InWeekly
columns
Outtakes
Winners & Losers
Rants & Raves
The Last Word
news
Cover Story
The Buzz
News
News of the Weird
a & e
A&E Features
Music
Hot Times
Community Outreach
monthly guides
Health & Wellness
Stay Local
blogs
Rick's Blog
extras
Best Of The Coast 2009
Power List 2010
Eat Guide 2010
Green Matters 2010
2010 Rising Stars
2010 Law Guide
Stay Local 2010
2010 Lush Guide
Outtakes
FEAR & SMEAR The most disappointing element of the debate over a new city charter has been the negative "fear and smear" campaign run by No Boss Mayor.
We've come to expect such antics from Charlie Fairchild, the leader of the now-defunct Save Our City political action committee, but it is truly worrisome to see two former city attorneys, a former mayor and two current city council members trying to frighten the voters with distortions of their opponent's positions.
FEAR IN PENASCOLA Fear worked as a campaign strategy during the 2004 presidential election. Voters felt safer with George W. Bush leading the country than Sen. John Kerry. The same strategy didn't work as well for John McCain in 2008.
The No Boss Mayor has resurrected the fear strategy by trying to scare Pensacola voters into thinking a strong mayor, as proposed by the new charter, would lead to more backroom deals, less government in the Sunshine and cronyism. They say he will be like W.D. Childers or even worse, like South Florida.
POLITICAL BACKLASH Fortunately, the constant attacks by No Boss Mayor have created somewhat of backlash. Both Councilwoman Diane Mack and News Journal columnist Mark O'Brien have pointed out the fallacies in the allegations that the charter vote is about operating the city government outside of the Sunshine Laws
Mack wrote on her blog that No Boss Mayor is "purposely misrepresenting the ability of the elected Mayor, who would be an executive in the new government and have no vote, to communicate one-one-one with Council members. They call it 'skirting the Sunshine Law' and 'outside the Sunshine Law.' That is not skirting the Sunshine Law; that is not outside the Sunshine Law. That is the Sunshine Law."
O'Brien concurred and added in his column, "I have a bigger beef with the opponents: It's this dour outlook on human nature and the insistence that a strong mayor will be controlled by special interests. Yes, that's possible, and then again, a strong mayor might actually energize this stagnant community or take a courageous stand."
I agree with Mack and O'Brien. When one side does little more than attack the other side, my first reaction is to find out what the attackers are hiding.
NO FINANCIAL REPORTS What No Boss Mayor appears to be hiding are its campaign contributors. The PAC sent out a press release on Monday, Nov. 2 with a draft of its first campaign finance report, which wasn't due until Nov. 6.
Why? " It is often very instructional to see who is supporting or opposing an idea and how deep their pocketbook support runs," according to the press release.
The pro-charter PAC, We Believe in a Better Pensacola, responded likewise and has reported each of its deposits since Nov. 6. No Boss Mayor has not released any more financial reports.
However, No Boss Mayor hasn't stopped spending money. They have had at least two automated phone calls and two mailers, none of which are included in the Nov. 6 report. That campaign report only showed they had $2,275 available to spend, which is not nearly enough to pay for these campaign items. Money is being spent, but the voters aren't being told where it is coming from.
So often the ones screaming the loudest are those hoping to get you to look the other direction.
