Back in the saddle, again!
Greetings, all!
Just a short post to let you know that I'm back in Chandler and my new office is set up. It's been a pretty hectic month and a lot has gone on since I last posted. I won't try to recap everything, but I will note a few key developments:
1. I've enrolled in the Center for Progressive Leadership (CPL) training program, the Arizona Political Leaders Fellowship (more here). We had our first two days of the 9-month program this weekend in Phoenix and it's off to an excellent start.
I won't go in-depth on everything we're doing in the program, but suffice it to say I'm quite encouraged about the positive impact it will have on my growth as a political leader and advocate. We are fortunate to have an excellent staff and faculty as well as an outstanding, diverse and talented class of 40 Fellows. I'm looking forward to learning a lot and making some great friends.
I'll blog a bit about this program as we go. Last night we had a reception at the Wyndham with our guest speaker, the Honorable Linda Binder (retired Republican State Representative). I was happy to be able to thank her in person for her service, and particularly for taking a principled stand with Slade Mead on the 2003 Arizona state budget.
2. I note, with relish, that the ill-conceived, generally unsupported and doomed-from-the-beginning recall of Chandler City Councilman Sepulveda and Orlando has finally quit twitching. After the recall organizers couldn't even collect a third of the signatures needed without hiring mercenaries...er, that is, professional signature collectors, I would have thought that it would have died a quiet death.
At last, Pilara, Phillips and the others realized they couldn't drum up enough venom and vindictiveness to overcome the electorate's general sense of appreciation for the public service of Orlando and Sepulveda. That, and their recall campaign was successful in creating an election issue for Jeff Weninger to exploit in his candidacy. Now that he's on the Council, there hardly seems any need to keep up their pretense that the recall was ever about the common good.
It was quite a summer, following this mess and blogging my opposition to it. I have to wonder: will we ever get an apology from Pilara for his role in embroiling the City of Chandler in this phenomenally polarizing, divisive waste of time? Or, more importantly, what will be Weninger's legacy on the Council? Will we see him running for State Rep in four years? Time will tell.
3. I'm hoping to get involved in some way volunteering for one of the good campaigns being run by Dems in our area: Harry Mitchell, Slade Mead and Donna Gratehouse. My time is short this coming month, as I get re-settled. Also, my elderly Mom and Stepdad (a disabled veteran), are moving into my home with me so I can help take care of them. So, my time may be short in the coming weeks.
I'll keep you folks posted on how this is all going and where I'm able to connect with a campaign as the election season continues to heat up.
4. Meanwhile, J.D. lies as the AZ GOP bribes people to register voters?
Just a short post to let you know that I'm back in Chandler and my new office is set up. It's been a pretty hectic month and a lot has gone on since I last posted. I won't try to recap everything, but I will note a few key developments:
1. I've enrolled in the Center for Progressive Leadership (CPL) training program, the Arizona Political Leaders Fellowship (more here). We had our first two days of the 9-month program this weekend in Phoenix and it's off to an excellent start.
I won't go in-depth on everything we're doing in the program, but suffice it to say I'm quite encouraged about the positive impact it will have on my growth as a political leader and advocate. We are fortunate to have an excellent staff and faculty as well as an outstanding, diverse and talented class of 40 Fellows. I'm looking forward to learning a lot and making some great friends.
I'll blog a bit about this program as we go. Last night we had a reception at the Wyndham with our guest speaker, the Honorable Linda Binder (retired Republican State Representative). I was happy to be able to thank her in person for her service, and particularly for taking a principled stand with Slade Mead on the 2003 Arizona state budget.
2. I note, with relish, that the ill-conceived, generally unsupported and doomed-from-the-beginning recall of Chandler City Councilman Sepulveda and Orlando has finally quit twitching. After the recall organizers couldn't even collect a third of the signatures needed without hiring mercenaries...er, that is, professional signature collectors, I would have thought that it would have died a quiet death.
At last, Pilara, Phillips and the others realized they couldn't drum up enough venom and vindictiveness to overcome the electorate's general sense of appreciation for the public service of Orlando and Sepulveda. That, and their recall campaign was successful in creating an election issue for Jeff Weninger to exploit in his candidacy. Now that he's on the Council, there hardly seems any need to keep up their pretense that the recall was ever about the common good.
It was quite a summer, following this mess and blogging my opposition to it. I have to wonder: will we ever get an apology from Pilara for his role in embroiling the City of Chandler in this phenomenally polarizing, divisive waste of time? Or, more importantly, what will be Weninger's legacy on the Council? Will we see him running for State Rep in four years? Time will tell.
3. I'm hoping to get involved in some way volunteering for one of the good campaigns being run by Dems in our area: Harry Mitchell, Slade Mead and Donna Gratehouse. My time is short this coming month, as I get re-settled. Also, my elderly Mom and Stepdad (a disabled veteran), are moving into my home with me so I can help take care of them. So, my time may be short in the coming weeks.
I'll keep you folks posted on how this is all going and where I'm able to connect with a campaign as the election season continues to heat up.
4. Meanwhile, J.D. lies as the AZ GOP bribes people to register voters?
posted by Geo at 7:44 PM
2 Comments:
Welcome back!
Good to have ya back, Geo. ;)
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