A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about local community political activist Zuma Dogg (a.k.a. David Saltsburg)
I mentioned how the snarky political-attack blog Mayor Sam calls him "The Prophet of Venice" in an attempt to demean and insult him. But I pointed out that Zuma Dogg is correct more often that not and even has an eerily prescient ability to sense coming dangers in City politics. (Zuma Dogg was talking about the City going into bankruptcy several years ago....)
While other blogs like Mayor Sam and Street Hassle are running around in a fear-induced panic, demanding the elimination of gun rights due to the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords, Big ZD from the 213 is the only one who is keeping his eye on the ball.
This week, he's the only one worth listening to.
Zuma Dogg points out that while everyone else obsesses over something they cannot possibly control, that we City activists are losing crucial time in the City Council races.
He's right.
The City elections pose a desperate dilemma for City activists. Most of the challengers to the entrenched city power structure are underfunded -- and in some cases, practically unknown.
Most of them will not win. The best we can do is try to pick a horse and go with it.
Volunteer our time and services. Go door-to-door. Make phone calls. Donate, if you can afford to.
Zuma Dogg mocks Ron Kaye's Clean Sweep organization by pointing out that they haven't updated their website for months, and they are still conducting candidate interviews. Indeed, their last "tweet' was nearly a month ago. We are 57 days from the election... and it doesn't look like Clean Sweep has made any endorsements or written a single check. It looks like you can't depend on them to accomplish much this election cycle. It is too late in the game.
If you plan to win a City Council seat, you need money for mailers to get your name out to the voting public. Voters usually won't vote for someone when they have absolutely no idea who that person is.
You also need a team of committed volunteers to go around and hand deliver campaign material to high propensity voters. You need a phone bank to call voters.
I have personally decided to concentrate my efforts on David Barron in CD 6 and Austin Dragon in CD 10. That is just my personal preference based on political ideology and identification. I will be happy to help out all the challengers to the established, corrupt, City political machinery. I even have an interview out to a candidate that I don't especially support, but I am willing to give more exposure to as part of the bigger overall picture.
We need to do all we can to try and flip the power structure in this highly corrupt city.
The Prophet of Venice has spoken. I think we should listen to him.
