By Guest Blogger Jerry Estruth
Ross Perot would be surprised to know that the great sucking sound he’s hearing is not being caused by NAFTA but by the Great Power Vacuum that has created what I call the Black Hole of City Hall.
Political power vacuums will eventually be filled, but where the hell are all the good people that we need right now? When are they going to step forward and clean up City Hall? Do we need to divert the Guadalupe River to clean the offices of City Hall, like Hercules did to eliminate the mess from the Aegean stables? Where is our Hercules? Whoever this person is, clearly s/he is not yet disgusted enough to do what’s necessary to change things.
We all know that character and ethics have taken a vacation from City Hall. Hopefully it’s just a short one, but I fear it may be much more than that for I see no one presently on the stage who is going to make a scintilla of difference. Oh yes, we’re going to have elections next year, but, and I hope I’m not hurting anyone’s feelings here, I’ve seen nothing to make me believe that we’re going to get anyone but a bunch of lightweights vying for fame and glory. Sure, someone will win, but the citizens will be choosing between ethically confused tweedledums and tweedledumbers.
And why do we need to wait? The whole darn place is an ethical cesspool. Why isn’t someone emerging today to prove that s/he can lead as the next mayor? Is everyone so timid and corrupted that they’re afraid to make a move? Yes, yes, I know there have been fits and starts by a few people, but where is their sustained outrage? And I don’t blame just them. What about that great arbiter of morality, that holier than thou, the Great Crusader, the Mercury News?
I don’t have to enumerate the manifold sins of the present council for they are legion and well documented, but I can certainly wonder where are the great people that San Jose has produced in the past when we needed them? Where is the Al Ruffo who “threw the bums out” in the 1940s? Where are the two brave young men who took on the developers when the Fearsome Foursome fired Ted Tedesco during the growth wars of the late 1970s?
The conventional wisdom is that nothing survives the singularity of the event horizon of a black hole, but, fortunately, just this month astronomers discovered that black holes can throw out brand new stars. Who is going to emerge from San Jose’s great black hole as our new shining star?
Jerry Estruth served on the San Jose City Council from 1978-1984. He was Vice-Mayor of San Jose in 1980. He now lives in Arizona.
One blog is not adequate to discuss all the reasons good people refrain from running for office. A thesis is required for why good people fail to act once they are elected.
But the problem is systemic. Reforms needed include a strong mayor form of government, a reform of the ethics laws and rules (simplified with an emphasis on reporting), the elimination of term llimits, a reduction in the number of Council Seats, publically financed elections and finally, most importantly, an electorate that cares more about their government, than watching reruns of “Friends”.
One other observation. It doesn’t matter what the race is, but there is always a better candidate that did not run. Oh, if only Dando or Cunneen had gotten in the race.
But if they had got in the race, they would face the same character assassination all politicians seem to endure. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the street.
We have three candidates for Mayor, so far. None are perfect people, but each is willing to put their ideas, record, experience, and egos on the line to serve our community. They are willing to sacrifice monetarily, put enormous strain on their family and personal relationships and endure the catcalls of the ignorant masses who believe all politicians are corrupt.
Sometimes showing up is half the requirement of the job. These folks are willing to do it.
We can wait for Prince or Princess Charming to step forward and solve our problems or we can get off our own ass and make a contribution.
Whether you like them or not, at least that is what David, Chuck and Cindy are willing to do.
If someone else wants to join the race, simply pull out your checkbook, put your life on hold for two years, be willing to face a cyncial press and public and put your own ideas for better government forward.
I dare you.
Jerry, please come home.
Some of us will even help you move!
Inspirational comments from Congressman Estruth…ahh yes, if San Jose was only more like it was in 1980. Given your popularity and vote total in the congressional race I expect the citizenry would line up cheering to greet your plane when it landed from Arizona to save the city.
Calling for “reforms” like a strong Mayor form of government, the elimination of term limits, and a reduction in the number of Council Seats is like throwing an anchor to a drowning man to save him.
Rich, you forgot to call for more “reforms” like going back to city wide elections and redrawing council district boundaries so career politicians who know better than the voters since they have profesional consultant advice interest career politicians can remain in office until they retire in your “reform recommendations”
We already have effectively a “strong Mayor form of government” since the Mayor selects all candidates and controls the City Manager.
So you like the our scandals, special interest politics, abusive management style, ethically challenged local goverment and public policy results of our current Strong Mayor Ron Gonzales?
The “elimination of term limits, and a reduction in the number of Council Seats’ with our current system will result in an almost 100% reelection of incumbent politicians.
It would make your political consultant job easier but is widely recognized as disenfranchising minorities, guaranteeing special interest control of government and is strongly opposed by numerous groups wanting more representative open , honest, fiscally repsonsible government not less
Is this your attempt at a joke? It is not April’s Fools Day but these reform ideas are definately from either fools or those supporting special interest politics
Rich, so we can now conclude you are a believer in the Carl Rowe and Tom Delay school of no ethics, do anything necessary, special interest career politician politics?
Sad , sad, sad for San Jose
Rich,
You seem to offer only lukewarm praise for the three candidates running for Mayor. If the best that can be said about the three candidates is that they are willing to “show up” to put their ideas, etc., before the people then please forgive voters if we find ourselves still looking for a better choice.
The secret government is alive, well, and thriving here in SJ. Thanks to Councilmember Chavez for standing up against democracy by supporting the secrecy. In an obviously orchestrated move, she made the motion today to keep the mayor’s damaging emails secret from the public. Just imagine a Chavez administration—if that doesn’t scare you I don’t know what will. A secret government controlled by labor—welcome to San Jose.
Too bad we don’t have an City Hall Insider who can leak the emails
Who voted against the release of the emails and what excuses did they give for not having open honest government?
How did the other 2 Mayor candidates vote?
Any idea of who is afraid that the emails will show more questionable or unethical behavior at City Hall?
Mr. Estruth,
It must be fairly easy to complain from afar.
Where the heck are you?
In answer to reforms:
You say voters are smarter than elected officials.
Well, that hasn’t been my experience. The founders of this republic knew the excesses of the masses would destroy the framework for good government. They took pains to eliminate the possibility of pure democracy.
Only through “reforms” have we empowered the 13% of the people who now control the outcome of elections.
Just look at the initiative system—what a joke. I’m voting No on almost everything and even the two I’m voting yes on are even bets to get thrown out due their questionable constitutionality. That ought to make the intelligent voters in this state happy—again.
Of course, Constitutional concepts escape them entirely. A recent poll found people objecting to the language in the first amendment. Can somebody turn-off the TV and hand these people a history book?
It amazes me that people who have no experience or training believe they can make better decisions than the people elected and informed to make decisions in a representative democracy. I suppose individuals go to the doctor then diagnose themselves—because they paid the doctor and he is a special interest. They obviously, having not studied medicine, know better than those who have. . .
As for honest and open government with more districts, more restrictions on ethics, more political offices—right—-that has worked so well to date—we need even more restrictions, laws and rules.
If you want honest and open government, maybe the “people” ought to engage in their democracy and participate a little more—then we consultants wouldn’t have to educate them on the issues that face them in elections.
At the risk of defending Delay, whom I despise. He went around the rules to fund candidates. Here’s a news bulletin—almost every campaign has to determine how they can raise money, when they can raise money, when they can spend money and what they can spend money on. . .ie. how can they get around the oppressive reform laws that cause every candidate to be in violation of some rule.
Lawyers and accountants make out like bandits, people get less information from their candidates and the ignorantly blissful people in this world (mostly in red states) vote for an imbesile to lead the western world. And we don’t care. . .
If you want professional government, treat politicians with respect they deserve. Don’t always assume they did it for the “cash”.
As for my preference for Mayor, I have very positive feelings for all but am especially impressed with a much maligned candidate on this board.
And it is because she has the courage of her convictions and despite the whims expressed by the naysayers on this board, she is honest, caring and understands the job of Mayor better than those who would dismiss her with speculation, innuendo and ignorance.
Of course, it’s a free country and I am sure those who do not study politics and government are much smarter regarding these matters than I.
“…people get less information from their candidates and the ignorantly blissful people in this world (mostly in red states)”
Wait a minute… how can this be? California education is consistently 47th or 48th in national academic achievement rankings.
More and more of the talent that fuels this state is coming from elsewhere. Face the hard fact – there are tons of red states that are smarter than we are!! That one hurts, huh?
But pay no heed – just know that the teacher’s union is doing all they can to help improve education in CA.
“Of course, Constitutional concepts escape them entirely. A recent poll found people objecting to the language in the first amendment.”
A stinging indictment about the quality of education in this state for sure.
I’m not happy about it either.
Vote Yes on prop 75.
The wise move to California, the uneducated can’t afford to live here and move mostly to red states.
If you want to ban immigration, we should ban it east from Nevada.
By “uneducated” you mean anyone who’s parents couldn’t afford to buy in the right neighborhood/afford private school and who were forced to come up through CA’s 48th best public school system.
But Rich, what about the children?
Where’s your compassion?
What about the poor who have no choice but to send their kids to the mediocre public school system that the left and our teachers union have provided?
Your answer? Move to a red state when you graduate.
Bravo Rich. Elitist, liberalism at it’s finest.
I say get rid of all of theme and start over.
Novice,
I’m encouraging all Californians who can to move to red states, the current gene pool in those areas is far too deficient to sustain intellligent life.
And by uneducated, I mean rightwing republican.
Jerry,
I don’t know if you consider me Tweedledum or Tweedledumer. Perhaps I can hope to be Tweedledee, who I think was under-appreciated in his time. Or maybe like one of my favorite movies, Dumb and Dumber, it’s just too dang hard to choose. Focusing on the record will make that decision easier.
Not to be braggin’ or anything like that, but I do have to point out that, over the past five years, I have voted against the Gonzales administration and the Council Majority more times that the rest of the City Council combined. I think those dozens of votes at least qualify me for consideration to be Tweedledee, instead of Tweedledum or Tweedledumer.
Perhaps it is now time for us to have a drink and talk about all those votes and what they mean. Or as Tweedledee said:
“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing wax—
Of cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.”
After months of silence, Chuck responds only to Jerry.
So, Jerry, can we use your name on all our blogs to get a response out of one man who would be mayor?
That still leaves Dave out…and has anyone heard a peep from Cindy?