18 Year Old Mayor

[resa850]

Its not like they HAD to elect him. It was their choice. If they didn't want an 18 year old as thier mayor, they wouldn't have voted for him. If so many people thought it was wrong for an 18 year old to run for an office, there would be laws forbiding it. There's always a chance of a recall in the case that he does horribly.

If we can survive with our government spending 8 billion dollars a day. Surely Hilsdale can handle an 18 year old mayor for one term.

[starfish]

I see your point and agree with you that the local electorate is very naive. Maybe there should be a self imposed ban on these mentally challenged voters to stay home on election day. With the declining state of education in this country from the dumbing down of the curriculum, things like this are probably more likely to occur again. Election anomalies does seem to hit this State quite often though, like the election of a foreigner to be their Governor. I hope its not something in the water?

[prasamin]

So we shall elect children with bipolar hypomania disorders to a public office position where they will hold our wallets because it would be great for them regardless as to what harm they may do us? No thanks!

a little pesimistic, aren't you? I mean, the kid has no mental issues, and no, I don't think we would ever elect someone like that. I think you're taking this far out of proportion. Stick to the facts, he is a normal 18 year old high school senior.

I'm sorry, but I think I could have been the mayor of a town with a population like that one, without a single issue. Plus, taxes and bigger decisions are handled by the state government, not local government.

He's not the mayor of New York City or Los Angeles ffs!

[starfish]

a little pesimistic, aren't you? I mean, the kid has no mental issues, and no, I don't think we would ever elect someone like that.

Didn't you read the story? Thats exactly what happened! This story is about a boy who watched the local cable access channel broadcasts of the Town Council meetings for two years on TV and developed grandiose visions of becoming Mayor of his podunk hometown, population of 8,200. His rural farming town suffers from a 6 percent unenployment rate since many of the manufacturers have left. Your hero promised these people he would bring in Biotech jobs. WOW! These uneducated yet desperate citizens put there trust blindly into nothing more than a sweet talking carnival worker with mental disorders. His lifetime working experience is selling cotton candy and candied apples at the county fair. Please tell me how this fool will attract anyone other than the media to provide improvement to this circus?

Even though this particular town Hillsdale, MI has a village manager to run the daily operations, the Mayor and town council set the policy. Being Mayor or any other type of elected official is an extremely important job. There are always budget, zoning, tax, bond issues, debt, utility, infrastructure, security, commerce, and many other issues that need to be decided upon. A Mayor is not just the local town leader but an administration representative for the town for local organizations, Township, County, State and Federal government agencies. Don't the people deserve more from their leadership than this delusional boy?

I do try to stick to the facts presented but am not a mindless sucker for the media's presentation of them so they can SELL ME their trash. The media has grabbed hold of this story and there are already book and movie talks in the works for this kids story. I see the dollar signs in the eyes of his janitor mother and unemployed autoworker now ambulance attendant father.

Edited November 27, 2005 by starfish

[prasamin]

I totally see what you're saying, but the kid won an election fairly, he was chosen by the people, no matter how uneducated they are. You can say the things you just typed about our president for crying out loud. You can make a foolish generalization about any population in this country, but still, it remains a generalization, which is not fair. It's a small population, he won in an ELECTION, and I am sure there are experienced people around him, just like any other elected official. So what if he writes a book, has a movie, and makes money from this? I think he earned it. It's not like other elected officials, local or federal, don't do the exact same thing, right? Just go to the library and look up just about any President, famous senator, mayor, governor, and they all have biographies they make money off of. What makes this elected official any different? All media presentation aside, the facts are that he is the 18 year old mayor of a small town, and he has experienced officials around him.

You, on the other hand, are not going on facts, but on bitter generalizations about people in that area, and that is wrong. Give the ELECTED mayor a chance, and if he doesn't do the right thing, there is always impeachment and resignation. Do not make illiterate generalizations about a certain group of people, the way they live, how they were brought up, etc. I can name tons of people who have come out of low socioeconomic situations to become successful, hard-working citizens. I think your statements are some of the most ignorant ones I've heard in a long time.

I'm not trying to be offensive, but this is a political discussion, so I'm just telling you how it is for me.

Your points are all generalizations, not facts.

[starfish]

At no time did I ever state that he cheated or did not win fairly. He flat out won fair and square! Perhaps you don't see my point in that elected officials are in my belief should be FOLKS WHO HAVE PRIOR PROVEN LEADERSHIP SKILLS! This kid, a former carnival worker at the county Fair, IS THE FIRST RESPONDER for local emergencies. If a disaster should hit this town, it is HIS job to help out in the situation by providing leadership and protect the citizens.

Didn't we all just witness what happens when you elect political hacks to government offiice? Did some of us just forget what just happened in Louisiana? The Mayor of New Orleans and the Louisianna Governor totally screwed up by failing to do what was right and what was needed for many years prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. After the disaster hit, we then find out later that OUR TAX MONEY earmarked for levy repair and improvements went out the window for social program and pet projects. The citizens lost their homes, businesses and jobs and for some their lives due to their electing of fools to run their government!

If I were a Hillsdale, MI citizen and any disaster were to hit, I certainly would have zero faith knowing that Mayor Doogie Howser was in charge and all will be well! He was not elected to be a fair weather Mayor. His post is on duty 24/7/365 for the next four years. It is HIS JOB alone! Nobody else was elected to be his keeper, to come bail him out. His butt alone is on the chopping block and has to answer for his decisions or failing to plan. Recalls and impeachment ideas are too little too late. How much financial damage was the former California Governor Gray Davis allowed to let build up before the citizens were able to recall him? How much did that recall cost? Has California recovered yet from the Davis years? HELL NO! Why at that time did they elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, another fool when more qualified candidates were available and in the race? Answer: Because he had media support and lonely people want to be popular and fit in with the IN crowd.

So how can any straight thinking person think that this kid is the answer to ANY problem the town may have faced? My pity is on the poor dumb saps who thought that voting for this nice guy would help in their situation. It is up to us as the individual voter to determine whom really IS the BEST candidate by looking at the candidates past. Who knows maybe one day Doogie Howser will be a good Mayor? Why now? In these times of need for this community would they choose this woeful apprentice? This shows a huge disconnect between what a politican actually does for the community and what people perceive the job to be. If you are not of clear mind please stay home from the polling place!

Prasamin, I appreciate your comments and in no way do I get personally offended by this discussion, nor will try to insult others who for some God unknown reason disagree with me. LOL! That's was a joke! Relax!

Please read this other report on this story and tell me where my "bitter generalizations" are wrong.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/poli...ichmayor12.html

[prasamin]

haha, not a problem. totally understand where you're coming from. you're right, I wouldn't want an inexperienced person in charge if disaster were to strike, like in LA and other areas affected by the hurricanes. However, I think you have to give them a chance. Reagan was an actor, but in my opinion, one of the best President's in this country's history. I mean, if we were risking anything, that's when we really shouldn't have, but it ended up better than okay. This, again, is a small town, and you know what, everyone's gotta start somewhere. I don't know why the incumbent mayor was ousted by an 18 year old with zero experience, but again, every elected official started with zero experience. Better to start as mayor of a town of 8200 people than at the state or federal level! Look at Blumberg in NYC. He's just a billionaire with no political experience at all, but in general, things haven't fallen apart there, and that is the largest city in the US!! Ross Perot ran for President without political experience (though he got his arse handed to him!).

One thing we do agree on is that both Gray and Arnold are fools, but man, I can't imagine trying to balance a state where the minority population almost exceeds the caucasian population. What is a man to do?

[starfish]

Please don't EVER speak about Mayor Doogie Howser when commenting about Ronald Reagan, my God how sacrilegious! Reagan was a college graduate majoring in Economics, served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild, and was a two term California governor before running for Presidency. What did Mayor Doogie Howser of Hillsboro do before he sold cotton candy at the carnival? He probably cleaned up animal dung at the 4-H exhibit at the County Fair! I can see now why he wanted in to politics.

This kid was nothing more than a lucky recipient of votes cast by fellow school kids who packed the polls in the election. Many of these voters did not care one bit as to what they were doing to the town by electing their buddy. Their parents the tax payers will be paying for the mistakes of their children. Maybe they will sit down and talk with them before the next election. I doubt it though. These parents probably never talk with their kids about important stuff like this anyway. I have a son in junior high myself. When I attend functions at the school for him, I walk away shaking my head in disbelief at some of the comments heard from fellow parents about how they speak with their kids. Sometimes I think the children are in control of their parents.

It would be nice if politicians grew a pair and changed election law. I would like to see some rules denying voting if you are not a property owner, are collecting welfare, are mentally handicapped, are a convicted criminal, are a foreign national, are an illegal immigrant or a high school drop out. IF you were in the US military then you should get your vote counted two or three times.

[prasamin]

It would be nice if politicians grew a pair and changed election law. I would like to see some rules denying voting if you are not a property owner, are collecting welfare, are mentally handicapped, are a convicted criminal, are a foreign national, are an illegal immigrant or a high school drop out. IF you were in the US military then you should get your vote counted two or three times.

I can totally understand criminals, foreign nationals, illegal immigrants, and mentally handicapped, but I don't understand how you can deny voting rights to welfare recepients and high school dropouts. I mean, there are so many circumstances out there that our minds probably can't ever comprehend. There are so many successful, tax paying high school dropouts. There are so many hard-working people on welfare (I understand that there are probably more freeloaders than real welfare people, but no way to distinquish, so you can't deny them all voting rights). Also, we can't allow more than one vote for military service members, that's just wrong. We all pay our taxes to keep this country running, so we have just as much a voting right as someone who sacrifices their life for the country. They choose to go to the military, though circumstance may have furthered that choice! What about the high school dropouts that are in the military? I know there are some (more than some, actually) of those. There is a fine line for all this stuff, and there is really no fair way to do it. No matter what you do, someone will be left out. The way it is now is okay, though I think having a few more majority parties would definitely help.

Oh well, it is what it is. Like I said, everyone starts out somewhere. Even Reagan started out somewhere. Atleast the kid wasn't elected governor or something outrageous!

[MrWinkey]

Holy Crap!!! You guys got too much time on your hands :lol:

[PriReb03]

I would like to see some rules denying voting if you are not a property owner...

So the 18 year old mayor story caught my interest, and after reading the initial story I kept reading what you guys all thought, and then at the end I see this quote (above)...so back to good ol' days of census suffrage, huh? Is your house in your name or your wife's? Because if it is in yours and yours alone, she might have something different to say mi amigo...not to mention the multitude of twenty-something’s living with their folks to save up some cash…just my 2 cents.

[prasamin]

So the 18 year old mayor story caught my interest, and after reading the initial story I kept reading what you guys all thought, and then at the end I see this quote (above)...so back to good ol' days of census suffrage, huh? Is your house in your name or your wife's? Because if it is in yours and yours alone, she might have something different to say mi amigo...not to mention the multitude of twenty-something’s living with their folks to save up some cash…just my 2 cents.

good point, I think what starfish excluded (our posts are already long enough!), is that there would have to be some fine print involved here....he didn't mean it literally I HOPE!!

Either way, he's the mayor, and whoever is living in that town has to go with it!

"Mayor! Now that's a good idea. I can run for mayor! You wait and see Mr. Curruthers, I will be mayor. I'll be the most powerful mayor in Hill Valley, and I'm gonna clean up this town good."

A big F.U. to whoever can guess where that line came from!

[Meek]

Salary? Probably pretty sweet for an 18yr old. Read tidbits of Starboard or Stargates Tirade-None of the seasoned elected officials did well in real emergencies so it probably doesn't matter if he does. Is he by a coast or a faultline or....? Maybe he is the cocky little stud every school has that thinks he can make a difference before he finds out he can't, which is usually after college looking for a real job. Well he has a real job already so he just beat out millions of young studs and probably a lot of their parents too jobwise. He took on some old guy that obviously didn't bother to campaign and won. Good for him. Most small town mayors and elected officials are simply the rich elite that don't really give a crap about their people just getting their way and rubbing their buddies backs. Thanks for listening to my tirade and I am not going to bother reading any follow ups, so flame away. :ph34r:

[starfish]

Goldie Wilson in the 1985 movie classic "Back to the Future"

And then his boss Lou says "And you can start by sweeping the floor!"

[starfish]

Thanks for listening to my tirade and I am not going to bother reading any follow ups, so flame away.

Put message board chickens on the list of ineligible's.