BUF-Mayor: Byron Brown Wins Democratic Primary; Wins Re-Election By Default

Uphill Battles... (0.00 / 0)

It looks like the same principle is showing itself here in the capital city.  I'm not quite ready to call it just yet...

But I'm always ready to point out that these battles are worth fighting, no matter how high the slope.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Wed Sep 16, 2009 at 02:40:29 AM UTC

Its unfortunate (4.00 / 1)

He's been decent for the City, but his administration is nearly as corrupt as 1920s Chicago. Anything associated with the Steves, Casey and Pigeon, is brutal, and Brown has the first on staff as Deputy Mayor and the second is a former employee and good friend.

We'll survive in Buffalo, but it certainly isn't ideal. Like I said, he's fine, but as a good government person...

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by: Amherst Guy @ Wed Sep 16, 2009 at 02:42:53 AM UTC

The Marion Barry Syndrome (0.00 / 0)

In elections, it is important to get a strong core group to vote as a block, and get to the polls, and vote in a high percentage. In Buffalo, African Americans voted virtually in lock step, and they voted in a much higher percentage than the rest of Buffalo. The Brown machine can't win by district except in a pair of them (out of nine), but they can win mayoral control when they perform in such a manner. So we get a stalemate of sorts.

I guess that leaves the rest of Buffalo eligible to vote with their feet.

There was effectively a media blackout - one lame attempt at a debate, and no discussion of any consequence about lies, corruption, insider deals, pay to play, and the near collusion of the Brown administration with the Republican business establishment. But, that did not matter. It was all about what melanin team you were on, in combination with the $1.7 million squeezed and shaken down from businessmen anxious to do business with the 3rd poorest city in the U.S. But, thanks to huge subsidies from NY State, one awash in cash. But by and large, that cash is not for the vast majority of poor people who voted for Brown, instead mostly for a select few who are still on good terms with Brown. They (the vast majority of Brown's voters) get to be poorer in the future, more imprisoned, more victimized by crime, more unemployed...but at least they know how to do "team voting" quite effectively.

On the bright side, at least Brown is not as corrupt as Marion Barry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Barry) of Washington DC fame, and he does not frequent hookers or cheat on his wife. So he can't be all bad. On the other hand, we get 4 more years of the slide, which could well be interrupted by a lot of jail time for many of the Mayor's associates/subordinates, and if they rat on him, hizzoner. What a future we have in store for us on America's North Coast.... It's not much better in a lot of cities on the U.S. North Coast (Detroit and Cleveland, for example), so maybe misery loves company. However, cross the border into Canada, and it is a whole other world.....

So, what to do in a city with a real unemployment rate (U6 term, not the propagandish U3 term) well in excess of 33%, and more like 40%, and in a dire need of manufacturing business/employment with an industry/industries that make products in demand, not in excess and retreat? Well, more of the same that got us to this point, evidently. For entertainment and/or irritation, we get more housing project proposals (15,000 to 20,000 vacant ones already), a fishing tackle (to be filled with mostly made in China crap) "super-store" (Bass Pro)) at huge subsidies, more hotels (vacancy rate already averaging > 50%) also at huge subsidies, and maybe, just maybe, a gambling joint completed, that will do to downtown Buffalo what it did for downtown Niagara Falls, USA (= the Mogadishu, Somalia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogadishu), lite of WNY). Maybe we can have a special exhibit of Nero's fiddle on display for a while (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nero). We have lots of museums and art galleries, just not so many patrons with money any more....

On the bright side, at least Mr. Barry is not mayor...of any town, anymore. Maybe the future might have an up side, a bit further on down the road. As for preparations for the next Peak Oil induced recession (remember 2007-2008 and the price spike?) in the 2010 to 2011 time frame...fahgetaboudit. Maybe that will put Buffalo's U6 rate above 50%....., as given current conditions, that is hardly a stretch goal...

Nb41

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by: Nb41 @ Wed Sep 16, 2009 at 04:24:45 AM UTC