Trish Spencer for Mayor

For what it’s worth, I will be voting for Trish Spencer.  For the good of Alameda, the cartel that runs Alameda politics is BAD(TM) for the city.

1.  They give too much money and power to the fire department.

2.  We only don’t notice how much money/power the police have because the fire department is so much more powerful, but there is too little oversight of the police budget as well.

3.  The present administration is way too cozy with developers.

4.  The clique that surrounds and supports the present administration (Lauren Do, John Knox White, Karen Quick, etc.) are fatuous at best and bullies at worst.   They will generally dismiss/attack legitimate concerns ignoring the fact that the city is headed towards bankruptcy and overdevelopment.

I’ll keep this short because I doubt anyone cares and I am classified as being on the cranky fringe of Alameda politics (see #4 above).  Two more comments:

1.  Even if Trish was everything her critics say, the benefits from derailing  #1-4 would be worth it.  BUT Trish Spencer is not that caricature (remember these people are bullies even if they only strike out with snark, lies, and selective editing); I have met her and she is much more genuine than those who oppose her.

2.  I have no illusions, Gilmore will probably be reelected to the detriment of our City, but, at least, I will have done some small thing to try to prevent it.

(I would love it if the Sullwolds would try to get back into local politics.  The best information available about this city is at Robert Sullwold’s blog.  Unfortunately, the present cliquishness/power dynmaic prevented Jean (Robert’s wife) from being elected to the City Council last go round and I guess she was not up for more futility.)