0.14285714%: A Cynical View of Local Politics

I'm a little tardy with this post, it happened in early January. For that matter, I guess I'm a little tardy with posting a post at all, so tie me to the whipping post.

So back in the Spring of 2002, wife Barbara was looking for a part-time job. I almost kiddingly suggested she run for city council. She apparently found it somewhat intriguing but balked. I said, do it as a lark, or do it for real. Something must have been right, 'cause she went for it, people encouraged her, donated money, and the biggest thing, she enjoyed door knocking. Essential to win an election. Long story short, she won as the last ward was counted, beating a two-term incumbent for the at-large (entire city) position.

What's really amazing and a down right shame however, is she became only the 4th woman in city history to serve on a seven member council in existence since the mid-1890's...115 years or so. Thus the title of this post, 1/7th. Barb joined the 3rd woman ever elected, Nancy Erickson who represented Ward 5. Cameron McMahon was elected at-large back in the 50's or 60's, and Rosemary Given Amble served in the at-large position, I wanna say in the 80's.

So Barb served for eight years, and if you ask her that was just a bit too long. So here's some photos of her last meeting. The good part? Well hallelujah! Bemidji being the progressive city it is, elected it's 5th woman in history, keeping the council 0.14285714% female. Another woman ran who was the better man, in my view, for the at-large seat being vacated by Barbara. So sad, I don't think the electorate did it's homework. Nope, I don't.  Here goes.

No gold watch, but got a nice plaque and a corsage. Unfortunately, she was the only councilor to represent half the city on the issue of events centers, right down to the last meeting, while two others abandoned earlier. Barb consistently received kudos on her stand based on principle. Imagine that, principle.

Before the meeting and Barb's arrival, some sneaky person put this unassuming package on her portion of the council desk. The city clerk courteously marked the spot so no mistakes were made and given to some male councilor.

Councilor Meuers discovers the package, unwraps it, and then breaks into song and raps about flowers. She sang: 

Oh well I don't mind, if you don't mind

'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine

Before I go, can you read my kind?

Headin' to the trail, with the lonesome pines

Oh Kay, you shouldn't have. I never could pin those flowers on. You'd think that would be a skill more men would become more proficient.

Woman councilor #4 welcomes councilor #3. Councilor #3 after serving for eight years decided to run for mayor but was defeated by "big money special interest group" whom she scared the crap out of. One day...if I can scare up the energy, I'll tell that story. The story is one of the reasons why Barb had enough, and the story defeated a woman candidate too. The year? 2008.

Newly elected mayor wearing his political colors, visits with retiring mayor who made the mistake of running for state rep. He couldn't possibly have looked at a Blue Book. Funny thing about power. It exists if people believe it, and doesn't if they don't. 

Barb symbolically passes on her councilor's book to the person who will fill her seat, well...I mean sit in the same chair at the table. Good man who defeated a good woman who in my view who would have been a better councilor, but not a better tuba player.

A better exchange. Barb symbolically passes on the councilor's book to the 5th woman to serve on the Bemidji City Council, Rita Albrecht, an old friend who defeated a two-term male incumbent a la Barba-ra, to represent Ward 4.

Every single living female Bemidji City Councilor. (Well, two are married...but not to each other, illegal in Minnesota) Hell, there's more living US Presidents. Isn't it fun when we see them all together? Pictured: Woman Councilor #5 Rita Albrecht, Woman Councilor #3 Nancy Erickson, and Woman Councilor #4 Barbara Meuers.

Now Davy Crockett

He was the king of the wild frontier

I'd tame him down

If he had his old dead self here

Now Jesse James and Frank James

Baddest men in the land

We got some women who'd make 'em eat now,

Out of your hand

Now John Dillinger

The woman in red got him

Now teach all you hardies about a W.O.M.A.N.

Oww ow oww

I'm a W.O.M.  one A and a N

A woman

A woman ~Etta James

Two folks who represented the entire city. The retiring mayor, and the retiring Councilor at-large. A rare conjunction two years before 2012.

It's Over

All the rainbows in the sky

Start to weep, then say goodbye

You won't be seeing rainbows any more

Setting suns before they fall, Echo to you that's all that's all

But you'll see lonely sunsets after all

It's over It's over It's over It's over~Roy Orbison

Much to my amazement this group be visiting. Left to right; new councilor, old councilor, ex-councilor, and un-councilor. Notice how the men seem to be listening, or are they merely thinking? Which begs the question, what?

The defeated woman candidate from 2008 mentioned earlier, visits with the current city finance director. He must balance budgets and egos.

A Question of Balance

And he thought of those he angered,

For he was not a violent man,

And he thought of those he hurt

For he was not a cruel man

And he thought of those he frightened

For he was not an evil man,

And he understood.

He understood himself.

It's where we stop and look around us

There is nothing that we need.

In a world of persecution

That is burning in it's greed.~Moody Blues

City manager and notorious Gaea critic visits with two of his ex-bosses. City Manager removes infamous Gaia painted sculpture appropriately depicting female genitalia misnamed vagina over vulva, City Councilor in surgical strike of astute politic replaces said artwork, middleman mayor was the referee.

Gaia

Our Mother Earth 

The whispers suggest 

Her center is a smoldering molten core 

All consuming melt of fire 

  

I am skeptic of this witchery called science 

Imagining the center to have a heart much like mine 

  

Vulnerable and sore 

Vibrant muscle drumming in gratitude 

Capillary tunnels flowing out spreading life 

Her blood runs blue 

Into cavernous basins 

Crystalline grotto of incandescent hue 

  

Beating so profoundly 

Resonating to the whole, in a world that thrives on music 

In purity of tribal ritual to intricate unfurling of orchestral fantasia 

Echoes of hollow sharp brass cutting the steady pound to the march of war 

To serene fluid lickings of virgin fingertips caressing the strings of the harp 

Into the steamy moaning, dripping sex of onyx lips singing Mississippi blues 

  

Surging vibrations in vast myriad of artery carnations 

Fed by blood pumping of the same hallowed maternal heart 

  

~Written by Dragonyear

The line-up. Will the new council be the same as the old council?

Won't Get Fooled Again?

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution

Take a bow for the new revolution

Smile and grin at the change all around me

Pick up my guitar and play

Just like yesterday

Then I'll get on my knees and pray

We don't get fooled again

Don't get fooled again

No, no!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Meet the new boss

Same as the old boss~The Who

One of the last weird issues our flower child had to deal with was a 2 Ho Hum closing for a (wouldn't ya know it, related to development of the south shore) business who wishes to serve the drug C2H5OH. Some big business wanted to high pressure black mail "the people" into "if we don't get our way we will take our hotel and go home". Well, the new boss is the same as the old boss, although it didn't happen here, it did happen later under the new council, leaving one to one-duh, if money talks.

Money

The best things in life are free

But you can keep them for the birds and bees

Now give me money

That's what I want

That's what I want, yeah

That's what I want

You're lovin' gives me a thrill

But you're lovin' don't pay my bills

Now give me money

That's what I want

That's what I want, yeah

That's what I want

Money don't get everything it's true

What it don't get, I can't use

Now give me money

That's what I want~Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford

Trips. Woman Councilor #3 and Councilor #5 sandwich the retiring mayor's spouse.

The Law. The County Sheriff and the City Police Chief seem mildly amused that they seem to have no more influence over city council majorities than the majority of the people. Now why would not the people's "elected" reps give credence to the opinion of public safety employees allied with the local dram club?

You never give me your money

You only give me your funny paper

and in the middle of negotiations

you break down~Lennon/McCartney

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.

Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we're together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Some trails are happy ones,

Others are blue.

It's the way you ride the trail that counts,

Here's a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.

Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we're together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again. ~Dale Evans