BSO

BSO

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Election Night 2009

At City Hall

 



In the political prognostication racket there are two types, those who pretend to know what's going on and those who really do. There's no question which group I belong to after last night, as I was right in my predictions about every single major race and wrong about only two minor ones. Actually in those cases I chose people on the basis of my personal preferences but never really did think they would win. I guess even when I purposely try to be wrong I'm really right! Okay, okay so enough of my obnoxious boasting, although like they say in Texas, "It ain't braggin' if it's true."

Last night I stopped in at City Hall in Northampton after the polls closed. The joint was packed.





Again I felt like I was in an episode of Mayberry RFD as we had to wait for the clerks to write the results by hand on a paper that was taped up on the wall.





My WHMP friends Kelsey Flynn and Jaz Tupelo were there.





Dave Narkewicz, shown here on the left being interviewed by local media stud David Pakman, won his race for at-large councilor.





A former ward councilor, Narkewicz gave up his seat in order to run citywide. The only logical reason to do that is to demonstrate that he can carry the whole city, leading to widespread speculation that he is setting himself up as a future mayor, perhaps as Clare Higgins chosen heir.

Pakman with another successful at-large candidate Jesse Adams. 





The man who tried to oust Higgins, Michael Bardsley, showed up optimistically flashing thumbs up signs, but despite his victory in the primary, it was not to be.





Exactly as I predicted, Higgins squeaked by to victory. In the paper today Bardsley blamed his defeat on the help Higgins got from Gov. Deval Patrick. Nonsense, Patrick is so unpopular now that the Higgins camp should have paid him NOT to endorse her.

As I was leaving City Hall I walked past the Higgins headquarters, which is almost across the street, and saw the mayor sitting inside getting ready to go to her victory celebration. Of course I had to stop in and take her picture. 





Like all Valley mayors, Higgins may have second thoughts about the value of her victory when she has to deal with the inescapable across the board budget cuts that will be mandatory in the next fiscal year. But last night the taste of victory was no doubt very sweet. 



Bad Move Maine

 



Hate Be Gone

Remember the hate graffiti I encountered on the woodland way the other morning? 





It was completely gone the next day. 





Well done, city workers! If only hate itself was as easily removed. 



Free Mind

 



I've been in the public eye for 40 years, and a fair amount of the things I've said out loud I've had to unsay. I find that refreshing. You have to look at inconvenient facts as an opportunity to rethink the whole damn thing - as a chance to get closer to being right.

- Merry Prankster Stuart Brand.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great move, Maine. When the question has been put to the people, counterfeit marriage has lost 31 out of 31 times.

Those Republicans better steer clear of the social issues. I mean, they're really out of touch with Americans everywhere except for deep-blue Maine, deep-blue California, and everywhere in between.

Think about it--traditional marriage wins even in Obama Country! Why on earth would we want to surrender and speak only about keeping the capital gains tax low? (Which is also a good idea, by the way).

We had a Republican who was "tolerant" on "social issues". Her name was Sozzafava, and she was a disaster.

BEN DUFFY

Anonymous said...

It's a sad day for maine indeed.

I can't wait for the day when society looks back on this time and collectively shudders to think of the way homosexual people are being labeled as so unnatural, so un-human, as to be denied something basic like marriage, which is something straight people can do on a whim in vegas no questions asked.

Someday. Hopefully I will see that day.

Anonymous said...

homo sex is an unnatural act. we may tolerate the homo's right to engage in it, but don't try to force us to endorse and approve of it. "we" being normal general population.

Anonymous said...

HIV-infected men in New York City are facing a new threat, researchers said here -- a new form of hepatitis C virus (HCV) that rapidly damages the liver and is transmitted primarily through sex with other men.

you pays your money an you takes your chances