Tomorrow "We" See How Stupid "We" Are
Election Day 2008 is tomorrow. Despite having no real race for County Executive, this has turned out to be a very intriguing year for local politics. Monroe County Republicans have seemingly done everything they can to hand the County Legislature to the Democrats. By ignoring the obviously unethical practices of the Water Authority that limits dissent and serves as a staging ground for GOP golden parachutes; by obstructing any attempts at addressing the shortcomings of COMIDA which has produced the unwanted double-wammy of no job growth and unsustainable suburban sprawl; by refusing to consider the many real answers to the County's budget problems proposed by the Democrats and subsequently celebrating the shady, anti-democratic methods behind Maggie's F.A.I.R. plan (which I am almost ashamed to admit that I support); and now the despicable, racist, xenophobic political mailer produced by the Monroe County Republican Committee which basically claims that County Democrats support terrorism and that all Arabs are terrorists (see images below borrowed from my good friends at RochesterTurning).I can write the counter-mailings: "County Republicans want your children to die for Texaco," "County Republicans Support Substandard Health Care," "County Republicans Know What You Did Last Summer."
This frankly should be a cakewalk for the Monroe County Democratic Party. Republicans at all levels of government have shown nothing but disdain for the Constitution, distrust of the People, and an uncanny ability to allow private corporations to control every aspect of our lives. Their mantra of "profit above all - health, safety, and well-being be damned" has outworn its welcome across this country. This region missed out on its last chance to show that we are a part of that newfound spirit during the 2007 election, when we returned three failed Republican incumbents to Congress. Maybe we just didn't realize how fraught with incompetence and corruption the local Republican leadership is. Well, unfortunately for us, they've reminded us in a big way. Tomorrow we shall see if we have learned from our mistakes. Will we prove ourselves to be mindless sheep of the status quo flock or will we come out and represent ourselves like the intelligent, hard-working, progressive community that we really are? I know I'll do my part; please do yours. Vote Democrat tomorrow - it's your duty.