1,500 when in REALITY they were $2,000 and $1,000. She also thinks she knows what satire is but she doesn’t. How “unfortunate” she will be scolded by jurisprudence. Many levels of stupidity–possibly due to the fact that the size of a fly’s brain is five hair-breadths across and two hair-breadths long.

City Councilwoman Tonya Graham Cracker’s snail-mail letter labeling me a big dollar donor (seriously?) and then equating this to the fall of Western Civilization. Then begging for money to offset my donation. Then when that effort failed, decided that campaigns should be a “grassroots” thing. Meaning: No “big” donations.

Ms. Graham Cracker filed her application for Mayor on 6/18/2020. This would have been the appropriate time to suggest limiting contribution amounts. Not more than three months later when her donation amounts turned out to be quite paltry. (Another example of her flip-flopping for political gain.)

And where was the outrage by the four city council people (and others like Mayor Stromberg, Councilwoman Stefi Seffinger, Parks Director Michael Black, City Attorney David Lohman) when an old-thinking rich white guy angles to donate $1.2 million to desecrate Lithia Park–in the form of a bambooed “death memorial” and chopping down two healthy 90 year-old-trees–without the consent of Ashland citizens?

Does acceptance of that money mean–according to Dennis Slattery–that the million-dollar man is now a ‘slave owner’ of City Council and Parks Commissioner members?

If not, then the assumption that $2,000 unduly influences Ashland while $1.2 million does not is dumb, dumber, and dumbest.

What puzzles us at the Gazette is not from whom all this politicking emanates–we have the list of usual suspects. But how has it become so acceptable that council people can make untrue and defamatory statements–without a shred of evidence–and think that it’s A-OK?

To explain this vexing situation, let’s bring back Gazette pal, Professor Ima SmartyPants, who dispenses intelligent statements for a change.

 

 

Greetings again Gazette Readers!

Pleased to be back. Here’s my educated analysis:

The obvious answer as to why it’s OK for these councilpeople to engage in untrue accusations is because there are no consequences. Who is going to stand up to them that has the same power? Same political clout? Same access to a public forum that they do?

It does not matter to them that stating a falsehood is unethical behavior (and sometimes illegal) as long as it gets them what they want. All of my research shows that the motivation for political profiteering is to maintain the status quo power structure that keeps them in office. Allies form. Cronyism flourishes. Hubris breeds.

The case in Ashland Oregon is particularly brazen. Politically-induced behaviors–like lying; deception; secrecy; self-serving actions–fly around that town like a plague of locusts during Biblical times. Most citizens think the best you can do to avoid infestation is to duck and cover. Or move.

But perhaps there is way to rid Ashland of perpetuating its harmful–which is dumb–way of doing government. To do so requires knowledge of how it started in the first place. Again, my research provides answers.

To understand how Ashland’s current government got it so wrong it helps to understand how other cities got it right. I conducted a survey among U.S. Mayors. I needed to ask them only one question:

Explain in one sentence how you view your role as a Mayor.

Bill de Blasio: “It is my honor to be entrusted with the health and welfare of the extraordinary residents of New York City.”

Mayor Pete: “I serve with pleasure the fine folks of Indianapolis.”

Keisha Lance Bottoms: “It is my privilege to serve and care for the wonderful citizens of Atlanta.”

Lori Lightfoot: “I humbly serve the entire Chicago community with their best interests at all times.”

Eric Garcetti: “I work for the people of Los Angeles. Period.”

Ted Wheeler: “Whatever Portlanders want; whatever Portlanders need; whatever makes Portlanders happy; I am there for Portlandia 24/7 no matter state or federal interference.”

It’s easy to see the recurring theme among these statements.

In contrast, let’s look at the statement by Cathy Shaw, former Mayor of Ashland:

“I am the CEO of a municipal corporation.” (Also reiterated on her LinkedIn page.)

CEO Shaw forgot about the people! CEO Shaw abandons Ashland as a community!  She views her job as being the boss of a company! Meaning: You do as I say. Not I do as you say.

This is where the destructive mindset originated–an aberrant viewpoint where the power structure is reversed. The power should rest with the people. Not the elected official.

It is a mutation of the concept: government of the people, by the people, for the people.

And like a genetic mutation, it can skip a generation.  Which it did in Ashland–and then landed squarely on Mayor John Stromberg and his administration. My research shows circumventing the will and welfare of the people is sheer dumbness. You end up with more skullduggery; more hostility; more arrogance; more malfeasance; more nepotism; more self-interest than can be tolerated in a free society–or a cool community like Ashland.

Consequently, this is how you end up with a Mayor, Council, City Attorney, and Commissioners who feel they can do anything and say anything with impunity.

This is how you end up with the city council endorsing CEO-thinking and status-quo seeking candidate Graham Cracker. This is how you end up with Jessica Kensinger (Candidate for City Council Position 5) stating in the AAUW Zoom debate forum (9/27/2020) that she is “for the status quo of services” and wants “to treat Ashland as the corporate municipality that it is.” (Shaw coaching or Internet trolling? Hard to tell.)

How to stop the perversion of basic democracy? To use a mythological metaphor, remember the Hydra monster? Borrow Athena’s magical sword and sever the main head forever.

 

 

Or more practical, become an engaged citizen. Learn the issues. Find out what is really going on. Don’t accept the distortions pumped out by an “I am the boss of you” political machine.

Remember, when the going gets dumb and the dumb turn pro, it’s your turn–to turn out and vote.

Thanks for listening!

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Thank you, Professor SmartyPants for another enlightened and oh-so-valuable civics lesson. Here’s to a truthful, citizen-serving, CEO-less future in Ashland Oregon!

And may the next–and last–wildfire Ashland experiences be from the flames of Ashland’s “liar-liar-pants-on-fire” politicians as they scamper out of town.