As we commented at the founding of San Jose Inside, our modest effort to change and improve the political landscape in San Jose, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Edmund Burke, writing in eighteenth century England, did not have the need to say “people,” but I will, since our politics has been greatly improved by the advent of the many women in local political firmament. And I will further offer the thought that here in our city, women have often stepped forward and courageously changed the direction of our local government.
San Jose has been the center of political reform in our region and, indeed, the state of California, since the dawn of the twentieth century. Then, a group of reformers, led here by the Hayes family, owners of the “Mercury Herald,” and on the state level by the legendary Hiram Johnson, changed our city and our state. Thankfully, again and again, led by people like Al Ruffo and David Pandori in different eras and diverse situations, San Jose has moved into the forefront of reform and towards a resolution of difficult and corrupt situations.
There is such a need again in our city. This week in the Mercury News, the tribulations of our Elections Commission and the disillusionment of one of the commissioners was nicely profiled. Past Metro stories have similarly noted the difficulty in dealing with ethical transgressions in our local campaigns. At stake is the attempt of our citizens to reign in a series of damaging and often scurrilous attacks on candidates in our recent elections. The greatest offenders have been the local Democratic Party apparatus aligned with labor, closely aped by the COMPAC committee of our Chamber of Commerce. Neither upholds the high standard that we hope to have in San Jose campaigns. Notable offenders have used the money of Coyote developers and the bottomless, ethics-free mercenary dollars of the Sacramento and development political class. All these “contributions” are full of minefields for the uninitiated, and a veritable truth-free zone.
Our local Elections Commission has attempted to call those on the carpet, including the Chamber of Commerce, and the unelected, beneath-contempt, cottage industry of mercenaries and for-hire consultants that have so corrupted our local politics.
Many recent efforts of the city council, led by the mayor, have reversed this corrosive trend. However, it will take many courageous and independent citizens on our Elections Commission and throughout our city to truly change the political climate that has become so tainted in the last decade.
As I predicted, your blog redesign (to include the trashy Metro and its affiliates) has managed to push San Jose Inside into a forgetable void. There was a time when I would log on daily to read your postings and the the subsequent lively and interesting commentary. This site, now hollow of anything compelling, lacks reason for even a brief stop-over. Sorry to see so many of its followers have deserted you.
Oh well, it was good while it lasted. Sometimes you shouldn’t dink with things that aren’t broken.
Simon Griffith- I’m sad to say I’m starting to feel the same way that you are. Trying to have an intelliectual discussion with the types of folks this blog is now attracting is like entering a war zone. I guess like attracts like~
As a suggestion: instead of printing rehashed Metro articles, SJI should make a bigger effort to attract writers such as council and supervisor candidates to outline their positions.
There is a real need in San Jose as the Mercury News has provided abysmal coverage for the upcoming June 3rd election.
In our district, the Mercury News was only able to print one article with brief sketches of the council candidates’ resumes. With such poor coverage, I have no idea how San Jose voters will make an informed decision next week.
Of course there is no shortage of reporters at the Mercury News to cover stories such as the one in Palo Alto about four kids who may or may not be banned from Apple stores for life.
Kathleen – you might remember that we had a similar discussion some months ago when they first made the decision to shack up with the Metro folks. I raised my concerns then knowing what I know about Pulcrano and his clan. You spoke up and said that we should give it a chance and give it time. I agreed but said that I didn’t have much hope.
I think it’s time for the SJI folks to reconsider their relationship and seek an annulment.
Steve – I TOTALLY agree with you about the political coverage on the run-up to Tuesday’s election. It has been abysmal and I’m amazed that SJI has not done more to cover the candidates. In the old days, there used to be such great commentary about the political landscape and election news. Now this site is just filled with, well, filler. Borrrrrrring.
Steve
Thanks for your suggestions.
I agree that the Merc coverage of the primary election next week has not been great. However, SJI is not a newspaper and is not in competition with the Merc. They have huge financial resources and we have practically none as we are still largely a volunteer/part-time grassroots organization. This is a site for citizens to use for community discussions. Our relationship with Metro and the others in the Virtual Valley Network is a bonus as it gives us professional tech support, more content possibilities and a way of publicizing SJI (through reprints from the site in the Metro Mashup each week).
I don’t believe that it is excessive to have three reprints from the Metro each week, including the DeCinzo cartoon. The other two items, a story from the Fly and Gary Singh’s column, are put on SJI to give bloggers an opportunity to comment on them, which they cannot do on the Metro site. Otherwise, the ususal SJI columnists plus Raj Jayadev appear every week as do one or two guests. Anyone who doesn’t want to comment on any of these columns can ignore them and do so elsewhere.
There are threads currently going on that relate to the upcoming elections, including one on the District 2 supervisor race that has one of the candidates, Patricia Roche, participating. There is another thread on the District 2 Water Board race under a column by candidate Diana Foss. Otherwise, I have issued an open invitation for all or any candidate to join in the discussions here.
If you would like to start a thread on one or another of the local races, feel free to get the discussion going right here.
I wish we could do more, but we are limited by the resources we have. We have plans, but it will take time to get there.
I’ve been very disappointed that San Jose Inside has had such little coverage of the candidates for next week’s election.
There is no great candidate for the Board of Supervisors (I attended a candidate debate so I saw first-hand that the three front-runners all have drawbacks), but which candidate can best overcome this? I’d like to have read a resaoned analysis here.
What about City Council Candidates? My representative is running unopposed but there are other hotly contested seats.
What about the Water District Board position? Not only some discussion about the Foss versus Judge contest, but how about some thoughts on why 2 current Board Members are running unopposed despite the general discontent about the existing Board?
Any thoughts on the candidates for Judges? I don’t know enough about any of them to feel like I have the background to make an informed decision.
I’d like to think that San Jose Inside is a place where some of the columns would touch on these topics. To date I’be been sorely disappointed.
#5-Simon,
)
You are correct I did ask everyone to hang in there, and in some ways I’m still asking you to. I was hoping that the added features would enhance SJI. In some ways I think it has and in others I think it has taken a way from the charm that SJI once had. I think Jack is doing his best to keep SJI a blog that is decent and that will draw in a new kind of reader. That has its good and bad points as does all change, but it certainly is a thing of beauty and a chance for personal growth.
What I’ve decided to do for myself is to just participate in columns that I can relate to, and just read without commenting on those I can’t. I really learn a lot from you guys, especially on topics I know absolutely nothing about. (And for you smart asses out there, there is a lot I don’t know!
I think at times I take things way too seriously, or resist change because it isn’t in my comfort zone. I think I can learn a lot from those of you who just accept that something’s are what they are, and that laughing at myself once in awhile is a healthy thing.
I agree with Willow Glen Mom 100% about wanting some candidate coverage on SJI, but when I look back at the columns where Council Members or others have taken the risk of doing a column on here, well I think they’ve taken one hell of a beating from us. Yes, I’m including myself in the beater category! I think we need to take some responsibility for possibly making people reluctant to writing articles on here, or even from posting their thoughts on here. Me included, as I can be rough on someone I disagree with simply because I feel very strongly about something said.
If SJI is going to work, then I think we need to start taking responsibility for our actions, and start asking people we want to hear from on here to participate. Jack has never said no to me when I’ve asked, but the people I’ve suggested haven’t always wanted to write for SJI. They have told me they fear being attacked, and I can honestly understand that. I’d also like to see some of YOU write a column or two. Many of you are incredibly educated on the issues, and even volunteer on Boards and Commissions! You would be a great gift to us readers. Consider it won’t you?
As to the Metro, Mash Up, etc. look, people know what the source of these media’s are. It is kind of like buying a True Romance Magazine, the Enquirer, or People magazine. You can believe some of it or nothing at all, but come on admit it; it is fun to read them sometimes, especially when a tough workday has you down.
So those are my thoughts on SJI and what we as a caring community of bloggers can do to keep SJI alive and well.
I must agree with several bloggers (Simon, Kathleen, & Steve) who have decried the union of SJI with Metro. I said my piece at the time the alliance was announced and signed off, predicting an absorption of SJI by The Borg. It is happening. It is inexorable.
Indeed, I was so against the union with Metro that this is only my second post since that fateful day. I would have done the same had the NY Times suddenly allied itself with The Enquirer and The Star.
But I also understand that the issue is one of money and time. Jack, Tom, & John & the other volunteers can only do so much. And SJI is not a newspaper, even with the unholy alliance with Metro, so it does not “cover” elections, per se. That is up to bloggers, WG Mom.
There was great discussion re the election that ousted The Evil Empire of Gonzo & Guerra. So, all y’all are free to start up politcal commentary on this one—but it’s so close to election day that it may be too late.
So, what’s the over/under on the date of complete absorption of SJI by The Borg of Metro?
Thanks Kathleen #9 and JohnMichael #10 (welcome back) for making the point that this site is only as good as the citizen bloggers who take advantage of it. I appreciate your observations.
We give anyone almost unlimited space to say what’s on their minds and hope that they lead the discussion in new and interesting directions. It seems to me those who are complaining about where we are on SJI on any particular day are wasting their time when they have the opportunity to influence public opinion in an open forum read by thousands in our community.
Those of us who run this site do the best we can with the limited resources and time available to us. All of us have full time jobs elsewhere while trying to keep SJI current. We depend on all of you to supply the vast majority of the content. You are each just as important to the running of SJI as I am and equally responsible for its success.
Jack,
Would it be too difficult to add an open thread column and keep it open daily? Or a Rants and Raves section? I’ve read some pretty interesting articles, books, and have seen some pretty good movies lately, but I don’t want to put them on the wrong column. I’d like others to share some good books,movies, plays etc. too, so I can read, or go enjoy them myself.
Kathleen #12
Thanks. I like your idea of an open “Rants and Raves” thread, although I worry about the possibility of it rapidly becoming directionless. (Maybe that would be a good thing!) We could try a weekly one and see how it goes. Maybe put it up each Saturday. I’ll talk to my colleagues about it. If it works, we can see about doing it more often.
Thanks Jack! I like the idea if it going up on a Saturday. Very good idea! I hope you go with it!
SJI should dump the Metro ASAP. The rehashed Metro articles printed on SJI add no value and actually degrade the site. The Metro articles were already available at metronews.com so I wonder why the need to print the articles again at SJI. Is the Metro that desperate for attention?
In the past SJI articles would stay front and center longer generating much discussion. Very few of the Metro articles generate any comments (except for the highly slanted articles by Mr. Jayadev).
The reprinting of SJI comments in the Metro is a bit sleazy and just adds to the bad, desperate feeling I get from the SJI/Metro deal.
Jack,
Despite our complaints, we all owe you and Tom a big thanks for the many hours you put into SJI.
Kathleen makes a good point about having an open column that does not disappear from the front page in a day or two. I would add to this idea that during election season SJI should have forums for each of the contested local offices. This way comments for/against the candidates would not be diffused throughout the many articles, sometimes unrelated to the election. I know there are many “open source” forum type packages that could an a possible addition to SJI.
Regarding the Metro deal: do you think Mr. Pulcrano with his Metro resources could commit to writing one original article per week for SJI? I see very little need to reprint Metro articles three times each week: newsstand, metronews.com and SJI.
#15- Steve,
Great points.
“Regarding the Metro deal: do you think Mr. Pulcrano with his Metro resources could commit to writing one original article per week for SJI? I see very little need to reprint Metro articles three times each week: newsstand, metronews.com and SJI.”
Great question.
Holy reunion, Batman!!!!!!!!!!
#10 John Michael O’Connor is back.
And Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte are reunited in a big screen version of “Sex and the City”.
Suddenly my life has meaning!!!!!!
I’m new to this blog but I think I can see part of the problem. You guys are used to being on here by youselves and now new guys come in and it feels like you’re being invaded by people and articles you don’t like or respect. I get it. Kinda like a big family that doesn’t like the new wife, or her in laws right?
One thing: I have to admit that the people on Raj’s column seem kind of tough and I’m not used to that kind of attitude. I was raised to respect the cops and these guys have a pretty anti-cop mentality. I get the feeling these guys on Raj’s column are young. I’d be afraid to disagree with them and put my name down there cause hey, you never know what could happen right?
I don’t like the cartoons or stuff from the Metro either, but I just read it and laugh. If you don’t want Jack to put your stuff in there just tell him.
I think you all have to remember that this is a public blog. Just cause people aren’t saying anything on here, doesn’t mean they aren’t seeing what you are saying. I’ve been readin this for years and I have only posted a few times.
If you want election news or anything else to talk about why do you need any coverage here? Go out and bring back stuff you’ve read and post it here on SJI and kick it around on here yourselves. Just a few thoughts I thought I’d add. I hope it helps.