MANSFIELD: Get Ready, They’re Coming

No, I’m not referring to some jackbooted, brown-shirt wearing, neo-fascist thugs, bent upon dragging people out of their homes and forcing them to sign some sort of loyalty pledge that binds them to the soon-to-be president. No, the folks we need to get ready for are those bozos who — because Donald Trump allegedly won the presidency — now think they too can win elective office. It’s a mental disorder called “The Trump Effect.”

Since 2017 is a municipal election year, everyone (including Larry, Curly and Moe) thinks they have what it takes to win office in the city of Cleveland. From a seat on council, to a judgeship, and even a term or two as mayor, there’s no shortage of people who seemingly love nothing better than trying to tell other people how they should be living their lives.

These are the “bees” — the wanna-bees, the used-to bees and the dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks bees. And some of these characters evidently have memories as short as their attention spans and résumés. It would be nice if they would clear up child support arrearages, back taxes and fines for old domestic violence cases before running for elective office, don’t you think? But hey, considering my almost three decades as a counterfeiter, who am I to cast aspersions? The only difference is, I’m not asking anyone to vote for me.

Of course, we have to give the benefit of the doubt and assume these fine folks are seeking elective office because they just want to do good. But sometimes, considering how scarce decent paying jobs are hereabouts, some of these folks want to do good mainly for themselves. Did I mention that, when the expense account is included, the city council gig pays $80,000 per year — and that it’s only part-time to boot? No kidding, it says so right there in the City Charter. Sweet deal, huh?

It’s no wonder that Larry, Curly and Moe — none of whom are gainfully employed due to a lack of real, marketable skills — are all running, along with a host of other misfits, con artists, perverts and mountebanks.

It used to be that some long-time resident of a ward, someone who had — over the years — demonstrated their commitment by doing real work to improve their neighborhood, was elected to represent their community on city council, but no more. Now political hucksters of every ilk and stripe are looking at a map of the city and trying to determine which member of council is weak and therefore vulnerable, and that’s how they pick the ward they want to run in.

Now it makes no difference if the only time the would-be candidate ever lived in the ward was back when they were in grade school, or perhaps they used to go with someone who once lived in the ward, or maybe just have driven through it from time to time. In their mind that’s good enough to represent it. They don’t have to be property owners or stakeholders. To their twisted way of thinking, the desire to earn a real paycheck while making laws they have no intention of obeying takes precedent over real commitment.

I was going to finish off this article with a bit of advice: “On Election Day, choose wisely.” But on second thought, why waste my time? Part of the electorate is natural born suckers — and another one is born every minute.

Here’s the proof: People voted for Trump, didn’t they?

From Cool Cleveland correspondent Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com. Frazier’s From Behind The Wall: Commentary on Crime, Punishment, Race and the Underclass by a Prison Inmate is available in hardback. Snag your copy and have it signed by the author at http://NeighborhoodSolutionsInc.com

 

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