[reader50]

Originally Posted by Dave Wilson, politician

Every time a politician talks, he’s out there deceiving voters.

He tells the truth about his lying.

Dave won a seat on the Huston Community College board in a predominantly Democrat/black district. Dave was a Republican/white candidate. Solution? Pretend to be black.

Wilson, a gleeful political troublemaker, printed direct mail pieces strongly implying that he's black. His fliers were decorated with photographs of smiling African-American faces -- which he readily admits he just lifted off websites -- and captioned with the words "Please vote for our friend and neighbor Dave Wilson."

Imagine how much more fun the NSA scandal would be if our politicians gave honest answers.

"We wanted to screw you, and it's been fun"
"Excess money had to be spent, or the deficit might stop growing"
"Who gives a fig about bugging German phones - they don't vote to reelect me"
"I know he's a hero, but if we say so, he'll beat us in a future election"

Now if he only gets bribed by someone and stays bought, he'll be the perfect politician. Dave Wilson for President in 2020 - after his board seat expires. He won it the old fashioned way, by working for it. He deserves his 6 years of public service.

[The Final Dakar]

I expected this story would raise my hackles because the guy so transparently deceived the voters, but the implication of his success is also so vulgar that I'm left with that typical political emotion – apathy.

[Shaddim]

I belly laughed when I first saw this, it almost made me weep. Didn't something rather similar recently happen in Chicago? Oh well, not like it's a major public office, and maybe it'll teach voters there to actually check out future candidates.

[subego]

I missed anything recent, but I remember the city council voting for Fred Hampton* Day because they thought Fred was Dan Hampton**.

*Black Panther murdered by the Chicago Police.
**Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Bears.

[ebuddy]

Originally Posted by reader50 

He tells the truth about his lying.

Dave won a seat on the Huston Community College board in a predominantly Democrat/black district. Dave was a Republican/white candidate. Solution? Pretend to be black.


Imagine how much more fun the NSA scandal would be if our politicians gave honest answers.

"We wanted to screw you, and it's been fun"
"Excess money had to be spent, or the deficit might stop growing"
"Who gives a fig about bugging German phones - they don't vote to reelect me"
"I know he's a hero, but if we say so, he'll beat us in a future election"

Now if he only gets bribed by someone and stays bought, he'll be the perfect politician. Dave Wilson for President in 2020 - after his board seat expires. He won it the old fashioned way, by working for it. He deserves his 6 years of public service.

This really is stunning on a host of levels. The guy is an activist who was sick and tired of the corruption around the Houston System and jokingly engaged what he openly called a "longshot" that he "didn't think he'd win". I've long been disappointed with the lack of an informed electorate in the US so I was kind of laughing along with the exposé... until I read that he also claimed to be "Endorsed by Ron Wilson" with fine print underneath claiming "Ron Wilson and Dave Wilson are cousins" referring to his cousin in Iowa. Ron Wilson was a well-known African-American State representative. IMO, this crosses the line. Now, I'd be willing to bet there are a great many within the System who also believe there are serious problems and have kept quiet. Hopefully some good will come of this one way or the other.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by ebuddy 

so I was kind of laughing along with the exposé... until I read that he also claimed to be "Endorsed by Ron Wilson" with fine print underneath claiming "Ron Wilson and Dave Wilson are cousins" referring to his cousin in Iowa. Ron Wilson was a well-known African-American State representative. IMO, this crosses the line.

Wut ?

You really think that informed electorate *cough* in Houston voted for him because their vetting included knowing that this claimed relative of his was really really black ?

LOL.

-t

[BadKosh]

LOL!!! Again, the people don't read about the political candidates, listen to bungled "information" from their trusted friends and end up getting screwed. Thats their fault, and is just like the people who voted for President LIAR a second time.

The real question is HOW MANY TIMES can you lie to your voters before they get wise? Most get their 'news' from watching TV. Sometimes you just can't help LAUGHING IN THEIR FACES!

[ebuddy]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Wut ?

You really think that informed electorate *cough* in Houston voted for him because their vetting included knowing that this claimed relative of his was really really black ?

LOL.

-t

No, it's name-dropping a trusted figure in politics that strikes me as over the line. I may not have time to follow the politics of all Presidential, Mayoral, Gubernatorial, and Senatorial candidates let alone City Council seats and all seats of a local Community College Board. An endorsement from a noteworthy politician can give you some idea where the otherwise unknown candidate stands on the issues. We'd agree that to base your vote exclusively on skin color is laughable and a most apparent phenomena in any bloc that would turn out greater than 93+% of its support to a single candidate in a Presidential election which is why I thought the exercise was entertaining. Leaving the impression that he might be black exposed the lock-step vote and that's just -- funny as hell. Name-dropping a more prominent political figure in such a dishonest way is something else.

IMO name-dropping a well-known political figure sullied an otherwise really profound exposé on the lock-step electorate.

[The Final Dakar]

Out of curiosity, wouldn't he have a party listed after him on the ballot? Because if he did, I wonder how voters rectified that with their views or if they were truly that blind.

[subego]

As I've mentioned before, there are only a few spots in Chicago which have Republican contenders. Republican strong suits like County Treasurer or Sheriff.

One year, there was a very strong Republican contender for Sheriff, Jack Ryan. Like many candidates, he had bumper stickers plastered everywhere which said "Ryan for Cook County Sheriff".

At the time, I had to drive past the Cabrini Green projects every day, and there were miniature bumper stickers which said "Republican" pasted over every one.



As an aside, drove through there after the Rodney King verdict, blissfully ignorant. Even stopped at a Subway for a sammich a few blocks away. Of course, that goofy Emilio Estevez movie made you think it was possible to get "trapped" in Cabrini Green, when the reality is if you walked 4 blocks in any direction from it you were in a gentrified neighborhood.

[The Final Dakar]

I feel like his popularity may have been based on having the same name as the Tom Clancy protagonist.

[subego]

He's actually a really good guy. Currently, he's a Cook County Circuit judge.

[subego]

I should also note now he's James Ryan, I imagine to distance himself from the "made Seven of Nine his sex slave" Jack Ryan.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by subego 

"made Seven of Nine his sex slave"

I wouldn't distance myself from that

[subego]

That's the difference. With you, she'd obviously be asking for it.

[subego]

I keep reading this as "Firefly, an honest politician".

Mal for president!