OKC Mayor Race 2014

[jerrywall]

This type of info makes me wary when I consider that a group of friends and I are organizing a walk from the south end of Western to the far North end. It will be interesting to see how the sidewalks hold up over this distance when we do this on September 28th.

[CaptDave]

^ Cool idea. Nothing like "boots on the ground" to get the real story. Between Britton and 150th, there are many sidewalks IIRC.

[CaptDave]

Sales Tax Revenues Give OKC $8 Million Budget Surplus - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Very interesting. So each council member is getting $1 million to spend in their wards. This might give a good indication of the priorities of each member of the city council.

[bradh]

So I take it this quote in the Journal Record from Ed was something that he said at his rally?

"Over the next seven months, we are going to present you with the evidence that the mayor has repeatedly and intentionally misled you,"

[Laramie]

Sales Tax Revenues Give OKC $8 Million Budget Surplus - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Very interesting. So each council member is getting $1 million to spend in their wards. This might give a good indication of the priorities of each member of the city council.

Glad they are going to invest that equally into the various wards.

[Pete]

So I take it this quote in the Journal Record from Ed was something that he said at his rally?

I was there and yes, he did say that at his rally.

[adaniel]

So I take it this quote in the Journal Record from Ed was something that he said at his rally?

Mayor hopeful Ed Shadid launches campaign emphasizing neighborhood interests over special interests | The City Sentinel

Assuming the City sentinel quoted him correctly he also stated the streetcar did not recieve federal funding because "we don’t have a plan to pay for the billions of dollars of annual operating costs"

Now it could have just been the slip of the tongue, but last time I checked "billions" is far greater than "millions."

[David]

Assuming the City sentinel quoted him correctly he also stated the streetcar did not recieve federal funding because "we don’t have a plan to pay for the billions of dollars of annual operating costs"

Now it could have just been the slip of the tongue, but last time I checked "billions" is far greater than "millions."

Maybe "Over the next seven months, we are going to present you with the evidence that the mayor has repeatedly and intentionally misled you," is prophetic, and he's planning on preemptively presenting the evidence of his own misleading statements.

[SoonerDave]

Well, it looks like we see the basis of Shadid's campaign. Draw attention to some very general (and perpetually present) notions that can directly or otherwise be blamed (right or wrong) on the incumbent, then bash the incumbent repeatedly while offering vague generalities for alternatives or solutions going forward.

Still listening to him, but what I'm (finally) hearing from him isn't terribly compelling, at least so far.

[Urban Pioneer]

Believe you me, he tried to make the case for deception yesterday at council. All about how the ballot was written and how the voters were deceived into being told that the ballot had to be constructed as it was. We've already hashed this before. And by the way, the "Not this MAPS" campaign did everything they could to try to convince the voters that the ballot process was flawed.

But obviously "Ed knows better." He doesn't seem "to get" that millions of dollars were spent on both sides making their arguments and that the public was obviously well informed through the normal media mediums.

But still, "Ed knows better."

"If only you had known what I know, you would have voted differently."

He wants to go back in time and have another election so that he can personally vote on it. But since that isn't going to happen, he wants a mandate from you to elect him so that he can develop the bully pulpit and the voting block necessary to spend your money in the manner he see's fit.

Its going to get worse. I already know that they have quite a bit of consternation with me writing unabashed opinions on this forum. But I don't care. They're going to pull every trick in the book to cast suspicion and the suggestion of impropriety on everyone involved in the MAPS 3 process.

Break out the tin foil hats.

[LakeEffect]

Mayor hopeful Ed Shadid launches campaign emphasizing neighborhood interests over special interests | The City Sentinel

Assuming the City sentinel quoted him correctly he also stated the streetcar did not recieve federal funding because "we don’t have a plan to pay for the billions of dollars of annual operating costs"

Now it could have just been the slip of the tongue, but last time I checked "billions" is far greater than "millions."

The "article" reads like a copy and paste of a press release. Even gives info to reach the campaign HQ...

That's also a true, but incorrect, statement about the funding. If I understand correctly, streetcars rarely receive Federal New Starts funding. Additional phases of streetcars have, though. So of course we didn't get Federal funding off the bat.

[soonerguru]

Not calling anyone out here for bending over backwards to defend Ed on this forum, but openly lying to your supporters is not an impressive way to run a campaign. Yes, he's lying, and he knows he's lying. And he's not just lying a little bit, he's lying a lot.

Only the most gullible people will buy this snakeoil.

I will give him this: clearly he's going to run a "tough" campaign, if that's something to be celebrated. But he's also running an unfocused and unethical campaign. Actually, I cannot recall a candidate for OKC Mayor in the recent past who has campaigned so negatively as Shadid -- and we have seven more months of this garbage.

Still, that leaves plenty of time to literally disembowel every single dishonest (or flat out deceitful) Shadid talking point, one by one. #Game on (lol)

[Bellaboo]

I truly hope the majority of the voting public see through his nonsensical spew.....let's hope the young and gullible don't believe the surface chatter.

Ed is defining himself every day, and not in a good way. Mick is by far the class act between the two, with successful mayoral experience.

[Doug Loudenback]

That's pretty dumb stuff that you said, above, guru. Why don't you just take off any objectivity masks that you might have been wearing and call a spade a spade when you keyboard your phrases to your common cause. You are opposed to Shadid, and presumably what he may stand for, and you are for Cornett, and presumably what he may stand for. No matter what, in either case.

In your comment above, you are obviously willing to declare that Shadid is lying, which is a very bold thing to say, mano-a-mano, eyeball to eyeball. You don't qualify your remarks by saying that is your opinion, but you just state the matter as a fact which those of us who are far less worthy should be expected to place complete credence upon the face value of your own words. If you can or have already managed such a thing, I congratulate you. After all, you are the self-proclaimed sooner "guru."

Post your real name and email address and I'm sure that you will have lots of replies, at such time you are willing to be exposed to something other than a bunch of xx's and oo's on the internet ... i.e., a real human being. I'm supposing that to be the case.

Assuming something less than boldness on your part (by your personal identification), which I doubt will be forthcoming, here's another question:

Are you willing to say that Cornett has lied, also? If not, where's your fair play barometer in all of this stuff, if you have a sense for such a thing.

[soonerguru]

That's pretty dumb stuff that you said, above, guru. Why don't you just take off any objectivity masks that you might have been wearing and call a spade a spade when you keyboard your phrases to your common cause. You are opposed to Shadid, and presumably what he may stand for, and you are for Cornett, and presumably what he may stand for. No matter what, in either case.

In your comment above, you are obviously willing to declare that Shadid is lying. You don't qualify your remarks by saying that is your opinion, but you just state the matter as a fact which those of us who are far less worthy should be expected to place complete credence upon the face value of your own words. If you can or have already managed such a thing, I congratulate you. After all, you are the self-proclaimed sooner "guru."

Post your name and email and I'm sure that you will have lots of replies.

Are you willing to say that Cornett has lied, also? I mean, where's your fair play barometer in all of this stuff, if you have such a thing.

So you think it's kosher for Ed Shadid to tell a roomful of supporters that the streetcar is going to cost "billions?" Um, that's a lie, Ed knows it, and so do you.

He also continues to lie about the Federal Funding issue. I know this because I discussed it with him personally, when I helped him with his Ward 2 campaign. Urban Pioneer told him, and I witnessed, that there was an outside "chance" the streetcar could get federal funding, but that we cannot get funding until we actually have a system. Ed is twisting this around to suggest that the streetcar was built on the predication of federal funding, which is absolutely untrue in every way.

Yes, he's also lying about the sidewalks.

Yes, he's lying about lots of stuff.

Where's Ed's "fair play barometer?"

My position on Ed is well known. I don't feel the need to don a "mask of objectivity." It seems clear to me that you favor Ed Shadid, however, although you seem to suggest you are wearing a mask of objectivity.

More directly: Doug, how do you feel about Shadid working to undermine the MAPS 3 Streetcar? How are you going to feel about him as a candidate when he votes against it next month on the City Council?

I'm clearly a streetcar supporter, so I'm not feeling the charity required to be "objective" about Ed Shadid. He has pretty much stabbed the streetcar project in the back once, so I think I've seen enough. You can continue your campaign of objectivity while this most-favored MAPS project is attacked and undermined by Shadid.

For the record, since this seems important to you, I made my feelings known in a very public manner on Facebook.

[Doug Loudenback]

So you think it's kosher for Ed Shadid to tell a roomful of supporters that the streetcar is going to cost "billions?" Um, that's a lie, Ed knows it, and so do you.

He also continues to lie about the Federal Funding issue. I know this because I discussed it with him personally, when I helped him with his Ward 2 campaign. Urban Pioneer told him, and I witnessed, that there was an outside "chance" the streetcar could get federal funding, but that we cannot get funding until we actually have a system. Ed is twisting this around to suggest that the streetcar was built on the predication of federal funding, which is absolutely untrue in every way.

Yes, he's also lying about the sidewalks.

Yes, he's lying about lots of stuff.

Where's Ed's "fair play barometer?"

My position on Ed is well known. I don't feel the need to don a "mask of objectivity." It seems clear to me that you favor Ed Shadid, however, although you seem to suggest you are wearing a mask of objectivity.

You are so full of yourself, guru. Maybe one day you will have the courage to unmask your identity ... but my guess is that you will not have the courage to do so.

I invite you again ... do so now? Why not? You know who I am, as does everyone here, and why should they not know who you are, as well. Can you give a good reason?

As far as my vote is concerned, I'm having a difficult time with that, as I was discussing with my wife this afternoon. My vote is very much undecided ... I can see point and counterpoint all over the map ... but I can assure you that it will not be influenced one way or another, by you.

I look forward to your coming out of the closet, guru! Make it so.

[krisb]

Its going to get worse. I already know that they have quite a bit of consternation with me writing unabashed opinions on this forum. But I don't care. They're going to pull every trick in the book to cast suspicion and the suggestion of impropriety on everyone involved in the MAPS 3 process.

Break out the tin foil hats.

Who is they? That sounds like a tin foil statement.

[soonerguru]

You are so full of yourself, guru. Maybe one day you will have the courage to unmask your identity ... but my guess is that you will not have the courage to do so.

I invite you again ... do so now? Why not? You know who I am, as does everyone here, and why should they not know who you are, as well. Can you give a good reason?

As far as my vote is concerned, I'm having a difficult time with that, as I was discussing with my wife this afternoon. My vote is very much undecided ... I can see point and counterpoint all over the map ... but I can assure you that it will not be influenced one way or another, by you.

I look forward to your coming out of the closet, guru! Make it so.

You have made this very personal. Not sure why, as I have not attacked you.

As for your vote, how do you feel about Shadid working to undermine the streetcar? How will you feel about him when he votes against it next month?

[Urban Pioneer]

Who is they? That sounds like a tin foil statement.

It will come out soon enough.

Besides, I think I have blogged on here for enough years not to have to qualify every statement.

[Urban Pioneer]

And Doug, I'd just point out that several people who blogged on OKCTALK have actually lost their jobs because their anonymity was broken.

Pretty brave of some of those people to return. You and I choose to reveal our identities. It has come at some cost to me, but fortunately i'm self employed.

This is a small enough town where a blog such as this has become a critical outlet for what is often meaningful criticism.

[bradh]

Hey Doug...I'll take your bait. My name is Brad. My wife worked for the chamber (oooh the devil). She worked her ass off 16 hours a day as someone who had lived here for less than a year for the MAPS 3 campaign because she (and myself) saw what it had done for a dying city. To have someone like Ed essentially call out anyone involved with working to get MAPS 3 approved corrupt and a liar is quite frankly offensive and bull****. They (people who supported that campaign) didn't do it to line the pockets of "big money chamber plutocrats" as I've read on this forum, they did it because they saw a benefit to our city.

[boscorama]

Not calling anyone out here for bending over backwards to defend Ed on this forum, but openly lying to your supporters is not an impressive way to run a campaign. Yes, he's lying, and he knows he's lying. And he's not just lying a little bit, he's lying a lot.

Only the most gullible people will buy this snakeoil.

I will give him this: clearly he's going to run a "tough" campaign, if that's something to be celebrated. But he's also running an unfocused and unethical campaign. Actually, I cannot recall a candidate for OKC Mayor in the recent past who has campaigned so negatively as Shadid -- and we have seven more months of this garbage.

Still, that leaves plenty of time to literally disembowel every single dishonest (or flat out deceitful) Shadid talking point, one by one. #Game on (lol)

Not disagreeing, by any means, but be careful when using "literally", please.

[Doug Loudenback]

Sorry, Urban Pioneer, but that's crap.

If people, you, me, anyone, are willing to express their opinions in this forum or elsewhere (other than sooner guru), they/you/me takes our chances at exposure. That's the nature of the beast, unless people are wanting to mask who they are.

Truth is, as I see it, very little discussion about the actual topic seems to be going on here.

Probably, it's best that I check out for further posts. I have nothing further to say than I already have said.

[betts]

I worked my butt off for MAPS 3 and the MAPS arena tax too. As I've said, I've been lucky enough to watch MAPs completely transform this city. I cannot vote for someone who even 4 years ago didn't care enough for this city to even vote yea or nay for something that important to me and our city. I can't vote for someone who is quick to criticize things he didn't bother to be involved in and who offers no practical solutions.

[soonerguru]

Sorry, Urban Pioneer, but that's crap.

If people, you, me, anyone, are willing to express their opinions in this forum or elsewhere (other than sooner guru), they/you/me takes our chances at exposure. That's the nature of the beast, unless people are wanting to mask who they are.

Truth is, as I see it, very little discussion about the actual topic seems to be going on here.

Probably, it's best that I check out for further posts. I have nothing further to say than I already have said.

So is Ed's desire to derail the streetcar and other MAPS initiatives worthy of discussion? It seems to be a relevant issue for voters to consider.