The Martin Chronicles continues to feel like that kid on Christmas morning who felt like Santa definitely had them on the "NICE" list. Mike Pope's 2006 campaign literature has been that great of a gift. Once again, a hearty THANK YOU to the resident who sent it our way.
Next up, one of the two reasons Mike Pope wrote why voters should pick him way back in 2006:
I believe my leadership style will create a positive atmosphere that will help unite and focus on progress. Once again, seriously? He really wrote that? Worse yet, people really believed him?
We have already described Mike Pope's tireless efforts to foment endless amounts of fear and loathing. As others have said of Pope, he is a classic demagogue. He twists facts and circumstances on websites, emails and in public settings to do nothing more than enrage people and undermine residents' confidence. Sadly, his demagoguery has proven to be very effective. A strong case has been made that it is one Mike Pope who is largely responsible for the animosity and antagonism that is troubling so many people today.
And how about Mike Pope's leadership style? No effort to rally the council to unite around the idea of ridding the City of the dreaded UNFAIR $40 PER CAR STICKER TAX. He has made no effort to build confidence on the council that his finance committee is generating sound financial information. In fact, he instead made a strong point of not wanting their approval of the work his committee generates. At least on those far too rare occasions when they generate it in a timely fashion.
Want more? Not all that long ago Pope chose the setting of a council meeting to make the classless assertion that the City's services "suck". His word, not ours. Real leadership would have been to say, "Here are five suggestions I have for improving City services". But that would have required creativity and courage. Instead, just a harsh pronouncement that services "suck". And nothing more. Classic classless Pope.
The best example of Pope's leadership? As one local wag puts it, "Mike Pope abstains more than a devout Quaker!". Our careful review of meeting minutes and DVDs shows that Pope abstains on important votes time and time and time again. The man is clearly no "profile in courage".
As we have already written, Pope's actions betray him as the worst form of politician. His actions and words take City government's eyes off progress and intentionally draws everyone in to unnecessary argument. Pope is excessively provocative-by design. Worse yet, he is even more excessively "solutionless". It is a terrible thing to watch.
But are enough people watching? We'll know in just 116 days.
