I grew up in a mixed marriage, mother Republican and father a Democrat. I heard both sides often passionately presented and learned to appreciate and argue both sides. I consider myself open to new ideas and a defender of good tradition. My coif is liberal with conservative highlights and liberatarian undertones. I believe in liberty with responsibility. So, we can disagree on some things, and agree on others. Let us try to work together to improve life here as often as possible.

Dr. Crawford has the money and it sounds like he is prepared to make the time to run. But being less bad than Tom Henry (who I do not think will run for a second term) and only slightly better than Paula Hughes, is not a very good reason to vote for someone.

If Crawford runs, the Chairman will feign impartiality in the primary but paddle hard below the surface to get him into the general election. He will have many of the elected officials’ support and their endorsements. The country clubbers will support him just to be able to once again hold sway over the City. The papers will hold up his votes on Harrison Square and the smoking ban against the desires of those he represented, as “tough”, “independent”, “principled”, and perhaps “courageous”, then fawningly endorse him. When in reality what Crawford did is no different than what Democrats in Congress are doing today with their vote on health care in the face of a majority of Americans who oppose it.

You can be sure Crawford will have a poll in the field soon if not already.

Once the wunderkind, I believe Mitch Harper will tease everyone all the way up to the last day of filing, then not run citing either his support for Crawford (should he run), or that he has an equally important role to play on City Council, as Council President. Harper’s encyclopedic knowledge of State and Local Government along with his penchant for history qualifies him more as philosopher\wonk\critic instead of the visionary/leader/executer the city needs.

Fort Wayne and the Republican Party should be looking forward with a candidate, not reaching back, and I don’t believe you have to be of Government to be in it. The city needs a candidate that is inspiring, accomplished, down-to-earth, smart, not beholden to anyone, proven performer, willing to do the hard stuff, and is not worried about getting re-elected. This shouldn’t be the best job the candidate has ever held in their career.

None of the people mentioned are necessarily “bad” or “evil”, but for goodness sake, is this the best we got?! To paraphrase Edmund Burke, All that is needed for mediocrity to triumph is for good men to do nothing. We may be there.

There are plenty of qualified folks capable of running, and moving the city back on track and forward, but after seeing the Party eat its young in the last mayoral election, I suppose it’s understandable why potential candidates might consider otherwise. Granted hubris and ineptitude contributed greatly to the fall of the 2007 primary victor, but the fuse was lit and flame fanned by the sniffy Party regulars (Crawford among them) after the great unwashed masses voted down their selected candidate.

I guess the voters of Fort Wayne need to ask themselves, “Don’t we deserve better than the same ole re-tread candidates?”, and “Are we going to let influential Party officials and contributors dictate the primary field and result?” The Mayor’s election will be as much a fight for the control of the Party as it is for the Mayor’s office. The primary election is where the battle will be joined. What side will you be on, freedom or power?

Given the apprehension of Government Control, his ideas on the Smoking Ban were the catalyst to his defeat. I don’t know people are over that–not in this atmosphere.

Don’t get me wrong. I admire Dr. Crawford, now the fight is over, even though I am not happy about government restrictions on businesses.

Not only was he my father’s doctor who cared compassionately for him (I later found out), but…as it turns out he was a hell of a nice guy on the corner of the street when I found him to apologize for attacking his character because of his stance.

I have had a chance to talk to him on occasion and believe there are good things he can offer for government. Right now, though?

I suggest to let the tides turn a bit, and let people get over the ant-Crawford sentimentality when the economy turns up.