Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Observing Election Night in Carbondale

Simon for Mayor Campaign signs greeted travelers as they entered Carbondale. The Cole – Our Mayor Campaign signs were in close proximity. For anyone knowing the differences between the two, the signs for Brad Cole were more foreboding than anything else. Radio and television coverage loomed large at the Simon gathering at Mugsy’s on Main Street. The room filled with people completely erupted in a 5-minute standing ovation when she walked in. One would think that Sheila Simon was an important person. She is not, and she would be the first one to say it. It was the palpable excitement of her supporters, the ones that truly know her and the differences between her and the incumbent mayor.

Brad Cole is a full-time mayor wannabe circumventing the current form of government and continue to draw a part-time salary. He can afford it. The trust fund baby has his family income to pay the bills. Generous to a fault, the former assistant governor even sent his mentor, George Ryan, a check for Christmas (guess he thought that his old mentor would need the extra prison ducats after the steel doors slam shut). Although he really could have self-funded his campaign, the Republican cash overflowed heavily in his direction. As assistant governor, he learned how important Party loyalty could be, and it certainly came handy with this election. Had he lost, very little would have changed in his life. He would still be an unemployed trust fund baby with the family bank account supporting him, enjoying his favorite hobbies, and desperately seeking a purpose in life.

With all the money that flooded Cole’s campaign, his slogan of our mayor belies the reality. Between the Republican-funded and supplied professional campaign staff and federal level donors like Keep Our Majority/Mission PAC (KOMPAC), he is an expensive puppet. Rental property owners put him in office the first time around and assisted quite generously in this election. During his time as a pretend full-time mayor, cole has made circumventing the city council an art form. The Target debacle is one example of his distain for the democratic process on the municipal level. The election confirmed what his campaign signs should have displayed: Cole -- Expensive Puppet.

The differences between the two candidates is striking. Sheila greets everyone individually with a warm smile and a ready hug. People like her because she is a truly honest person. They genuinely trust her. Throughout the campaign, she refused to take individual credit for her accomplishments during the past three years on the city council. It would be inappropriate since it is a city council is a team effort. To her, politics is not a hobby. She has a lifetime of political experience, ran the race she wanted to, and received over 43 percent of the vote. When she gave a room full of supporters the information, the reaction was the opposite of what anyone would expect. The deafening cheering and applause was overwhelming and amazing at the same time. Her audience responded very loudly with two words: next time!

While Brad Cole greases the Republican political wheels and pretends to understand the laws of government, Sheila is an attorney with trial experience and teaches law at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. She began Election Day planting a tree in the morning. She has scheduled a Clean Up Carbondale event for April 21, and she will be biking and kayaking as often as possible. The election results change nothing for her. She remains the genuine article.

1 Comments:

At 18 April, 2007 10:41, Blogger The Eccentric said...

Cole is SOOOOOOO....transparent. Anyone who knows anything about politics knows to follow the money. Cole is nothing more than the embodiment of everything evil in the Republican Party. That can never be good for the people, only business interest. I hope to see more of Sheila Simon throughout the state of Illinois. The people need a person like her who understands them and knows what's important to them. That is the quality of life.

 

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