The Destruction of Republican Politics in Shelby Township
“He deserves it”, a voice mutters calmly.
“She deserves it”, replies in a less than desirable tone.
“Throw the bums out!”, fires a voice from the back of the room.
This is it, this is the destruction of Republican politics here in Shelby Township. This is how it all get’s blown up.
This isn’t a revolution. Revolutions have power and meaning behind them. This is just ripping the self inflicted wounds of a ongoing multi-decade war within the party open. This is a recall. Both sides have figurative blood on their hands. Both sides want the other side out. Both sides want kick the other side to the curb. It’s apparent to me, that this war will not stop until one side or the other has been eliminated.
On one side you have the “Slick Dick” Republicans who can’t can’t get out of their own way, leaving a path of trampled residents and properties along the way. On the other side you have the “Can’t Kick that Skip” Republicans, that claim to be the heroes that will Save Shelby from the Slick Dicks. Unfortunately, in the middle of this are the citizens of Shelby Township.
Who are the “Slick Dicks”? Well this ones pretty easy, it’s those elected officials and their political machine (or is that a toaster), that continues to churn out rhetoric blasting the other side for backing Skip. If there is one thing these guys love to do, it’s to keep riding that “Bash Skip” train. Which leads into the “Can’t Kick that Skip” crowd, that no matter what topic they choose to speak out on, they are attacked with political fodder like “Lisa and Skippy Sitting in a – “ you know where that is going.
This is the end, this is how it’s all going to collapse on us. I fear this is how we lose ourselves. This is how a great place to live turns to shit.
How? Simple, while all of this in-fighting goes on, without end, our problems are not going away. Vacancies continue to rise, while other surrounding communities are starting to recover. If our elected officials spent more time trying to solve the problems and seek the same assistance other communities have received, maybe we would be in a better position for recovery, alleviating some of the stress on the Township budget. More businesses, more taxes, & more people, more taxes. Instead throwing our hands in the air and blaming everything else is the play of the day.
What is left for a Republican here? Take the side of a less than stellar leader who accepts PAC donations like he was running for the US Senate, or being hit my the blunt side of a political toaster, bought with PAC money? If you ask me, being a Republican in Shelby Township is a lose-lose proposition, but I’m certainly not a Democrat, so what can one do?
Fix or Fight…
One can fight the powers that be and join the recall effort. If you don’t like how the Township is being run, sign your name to the petition and join the recall effort. The folks over at Save Shelby will be more than happy for your assistance. The real question is, can you fix it without fighting? My position a few months ago was yes, you can certainly fix this situation without recalls. You can pick up the pieces of what is left around us and put it back together. Find a compromise and move forward. Today, it’s pretty clear that is not going to happen. So is fixing this thing really going to happen without the fight/recall? Seems unlikely.
The press has made some editorial publications, like this one: http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2010/12/07/opinion/srv0000010212584.txt (copy and paste it, I refuse to actually link to the story and give it any merit), which appears to be written by those actually defending themselves in recall matters. To me more rubbish, which should go out to the curb on Monday or Tuesday, depending on where you live. The especially sad part about this is that the Slick Dicks of this world actually believe the lie that this is “the court of public opinion” on the matter. How short sighted and dim witted is that, when they were the ones that wrote to silly article?
We as Republicans should be smarter than all of this. When did we forget that we are a small community that grew up by helping each other. When did we forget that we are trying to build a great place to live, not a shit hole where half of the businesses are belly up, like whales that beach themselves rather than to experience the impending doom.
If the Slick Dicks of the world win, then PAC money is here to stay. Political favors are the new norm and the beginning of the end of a great place to live has already come and gone. At the same time, if the “Can’t Kick that Skip” crowd can’t get out from under the cloud that surrounds them, they will certainly lose. Skip hasn’t been involved with Shelby Township politics since his defeat in 2008, yet that is the first thing yelled at anyone who isn’t a Slick Dick. I can’t believe that the Slick Dicks really think that the other side is running to Ralph Skip Maccarone with every little problem and attack they wage, just hoping that he is some sort of savior or leader. To me it’s quite simple, it’s the only attack they have, because they certainly can’t stand on their own bed of lies and expect that to fly. This problem has to be overcome in some fashion or another. Maybe that’s why the recalls make sense. Maybe it’s as simple as the other side is not listening and this is the only recourse some people have to fight the Slick Dicks of this world.
Either way, the damage that has been unloaded on this community for the past few years is just starting to be seen. If we are not careful, citizens will have no choice but to vote for a Democrat or Libertarian in 2012.
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