As co-chair of Progressive Dane, during election season I’m often asked if Progressive Dane is going to take over the City Council. In 2005, the hysteria and attack by the media was especially nuts. This year, it has been a little more mellow, but still pretty obsessive by some local political hacks. And it started me thinking, where are the stories about the Business Community taking over local government? After all the Chamber of Commerce, who made their first endorsements, have endorsed 11 people for council and could stage a take over! Here’s the folks who might do it!
District 1 – Jed Sanborn
District 3 – Lauren Cnare
District 5 – Troy Thiel
District 7 – Zach Brandon
District 9 – Paul Skidmore
District 12 – Mark Deadman
District 14 – Tim Bruer
District 16 – Judy Compton
District 17 – Joe Clausius
District 18 – Michael Schumacher
District 20 – Thuy Pham–Remmele
I find this impending takeover of the Common Council very interesting, given the backlash to Alder King’s proposal to have public financing of campaigns. Clearly, they are trying to gain control of the Common Council, right?
Ok – so I bring this up somewhat in jest. After all, by these standards, the Teaching Assistants’ Association, The Four Lakes Sierra Club and Paul Soglin could be taking over the council as well. Where is the hysteria? The obsessive coverage from the media? I wonder if these groups are asked by the media if they are taking over?
p.s. After the papers had all been filed, one out of touch news organization actually asked me and Lisa Subeck, repeatedly, and seriously, if we were running 20 people this spring.
