Burning Bridges
So in the latest effort to attempt to work with Democratic House members, the Governor's office was behind an anonymous flier that was distributed to attendees at yesterday's Pride Parade.Truth be told, I don't have the time or energy right now to post the thing, but it essentially calls out Sara Feigenholtz, Greg Harris and me by name for voting for the House budget and tells people to call us about it.
But it does so in such a clumsy way that it is almost laughable. Almost.
Did anybody in the administration really think that it was a good idea to try to assail the state's only openly gay legislator, Rep. Harris, for cutting housing resources for HIV/AIDS patients? Via a flyer at the pride parade?
But it has indeed resulted in phone calls. And let's just say that those people that have contacted Rep. Harris and myself were very unhappy. And not with us.
The frosting on the cake is that the Governor's office, directly and through another legislator, denied having any knowledge of the flier. Without wanting to put anybody in a bind, let me just say this. They're lying.
More than one group that receives state funding has indicated that they were contacted by the Administration and asked to assist in the effort. I'm believing them.
Memo to the Administration: If you're going to go after legislators (especially ones from your own party) on issues, have the decency to stand behind it. Otherwise you're just making a bad move worse.
And more to the point - in the big picture, what was this possibly going to accomplish? That we would file a motion to reconsider the GRT resolution? That being anonymously blindsided would encourage us to work more closely with the Administration?
Maybe they missed the class when you learn that this is a game of addition, not subtraction. Too bad.
And I know that my refrain is getting redundant, but...it didn't have to be this way. This type of strategy furthers no policy initiatives, accomplishes no goals for the public good, weakens people's belief in our state government, and hurts our party. Time will not judge this period kindly.
To read or post comments, visit Open House
Did anybody in the administration really think that it was a good idea to try to assail the state's only openly gay legislator, Rep. Harris, for cutting housing resources for HIV/AIDS patients? Via a flyer at the pride parade?
But it has indeed resulted in phone calls. And let's just say that those people that have contacted Rep. Harris and myself were very unhappy. And not with us.
The frosting on the cake is that the Governor's office, directly and through another legislator, denied having any knowledge of the flier. Without wanting to put anybody in a bind, let me just say this. They're lying.
More than one group that receives state funding has indicated that they were contacted by the Administration and asked to assist in the effort. I'm believing them.
Memo to the Administration: If you're going to go after legislators (especially ones from your own party) on issues, have the decency to stand behind it. Otherwise you're just making a bad move worse.
And more to the point - in the big picture, what was this possibly going to accomplish? That we would file a motion to reconsider the GRT resolution? That being anonymously blindsided would encourage us to work more closely with the Administration?
Maybe they missed the class when you learn that this is a game of addition, not subtraction. Too bad.
And I know that my refrain is getting redundant, but...it didn't have to be this way. This type of strategy furthers no policy initiatives, accomplishes no goals for the public good, weakens people's belief in our state government, and hurts our party. Time will not judge this period kindly.
To read or post comments, visit Open House
