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VS old-time machine politics
01/27/2009 3:01 PM by John M
At the risk of both becoming ALL POLITICS ALL THE TIME and completely closing the circle: Style Weekly’s Ghosting the Machine is a look at the recent controversy around the appointment to fill the vacant City Council 7th District seat and some of the bigger picture of the new challenges to “old-time machine politics”.
Don’t worry. The good news is that appointing members to City Council is not a frequent circumstance and, besides, this will soon be over.
I think the extraordinary focus that has come to bear on this situation is, in part, due to so many citizens heeding President Obama’s call for greater transparency in government and unity among American people.
Many thanks then to Obama, John Murden and the community blogs, Chris Dovi, Silver Persinger and Don Harrison for fighting for a citizen’s right to know what its elected officials are doing.
I think it is so great that we’re finally getting some attention to this issue! And, of course, thanks to Joe for saying it first!
Thanks also to John Murden for posting the link to this story – hey hey, they even used the term Marsh Machine! Next up, more media coverage of this problem?! Please, I hope so!
I find it refreshing that this is getting so much media attention now. I don’t feel Obama’s call for change or transparency had an effect on all this. I believe the residents of the area are finally fed up with all the deceitful practices going on in City Hall and are finally doing all they can to put a stop to it! I’m proud to live in an area with so many involved neighbors who want more than the status quo from their local government. Keep up the great work everyone!
SEW,
I agree that people are fed up with the backdoor politics that rely on a complacent citizenry.
But, I do submit that perhaps Obama’s election and his call for unity has helped embolden and inspire everyone.
I, too, am proud of the 7th!
I agree Joe. I think we are in an age where we need, and have, taken our government back. I am VERY proud of the 7th. Thanks all for bringing this into the light.
Has anyone wondered why it is the neither the Richmond Free Press nor the Voice have covered this story?
#6, yes. Have wondered but have not read either in awhile. Have they, in fact, not done a story on either one? Is Jeremy Lazarus still writing for the Free Press, and has anyone contacted him, I wonder? Those are both weekly papers, maybe they’ll come out with something this week? Just wondering…
I asked around. Turns out Dwight Jones is Richmond Free Press Publisher, Ray Boone’s, smack-dab-next-door-neighbor.
Don’t know what is up with Jack Greene at the Voice.
Richmond’s small scale political machines are a pet issue of mine. I wrote a blog entry about it right after the election, hoping that the spirit of openness of the Obama campaign would eventually sink into the Richmond power structure. Unfortunately, it looks like it’s the other way around, with the democratic party bolstering machine politics in Richmond for national and statewide gains. No surprise there. Haven’t read the Style piece yet, but looking forward to it.
http://caramelizedopinions.blogspot.com/2008/11/dems-wrecking-democracy-in-rva.html
‘To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history ….’
Obama Inaugural Address