Sandy Decker charged at the Monday night candidate forum that the internet "Real and Virtual" forum will be "faceless." Huh? The questions will be written and signed and submitted at the live session at the Eager library on Saturday and because of time constraints not all questions will be able to be answered in the live session. Candidates will be able to answer the signed and written questions over the weekend. The big benefit will be that all in the community can see the dialogue.
She also charged that there will be censorship. Huh? It will be moderated just as the session at the J.C. McKenna School. There even was a merging of questions that were duplicative. No ad hominum will be allowed at the forum on Saturday.
The city of Evansville operates in hyperspace. All of the city has email and communicates together to get the job of government done. It is a little late to go back to the Royal typewriters. The Evansville Observer has offered Sandy Decker and still offers her space for position papers on her campaign as well as audio posting on her positions. She has refused.
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"Huh" is right. I am a tad confused over Ms. Decker's apparent concern re "faceless." If a question is not attached to a face, does the question somehow lose credibility? Is it no longer worth answering?
ReplyDeleteQuite often, when someone runs for public office, he/she is confronted with numerous written questionaires. For example, the Sierra Club may send out a questionaire to determine if a candidate should be endorsed.
Would Ms. Decker consider such as "faceless"?
I am suddenly struck by the possbility that Ms. Decker may be more oriented to the past than to the future. For example, if someone were to propose a new TIF district that included a city-owned T3 for high-speed Internet connection to entice new business, how would she respond? The Internet is certainly a "faceless" medium (for the most part), so perhaps she'd reject the idea out-of-hand.
Ms. Decker's concern raises a flag for me. I wonder if it's indicative of some deeper issue that is not being made apparent.
Or, am I way off the track here?
BTW, I am not proposing a T3 to attract new business, although now that I think about it.... I'd much rather see a hotel/motel - with a swimming pool.
I agree with Observer- the Internet Forum is not faceless. The entire Nation is in communication through the internet. I for one cannot attend many city meetings because of work conflicts, and like to be in touch with the pulse of my beloved city. I want to know what Sandy for Mayor and Karen Aikman and the candidates for the other elected offices are thinking and saying. Even my workplace has added a group on yahoo because we staff multiple sites and use this means to improve communication. Everyone loves it. The hard part is getting used to using it and not being afraid of learning something new.
ReplyDeleteBut are you all named ANONYMOUS or Faceless on your sites at work?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sandy. Just because so called every one? Looks at and uses the computer to communicate does'nt make it the best way in a political campain. Not every one has the time to sit on there computer and write out and look at the blogs. And personally to those who do have the time seem to have forgotton what life is all about and have nothing better to do. Go out side take a walk talk to people face to face. Get some exercise. I don't look at this blog but every now and then at first I looked at it more. But it seems to have the same people on it all the time, sort of like the Evansville blog clic. I don't blame Sandy one bit for Not wanting to participate in this. You all seem to have so many opinions on these subjects but do any of you every follow through and join any of the committees. Maybe an outside entity is just what this town needs
ReplyDeleteI probably would have voted for Sandy until now. She is judging some thing she has never even tried. I want someone a little more open minded than that running our city.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am noticing a nice little dialogue here re: internet use in political campaigns. I not a person is saying the internet is good for them because there is no way that person can go physically to a lot of the meetings and campaign speaches. Another person says that "And personally to those who do have the time seem to have forgotton what life is all about and have nothing better to do. Go out side take a " which suggests that people who use the Blog method to discuss politics have not been outside or to meetings or doing work for the public good as though there are two types of people!! I think there is good in going to your neighbors house, knocking on the door, dropping off your campaing literature and shaking someone's hand. Very powerful stuff. There is also good in someone who is stuck somewhere else during the day, when the candidate might be knocking on doors, to have a chance to meet that candidate in a virtual forum (or blog), talk about the campaign ideas that are being discussed, and get a good idea who should get their vote.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't either/or stuff. It is two very good methods that are available to a very diverese city.
You know I have been 'on the fence' on which candidate I think would be best for this city. I find it disturbing that what seems to be a intelligent woman would take a stand on a issue she has never tried before. It tells me she is afraid to let the people know her opinions on subjects, and thinks people should come to her, not as it should be her going to them. I was glad to see Karen Aikman post on the discussion about the moving of the youth center, learned some things I never would have known other wise and I learned it on a 'blog'. As for being a 'clic' please. Anony who mentions 'clic' sounds more like someone who has posted on this site before, people did not agree with their opinion, and this person could not handle it. That is the fun of blogs everyone gets to say what they think on a subject.
ReplyDeleteI would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who is living in the fourth ward/district to vote for Wayne Steinlein. We have lived in this district for the last seven years and have been very poorly represented by our alderpersons. I have tried many times to talk with them on numerous issues and I usually get the same answers or no answers. I also realize a few things that I would like to share.
ReplyDelete1. I will not base my vote on if someone answers questions or posts on this blog, that is trivial.
2. We all have to realize that we can't have our way all the time, pick your battles and let your alderperson know what is important to you. Wayne knows I do not want anymore commercial growth any closer to my house than what it already is. I don't expect him to vote with the way I think all the time, if I wanted that I would run myself. But he does know what is important to me.
3. People need to talk to their alderpersons not through a blog or neighbors, to the person. They don't read minds.
4. Don't expect your alderpersons to have all the answers, give them some time to get you the correct answers if they do not know.
5. Don't just expect them to tell you what you want to hear, expect them to tell you the truth.
I'm somewhat new to Evansville and really didn't know very much about what was going on with the political races in town. Until last Saturday at the forum. Now, I want ALL of the information that I can get on who is running and what they stand for so I can make an educated decision on Election day.
ReplyDeleteI don't always have TIME to go to meetings or debates. I work full time and have a child to raise. Yes, only one child, but when I get home from being away from her all day, I would rather teach her colors and numbers, sing songs, and read stories than rush off to a meeting and get home after she's in bed. That may change someday. But until it does, I RELY on the internet to find information. I can do that at any hour from anywhere I have computer access.
To see a candidate call the internet "faceless" makes me FEEL faceless. To her. I'm not worth her time because I can't go to see her face to face.
To those who were at the forum last Saturday, thank you! I now have FACES to go with some of these blogs I read. To those who didn't, please know that the FIRST thing I noticed was people who were missing. And THAT is something which spoke to me.
I need to be fair here. Not all of the candidates were absent by choice. Some already had other plans, or like you, have small children at home. So it simply didn't work out. We tried to be as inclusive as possible, which is why we chose the library setting as well because not everyone is on-line and we recognize that. Also though it was initially my idea,( I wanted something that included Aldermen as well since they have such power), the event grew to include School Board candidates too, which I thought was great given the recent interest in some of the choices before the School Board at the moment. So it was a work very much in progress right up until it ended, and again I would like to thank Grumps and the Observer for all of their help and inspiration in launching what I thought was an extremely successful and I hope yearly event!
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