Shunned by Keith Wilkowski, Toledo Mayor Candidate

Politics is sometimes interesting. I say interest because right now I do not know what phrase to use. I'm thinking something is really strange in the Keith Wilkowski campaign for Toledo Mayor.

As I have previously written, I have known Keith a long time, long before he ever became a candidate for Mayor of the City of Toledo.

Several occurrences have transpired that lead me to believe that since formally announcing his latest candidacy Keith feels that I no longer even exist or that I am not worthy of being acknowledged.

You may ask what type of occurrences would cause me to come to such a conclusion. Well, I'll tell you.

I have been getting lots of Wilkowski campaign crap in various internet social networks, like twitter which I may soon block due to lack of personal contact and like the Keith Wilkowski for Mayor Facebook group that I did drop due to lack of personal contact, and from Ben Krompak or other cronies from the Wilkowski For Mayor Committee.

Then, there is the small matter of campaign literature and invitations sent to my house addressed solely to my wife, Judy Hansen, who just happens to be an elected official herself as a member of the Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board, serving in her third 4-year term. That is the same body to which I had been elected for three terms and had served twelve years before deciding not to seek re-election, but to which my wife then decided to seek.

At any rate, it is one thing to send campaign literature and invites to campaign social events to my wife and omit me but the biggest slap of all came in today's USPS mail. Today, I was somewhat aghast to see in the mail an invitation stating, in part:

Join us for a festive informative evening
to learn more about
Toledo Mayoral Candidate
Keith Wilkowski
Join us for summertime drinks & hors d'oeuvres
at the home of
Michael and Jody DeBacker
3230 Hidden Ridge * Maumee, Ohio
Thursday, July 9, 2009
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Well, actually it is not the invitation that has left me aghast. It is the way the invitation is addressed. I mean, come on, what would you think if it were you - and you were Roland Hansen, the person who knew the candidate for many years (27+) and it was the candidate with whom you had worked with politically for years - and then you see the invitation addressed to:

Judy Hansen & Guest
What am I, chopped liver?

Lucas County Commissioner in 2010

Back on July 6th, 2007, I started a message thread on the Toledo area political message board, SwampBubbles, attempting to stir up some serious conversation about the next Mayoral election that was more than two years down the road; that is this year's election. While my posting resulted in quite a few comments, there was very little serious dialogue by the so-called self-proclaimed political activists, bloggers, commentators.

It was soon after that message thread that some people began to circulate a rumor that I, Roland Hansen, was going to be a candidate for Mayor of Toledo and posted some negative commentary along those lines on various political blogs and internet message boards. I guess these folks just had to practice their art of political predictions and character assassination.

Regardless of that bit about me, here we are today in the heat of the initial stages of the primary election battle to determine the next Mayor of the City of Toledo, Ohio in which many people are bemoaning the choices being proffered to date. I guess the electorate will always remain the same, a bunch of crybabies who sit on the sidelines complaining about "bad" government and "dirty" politicians. For reference sake, I suggest you take a look at that message thread: Toledo Mayor in 2009.
(Oh, incidentally, did you read my prediction back then about the recall effort of the Mayor? Such useless and wasted energy as is today's Take Back Toledo push!)

Now, what has all that got to do with the Roland Hansen Commentary of today? Okay, if you went to the aforementioned message thread and read it, you will understand more fully what I am now addressing.

Here goes ...

All right, I know we haven't even elected the Mayor of the City of Toledo, Ohio yet this year, let alone chosen the two candidates for Toledo Mayor in the primary election that is still just short of three months away. Heck, the general election is still five months off into the future from this entry of Roland Hansen Commentary.

None-the-less, one of the candidates for Toledo Mayor is Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop who was elected to a four-year term back in 2006 and who has broken his 2006 campaign pledge to complete his full term if he were to be elected a Lucas County Commissioner.

I suspect that Ben Konop will not even survive the September 2009 municipal primary election to be a candidate for Mayor of Toledo in the November 2009 general election. In the unlikely possibility that he does survive the primary election to be a candidate in the general election, he should be soundly defeated.

All of that brings me to my main focus today. The seat on the Board of Lucas County Commissioners currently held by Ben Konop is up for election in 2010. I'm going to assume Benny Konop will fall flat on his face in his Toledo mayoral quest and seek re-election as a Lucas County Commissioner, that is, of course, providing Benny-boy doesn't find some other political elective office that suits his political opportunistic fancy and go for it instead. In the event that Ben Konop does seek re-election as a Lucas County Commissioner, he should be tossed out on his ear. My previous entries here on Roland Hansen Commentary about Ben Konop provide the information as to why I have such thoughts. Just plug his name in up there in the blog search box and you can read them all if you so desire.

Onward.....

I have heard and read that some people are dissatisfied with the current political faces on the Board of Lucas County Commissioners and want change. Some have said the heck with the political parties. Some clamor for an independent. Whatever!

The reality is if you truly want something different in the 2010 election for the Board of Lucas County Commissioners, it is necessary to start now in order to offset the advantage of incumbency and political party affiliation.

That long-winded introductory statement is the lead in to a question. Here is the question:

Who do you suggest run for Lucas County Commissioner in 2010?

Gordy Heminger, Ohio Politician Extraordinaire

I read with interest The Blade June 9, 2009 article Bowling Green councilman leaving for job in Indianapolis which is about Gordy Heminger, a former two term Maumee City Councilman and present Bowling Green City Councilman.

Over this-a-way, you may read the Alpha Sigma Phi news release Heminger Named Fraternity CEO.

Back on June 16, 2008, Northwest Ohio Political Blotter had the blog entry entitled Councilman Gordy Heminger, Bowling Green which you may read by clicking on the embedded link.

From the April 13, 2009 BGSU Monitor, you may read in the following embedded link about Gordy Heminger in the article Administrative staff names 'BG Best' that tells why Gordy has received recognition as 'BG’s Best' by the Administrative Staff Council of Bowling Green State University.

I wish Gordy all the best in the world. He certainly has worked diligently not only in politics but throughout his professional career. I first met Gordy when he was a young teenager working as a volunteer in numerous Lucas County Democratic candidates' campaigns. Gordy Heminger made a lasting positive impression on me and, while I haven't seen him in many years, I have followed his career from a distance ever since I met him. Way back in the early 1990s, I got the gut feeling that Gordy would make a fine elected official someday and would be the best of the best. I thought then and said to many people that Gordy Heminger was the rising star in Lucas County Democratic politics. A few short years later, he won election at the age of 18 to Maumee City Council. He was off and doing well.

Then, for some strange reason - but what isn't strange in politics, it seemed to me that the Lucas County Democratic Party organization and leadership overlooked Gordy Heminger and all the wonderful work he had done in Democratic Party politics. Other people became the Lucas County Democratic Party favorites, a very select few and amongst them was a "favorite son" by the name of Wade Kapszukiewicz. That aside, it seemed as though the young man who had worked so hard in the trenches of the Lucas County Democratic Party since he was but a young child, Gordy Heminger, was not receiving the support of the Lucas County Democratic Party machine. Having been twice elected to Maumee City Council, Gordy eventually moved to Bowling Green. Lucas County lost one of its most promising Democratic politicians.

In Bowling Green, Gordy Heminger became well known and respected in both his professional and his political life. He re-entered politics in Wood County and was active in the Wood County Democratic Party. He has been twice elected to Bowling Green City Council and was the 2008 endorsed Democrat for Wood County Clerk of Courts. Click on over to read the Sentinel-Tribune Heminger cites his leadership skills article.

Now, Wood County is losing Gordy Heminger, the proven politician and elected official. Gordy is moving to Indianapolis to assume his new position as President and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. I wish him well, but am sad to see him leave. Ohio is losing a fine elected official and a real true politician of the best kind.

Gordy, if you should come across this blog entry, I wish you the best of everything. And, by the way, Gordy, I still have the note you sent me when you were still not of voting age in which you wrote "Mr. Hansen, Congratulations on your election to the Lucas County School Board. I hope to be able to work with you on a campaign in the future."

To me, Gordy Heminger has been and is an Ohio politician extraordinaire.

Lucas County Elected Officials Blog - WHAT A JOKE!!! Kapszukiewicz and Konop.

The title says it all. Don't believe me. Take a look at the Lucas County Elected Officials' Blog and decide for yourself.

How many elected officials are blogging there? Who are they? How often does each elected official make an entry? How much is this Lucas County Elected Officials' Blog costing the taxpayers of Lucas County?

Is the Lucas County Elected Officials' Blog really a public service or a total waste of taxpayers' money in promoting public images of political hacks?

Am I correct in my opinion that "Lucas County Elected Officials' Blog" is just plain political opportunism by the 2Ks (Kapszukiewicz and Konop)?

Why do the other elected Lucas County officials allow this farce of a blog to exist? And if they think the concept is so darn good, why haven't they made use of it? Who in the heck should be held accountable for this total and complete piece of crap?

Did you see my comments about the two Ks in the immediately preceding Roland Hansen Commentary of May 27? Check it out if you haven't done so already.

Come on, don't be shy. Tell me what you think of the Lucas County Elected Officials' Blog. I'd also LOVE to read your comments about the 2Ks.

Incidentally, have you noticed the absence of the 2Ks in the blogosphere, electronic bulletin boards, e-forums, and the like? For a couple of self-proclaimed techno-savvy guys, they sure seem to be conveniently and conspicuously invisible in the electronic internet media.

Ben Konop. A Dumb Idea.

From where in the world did Ben Konop come?

Here I am feeling somewhat aghast at the latest publicity in Toledo Ohio in regards to Ben "doesn't fall far from the tree" Konop.

Ben Konop may just hold the record for northwest Ohio politicians who are publicity seeking political opportunists. He may even have surpassed the political opportunistic Wade Kapszukiewicz.

Konop proposes privatizing Lucas County EMS ambulance service endowing college scholarships in the process. That's the latest scoop of Ben Konop poop from WTOL 11 and from the Toledo Blade.

(Hey, what are you thinking? Shame on you. Get your mind out of the gutter and bring it on up here to the sewer. When I wrote "scoop of Ben Konop poop," I was making reference to the "current details" of Ben Konop "inside information.")

As it turns out, this is really not new news from Ben Konop, as can be read over at Thurber's Thoughts Konop's college conspiracy. (Gee, for some twisted and strange reason, some how I think that entry could have been entitled KKK: Konop's Kollege Konspiracy, even though there really isn't any connection of any kind to the Ku Klux Klan; it just strikes me as a kute katchy konopism.)

My thoughts on the Konop proposal are three-fold.

One:
I am opposed to privatizing EMS.

Two:
I am in favor of college scholarships.

Three:
This Ben Konop proposal is A DUMB IDEA!!!

Independents and Politics: An Oxymoron

There are so many people who love to comment about politics who really have no idea of what politics are or how politics work. Far too many people confuse government and politics. Way too many people think that elected officials should be independent, as in not having a political party affiliation. These folks pride themselves on being independent voters. What a true disservice those folks do to the governmental electoral process while all the while believing they are doing a public service!

Politics is all about power; the accumulation of power and the exercise of power. Politics exist in every organization or group of people in which the number of members exceed one. It is not confined to government, let alone the election of governmental representatives. Politics are found and played in churches, charitable and civic organizations, places of employment, school parents clubs, little league sports as well as all amateur and professional sports, scouting, --- well, everything in non solo human endeavors.

In this Roland Hansen Commentary, I am focusing on politics and the process of electing and/or appointing people to positions in the service of government.

In order to accumulate and exercise power, it is necessary to have the support of others who will assist throughout the entire process of gathering, exercising, and maintaining power. That is where political parties come into play of the governmental electoral arena. Persons who identify with a political party do not necessarily give up their individual identities, ideas, or thought processes.

A political party is a coalition of a diverse group of people who may indeed have many differences but who have identified some common concerns, common ideas, and common goals they wish to see in the formulation and application of public policy. In order to accomplish those ends, a political party, as an entity unto itself, will find a common middle ground upon which its diverse members will rally. In doing so, the political party will establish a political platform consisting of many planks.

People who slam political parties and partisan politicians as playing politics are, in fact, in the process of playing politics themselves. Those independents who cry for independents to be elected to public office to the exclusion of those who identify with a political party would condemn us all to a world of chaos. Other than slamming political parties and slamming politics and slamming government itself, these "independents" have no common grounds upon which they think, believe or act. While these so-called independents may cry for less government, less taxes, less governmental regulations on private business enterprises, decry our public education system, despise universal health care coverage, bemoan "corrupt" politicians, condemn a mayor or city council or state legislature or Congress or other government elected or appointed office or body, and all the other negations they so espouse, they generally have no real proposals containing specific methods and means by which public policies may address the concerns of the community in a productive, positive, results-oriented manner.

Without a common platform with specific planks such as found in a political party, it is not possible to have a government that could function and be free of chaos. Thus, independents and politics equate in my mind as an oxymoron.

Meanwhile, here in Toledo, Ohio, there are a couple of factions that seem to be more about taking down the other guy rather than putting forth positive concrete ideas and suggestions on how to improve our community. I don't think I will mention Take Back Toledo or Teamwork Toledo. oops.

Glass City Academy: Charter School Uproar in Toledo, Ohio

There is a charter school uproar in Toledo, Ohio. The earlier opposition of Old Orchard residents to Glass City Academy just continues to grow.

Old Orchard residents are in the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) syndrome. I say shame on them. Fine upstanding citizens they are that do not want a school in their neighborhood for at-risk kids. I’d wager their opposition to Glass City Academy is based on social class prejudice, fear, and discrimination. Where was their strong vocal mobilizing opposition when the proposed location was originally approved for the Knight Academy, a charter school affiliated with St Francis de Sales?

That is the comment I wrote on the Judy's Jewels blog entry: Glass City Academy.

Old Orchard resident Donald Greenburg and several of his neighbors have been reported as they "think they've been duped" and all they "wanted ... was simply due process for this new school." Quite frankly, I'm not buying that story.

Regardless of the technicalities involved, I guess the Old Orchard complainants just don't think Glass City Academy students are in the right class for the neighborhood. I sure do not recall such a resident uproar when The Knight Academy had been approved for that very same Old Orchard location but later bowed out on its own volition.

Incidentally, can anyone tell me where I might find Archie Bunker? Gee, I wonder what Archie would say.

City of Toledo Finances: Perspective of Hooda Thunkit

I found some interesting reading over on the blog of Hooda Thunkit, in regards to the finance policies of the City of Toledo.

Might I suggest you take a look at:
Hooda Thunkit's Therapy Blog: Fund 98..., Is there a defensible, legitimate purpose for its existence?

Jets and Jews

It was with interest that I read the NJ.com story New York Jets contact NFL over scheduling conflict with Jewish holidays and its follow-up story New York Jets owner Woody Johnson asks NFL to switch time of Tennessee Titans game.

I came across these articles upon reading an entry of Judy's Jewels of which I referenced Sammy Davis Jr. in my responding comment.

I even found this topic over at Heeb magazine.

hmmmmm......

I wonder how people would feel if it all involved the holy days and religious beliefs of observant Muslims and Christians. I personally think that we all need more religious tolerance in the world.

Lindsay Webb: Pushes to Downsize Toledo City Council

Every once in awhile, I notice something in the handy dandy FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed I have installed over at the bottom of the left column of Roland Hansen Commentary that really catches my eye.

Such is the case when I noticed someone had done a google search with the text "Toledo city council reduction of members" which brought up several results, from one of which that person came on over to Roland Hansen Commentary: Changing Toledo City Council -- Again!

That in turn brings me to Toledo City Council member Lindsay Webb of whom I have made a few previous entries here on Roland Hansen Commentary.

I speak of the same city council member Lindsay Webb, who married Robert B. Carter back on Monday, August 18, 2008, at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas, Nevada, but who it appears did not take the last name of Carter. The only reason I mention this is for folks who might not be aware of her use of name but who also may desire to obtain further information about the public official in which knowing that information might be helpful.

Back to the topic at hand. Webb has been making a big push to downsize Toledo City Council. Its all over the local blogs, local electronic bulletin boards, local forums, and local broadcast and print media. Here, take a look at:
FOX Toledo: 9 is fine for the city of Toledo
WTOL 11: Council reduced to nine?
Toledo Free Press: Petition drive to reduce city council to launch
Toledo Blade: Petition initiative seeks to reduce Toledo City Council size

I do not necessarily have a problem with the proposal as advocated by Mrs. (or is it Ms. or Miss? - I really and truly do not know which form of address is appropriate in today's society) Webb (Carter); however, I really do wonder why she did not push this concept to downsize Toledo City Council and to eliminate at-large city council members prior to this year's election of Toledo at-large city council members or even prior to her own election two years ago as a Toledo district city council member.

Given the actions of Lindsay Webb at the January 2, 2008 Toledo City Council organizational meeting, is it any wonder that I wonder?

Is this all political posturing or what?