Political Gumbo: Vote on March 5, Pray on March 6

March 5 is right around the corner, thank God.

Yes, I will be glad when this election is behind us. Truth to tell, I have never seen local elections this ugly.

It makes me wonder what will this community be like on March 6.

If the challengers lose there will be more cries of deep dark conspiracies and if the incumbents lose…

Well, if Williams, Jones or Masuda loses, they will have council duties to carry out until December.

Yes, December.

Either way this election could leave us a divided community.

Seriously, you would have thought the winner of these races receives millions of dollars a year.

They don’t.

Here’s the short version of what they get.

The Mayor gavels in the meetings, rides in the Rose Parade, gives a speech on the budget every year — attends a grip of meetings and shakes hands here and there and of course meets and speaks to constituents.

He also sets the City Council agenda.

When the Mayor cannot show up the vice mayor does it.

And by the way, yes Victor Gordo is a product of the PUSD. It’s sad I have to even keep the record clear on that.

Of course he does more, but that’s the thumbnail.

Councilmembers attend council and committee meetings,  deal with constituents and legislate. They all read a grip of staff reports, or they should.

Of course they vote on their convictions.

Again, they should.

Great responsibilities for sure.

Hardly glamorous.

And yet we have grown people rolling around in the mud like they get a star next to their name if they win.

You don’t.

This is about service not fame or celebrity.

Fame is a hell of a drug. From where I sit, maybe the most addictive.

Trust me if you sit behind that dais for fame or recognition, it’s obvious.

Back to the elections, the biggest problem in this country is a lack of tolerance. That was the biggest problem in this country when the country was founded, and it will probably be that way long after I am gone.

People are attacked if they have differing views.

People are attacked for how they vote, and how they don’t vote, and any issue in the past becomes fair game.

Supporters want the opposition embarrassed, humiliated and destroyed.

“Felicia opposed hero pay. IMPEACH!!!”

Felicia was not alone in opposing hero pay and yet I never hear criticism of the other council members that also opposed the motion.

“Rick opposed the tournament.  Tar and feather his ass and run him out of town.”

Rick and others stood tall and demanded diversity at the Tournament at a time when the Tournament desperately needed it.

I don’t give a damn what Rick did in Azusa.

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

Neither Williams nor Cole is a saint, and neither is the devil.

Now let’s get to D3.

Neither Justin Jones nor Brandon Lamar is carpetbagging and both have leadership skills that benefit the City.

Sadly, their supporters want to paint the opposition as the worst thing since a MASH marathon.

This all started after Jones got appointed to the seat left vacant by the untimely death of John Kennedy. People adopted a wild-eyed conspiracy that Mayor Gordo — who again by the way is in fact a PUSD product — wanted a rubber stamp at City Council to cosign on his agenda.

Just one issue. The council wasn’t split. Gordo did not need a rubber stamp.

The City Council was already pro-affordable housing and pro-public safety and pretty much in concert on most issues.

Jones did not sway the vote.

Sorry to interject logic into the mud.

The sad part for D3, is in two years the residents living there will have to vote again.

Damn.

This election has been straight out of the Trump playbook come home.

When Trump took the stage at the RNC, he declared the nation broken and he alone could fix it.

Sound familiar?

It was about making the people scared.

You know the drill, Obama is a terrorist, and along with the Clintons are part of a pedophile ring headquartered in the basement of the pizza parlor.

True story, some idiot believed that and ran into the pizza spot in New York, fired three shots into the wall.

Guess what, the joint didn’t even have a basement.

At the rate we’re going soon people will be posting support for the deceased JFK Jr. as the next City Manager.

It’s another conspiracy theory, I’d tell you to look it up. But I can’t cosign on people reading that stupidity.

Neither Williams, Cole, Lamar, Jones, Shay or Gordo is going to save the City or destroy it.

Don’t get caught up in that.

The residents don’t need incumbents or candidates to save them, the residents need you to do the City’s business.

And, no, City Councilmembers don’t have to cow-tow to those who claim to speak for the community as part of the City’s business.

Despite my best efforts, Pasadena Now still does not endorse candidates.

Okay.

So, I implore you, the voter, to ignore the imaginary conspiracies and efforts to demonize opponents and look at the issues.

Did the candidates talk about the issues when they knocked on your door?

Or did they try to make you scared?

Did you feel like the candidate wanted to serve the district or serve themself?

Put the vitriol aside and stand tall.

Think about what’s best for you and your family.

I endorse you, the voter.

In the end, your message is the only one that counts.

Vote.