I recall some time back that Barack Obama was being called eletist. John Stewart of the Daily Show gave a good commentary that essentially said that he wanted an elitist president - a president that was better than him and could govern better than him.
I think in Saint John, 20% of the voting population voted for our non-elitist candidate in May, which was enough to make Ivan Court our mayor, and we're starting to feel the results.
Our "down-to-earth" mayor and his cronies are opposing (or stalling) a major development proposed for the city's waterfront because they are "looking out for the little guy" (in this case the little guy is a union that thinks maybe one day the port might expand its industrial operations back into the downtown) and standing up to the corporate elite (in this case a large local company that wants to invest in a city-center modern, attractive, LEED standard-built, headquarters).
We are seeing the bitter folks that didn't want an elite leader - or an elite city that moves forward - say things in the local news like "the Irvings have too much" and writing letters to the editor criticizing the city manager for completing a report on the proposal "behind closed doors."
Openness can be good, and considering all options is prudent, but we can't expect those who lead to ask our advice on every micro detail, this clearly isn't leadership. And just because we're "poor workin' folk" doesn't mean a bitter anti-business mindset is good for our city - in reality it is clearly not.
So mayor Court, get on your high horse (it comes with the robe and chain) and lead our city into an elite future.
I think in Saint John, 20% of the voting population voted for our non-elitist candidate in May, which was enough to make Ivan Court our mayor, and we're starting to feel the results.
Our "down-to-earth" mayor and his cronies are opposing (or stalling) a major development proposed for the city's waterfront because they are "looking out for the little guy" (in this case the little guy is a union that thinks maybe one day the port might expand its industrial operations back into the downtown) and standing up to the corporate elite (in this case a large local company that wants to invest in a city-center modern, attractive, LEED standard-built, headquarters).
We are seeing the bitter folks that didn't want an elite leader - or an elite city that moves forward - say things in the local news like "the Irvings have too much" and writing letters to the editor criticizing the city manager for completing a report on the proposal "behind closed doors."
Openness can be good, and considering all options is prudent, but we can't expect those who lead to ask our advice on every micro detail, this clearly isn't leadership. And just because we're "poor workin' folk" doesn't mean a bitter anti-business mindset is good for our city - in reality it is clearly not.
So mayor Court, get on your high horse (it comes with the robe and chain) and lead our city into an elite future.
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