On the day when families gather together to celebrate the birth of Prince of Peace, Janesville Gazette chose to unleash its strongest attack to date on local residents looking to make a difference. Using the story about local candidates' party affiliation as the premise for its criticism, Gazette went on to highlight candidates active in the Democratic party and asked the question it seemingly asks every year: is it appropriate for local office holders to hold a position with a political party.
To begin with, this question is wrong to be asked since the Gazette is ignoring the fact that the community has already said "Yes" when it elected Sam Liebert to Janesville City Council in April of this year. Councilmember Liebert, who worked for the Obama administration in Washington DC and did not hide this fact, incidentally did not get Gazette's endorsement for apparently lacking experience in politics.
Moreover, it is appropriate for any person to be a member of any political party. We live in a democracy, and this type of involvement serves to provides more information for the voters about candidate's values, and should be taken into consideration together with other factors, such as whether a person has a criminal record, what they do for a living, what has their involvement in the community been, and so on. Belonging to a political party is simply one more piece of the puzzle. Not the kind of headline that sells newspapers, but it's a fact.
Then again, reality is far more complex than the story in the Gazette portrays. For instance, Councilman Liebert and myself are both members of the Democratic Party, yet we have disagreed on a number of issues that have come before the council, including the perennial issue in Janesville - sidewalks. That's because issues before the City Council for the most part have nothing to do with party politics. Putting this type of factual information in the story would have shown the complexities of serving the public, something that Gazette evidently can't handle or just doesn't want readers to worry about. After all, there's a story to be told about how inappropriate it is for people to belong to a political party and then run for a local office, and how the community should be worried about this. Facts? Well, they just slow down this train of justice.
Personally, I find it frustrating that Gazette chose to attack me by using a quote from a fellow Councilmember, herself running for re-election, to describe my remark as "blatant partisanship". Was I contacted for a response? Not at all. I found out about this story same way as everybody else - by reading about it on the Gazette's website. Clearly this story was in the making for sometime, and I anticipate an editorial sanctifying the conclusions drawn in this article to come out shortly.
Either way, thank goodness for the technology we have available to us, for it allows me to write my own response to the Gazette and post it here, on my blog, regardless of whether the Gazette includes a response from either myself or Kevin Murray - another local public official same as me accused by the Gazette of using local office as "springboards" for higher office - and not given a chance to respond.
For those curious as to why I referred to the Wheel Tax passed by the council as the Walker Tax, and voted against it, it is because Governor Scott Walker cut state shared revenue to Janesville by $864,000, of which about half a million dollars will be recouped with the new tax. I opposed this tax because it is Governor's way of shifting the blame for his irresponsible policies to local governments. I do not support it, and will not stand for it.
Finally, if the Gazette was truly concerned about the fact that so many of the candidates for local offices belong to political parties, it could have highlighted the fact that in these turbulent times, so many of our outstanding young men and women - from business owners to government employees - are stepping up and taking leadership roles in our communities by getting involved in political parties (nothing wrong with that) and by running for local elected offices. That would've been a positive story for a holiday edition. Oh well, may be next year.
Here's the link to the Gazette story: http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2011/dec/25/republican-or-democrat-its-not-supposed-matter-loc/
Merry Christmas and Go Packers!
To begin with, this question is wrong to be asked since the Gazette is ignoring the fact that the community has already said "Yes" when it elected Sam Liebert to Janesville City Council in April of this year. Councilmember Liebert, who worked for the Obama administration in Washington DC and did not hide this fact, incidentally did not get Gazette's endorsement for apparently lacking experience in politics.
Moreover, it is appropriate for any person to be a member of any political party. We live in a democracy, and this type of involvement serves to provides more information for the voters about candidate's values, and should be taken into consideration together with other factors, such as whether a person has a criminal record, what they do for a living, what has their involvement in the community been, and so on. Belonging to a political party is simply one more piece of the puzzle. Not the kind of headline that sells newspapers, but it's a fact.
Then again, reality is far more complex than the story in the Gazette portrays. For instance, Councilman Liebert and myself are both members of the Democratic Party, yet we have disagreed on a number of issues that have come before the council, including the perennial issue in Janesville - sidewalks. That's because issues before the City Council for the most part have nothing to do with party politics. Putting this type of factual information in the story would have shown the complexities of serving the public, something that Gazette evidently can't handle or just doesn't want readers to worry about. After all, there's a story to be told about how inappropriate it is for people to belong to a political party and then run for a local office, and how the community should be worried about this. Facts? Well, they just slow down this train of justice.
Personally, I find it frustrating that Gazette chose to attack me by using a quote from a fellow Councilmember, herself running for re-election, to describe my remark as "blatant partisanship". Was I contacted for a response? Not at all. I found out about this story same way as everybody else - by reading about it on the Gazette's website. Clearly this story was in the making for sometime, and I anticipate an editorial sanctifying the conclusions drawn in this article to come out shortly.
Either way, thank goodness for the technology we have available to us, for it allows me to write my own response to the Gazette and post it here, on my blog, regardless of whether the Gazette includes a response from either myself or Kevin Murray - another local public official same as me accused by the Gazette of using local office as "springboards" for higher office - and not given a chance to respond.
For those curious as to why I referred to the Wheel Tax passed by the council as the Walker Tax, and voted against it, it is because Governor Scott Walker cut state shared revenue to Janesville by $864,000, of which about half a million dollars will be recouped with the new tax. I opposed this tax because it is Governor's way of shifting the blame for his irresponsible policies to local governments. I do not support it, and will not stand for it.
Finally, if the Gazette was truly concerned about the fact that so many of the candidates for local offices belong to political parties, it could have highlighted the fact that in these turbulent times, so many of our outstanding young men and women - from business owners to government employees - are stepping up and taking leadership roles in our communities by getting involved in political parties (nothing wrong with that) and by running for local elected offices. That would've been a positive story for a holiday edition. Oh well, may be next year.
Here's the link to the Gazette story: http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2011/dec/25/republican-or-democrat-its-not-supposed-matter-loc/
Merry Christmas and Go Packers!
Posts
well said and ican agree with you 100%.
ReplyDeleteThe Gagzette has to be the dumbest "newspaper" ever if they think these positions are non-partisan. The County Board is stacked with Republicans. Where is the full page spread on that? Do they honestly think people are this stupid? Or are we to believe that the Gagzette is that innocent and naive? What an absolute crock!
ReplyDeleteThe Gazette/Bliss Communications is nothing but a mouth-piece for the local Republican/TEA Party establishment. Are we all that surprised? "Skippy" Bliss is just another rich guy, looking out for himself and his fellow rich friends. The Gazette will be out of print in 5-10 years.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost let me say that I saw that headline in the newspaper and thought it a bit ludicrous. Everyone has a political bend one way or another regardless of their "position" in the community. My thought was "Why shouldn't they have a political opinion? I do. I'm sure the writer does. Sure there are bound to be occasional places where "party" opinions can affect the City decisions before the Council, but that's going to be rare because sidewalks (to use your example) aren't going to fall across democrat or republican lines to begin with!"
ReplyDeleteSecond, I just have to say I find it amusing that the 3 responses are all posted by "anonymous." What does it say about our society when someone can't or won't expose their identity even when they are in support of something.
Last, Yuri I don't know for sure if I would agree with your political beliefs and what you feel strongly enough about to fight for, but I'm pretty sure I don't care right now. :) What I care about is that YOU care about this City and truly want what you believe is best for it. What *I* care about is that YOU are willing to take on the commitment it is and spend the money it takes to be on the City Council or whatever other offices you seek. Now .... if you run for something higher than "party" opinions will affect more, then I'll figure out how much I agree with you. For now I am grateful for your service. And, more than a bit irritated that the article was written without any effort to contact you for a response.
I really appreciate what you've written here. To be honest, I believe that one of Scott Walker's worst "contributions" to Wisconsin's politics is to deepen the divide between people--a divide that comes from the outside, as much a political-corporate attack on working-class people as all of his horrendous tax policies.
ReplyDeleteFostering this divide puts people into such polarized camps that we don't listen to each other anymore. We just listen to the pundits and editorializors, who often do not seek a counter-opinion or cite facts.
If you and I sat down with some people of supposedly opposing views, those who "drink the Tea" and approve of Scott Walker, and started talking about the most basic, fundamental issues of heart and home--how do we want our children to grow up? What do we want in a job? What do we want our neighborhoods to look like? We would come up with so many similarities that we might also be able to come up with solutions we all agreed on.
Walker and his ilk do not want that cooperation. They do not want cooler heads to prevail, because we might wake up to the fact that the greater good would be served first and foremost by ousting those who foster divisiveness. Newspapers do not sell (in this country) when they focus on cooperation and level-headed conversations. Listening and slow study of issues is a lost art, and I think it may be one of the most important ones to re-learn as we work against this tide of ignorance, greed and hatred.
Thanks for standing out there at the front lines.
Mr. Rashkin, I thank God that you only represent yourself and a limited few Janesville Citizens. Please take a moment to explain how your comments (that I read as divisive) are going to make a difference? Will you come out threatening like you did earlier this year when you received an email that you didn't like? Is that how you operate all the time? It seems like it to many people. Will you make more idle threats? The Gazaette's story makes a valid point. Partisan politics do not belong at the local level. It is clear that you want to "bring on the fight", so do not be surprised when the fight is forthcoming. Walker was chosen, everyone who was elected was elected by a majority of citizens in this state. Ignorance Greed and Hatred is the union mantra, not Walkers. Mr. Rashkin, lay down your forked-tongue weapons!
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous who posted at 2:00 pm: I have said, written and given interviews on numerous occasions addressing the points you brought up. However, I will be glad to meet with you face to face for a cup of coffee to listen to your concerns and to make sure that you understand where I am coming from. Sincerely, Yuri Rashkin
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Rashkin,
ReplyDeleteIt is well known that the Gagzette does not write much worthy of the title of journalism, so I hope you do not take their aggressive stupidity to heart!
One thing, as a political scientist, that I will note regarding local government: for whatever reason, most local governments in this country are "non-partisan" as far as politics are concerned. However, if you compare us to most/all of Europe, city gov'ts there are all partisan. For instance, consider a former German chancellor, Willy Brandt. He was the mayor of (West-) Berlin before ever being elected to Chancellor of the Federal Republic ("West" Germany at the time) and he was in the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany), having joined in 1930. The current mayor of London, one Boris Johnson, is a member of the Conservatives. Admittedly, these are two large city examples. However, the city of Gießen, where I recently studied for a semester, also has an SPD mayor and that city is only a few thousand people larger than Janesville. The point is, from a comparativist perspective, partisan local gov't is nothing new in the world, nor is it destructive. Bring this up the next time the Gagzette or some other fool makes such a baseless attack on you.
I am currently a student at UWO and our state senator up here, Ms. Jessica King, previously ran an unsuccessful senate campaign in 2008, before winning the 2011 recall election. After this 2008 race, she was on the Oshkosh Common Council, despite being a known Democrat due to her senate campaign. Again, Oshkosh did not burn to the ground. Point this out to the Gagzette.
I intend to be living in Milwaukee for my graduate studies by November, so I will likely vote there rather than in Janesville (where my parents live, and thus my permanent residence currently is), but I look forward to addressing you as Assemblyman Rashkin next year! Remain objective, present your message clearly and honestly, and best of luck defeating Knilans!
Peace,
~Andreas
Excuse me, as far as "political parties" are concerned most local governments (or all?) are non-partisan, I meant to say.
ReplyDeleteAndreas, thank you for your encouragement and great perspective. Good luck to you in your studies!
ReplyDelete