Disrespectful voters?
To the editor:
Did you see the recent TV interview with Councilman Brandt in his office, looking very much like the “cat that just swallowed the canary”? It seems that Mr. Brandt was very concerned with disrespectful behavior and negative reactions of people during council meetings. Specifically, the TV report showed a clip of Councilman Kuehn getting a very negative, noisy response from the audience in chambers after he gave those voters one of his very erudite “subjective” analyses of the “world according to Kuehn”
Let’s get something straight about Kuehn. He was never elected by the voters, has always voted to support his four friends on council, is quick to tell voters what is wrong with them and that they should stop their “sour grapes comments.” This guy could not get elected dog catcher. When Mr. Brandt was asked why he voted for Kuehn, he said because he was “retired!”
But here is the question in this letter. Why is it that these two politicians feel so comfortable letting the voters know that what they do is “right” and what voters do is “disrespectful”? It reminds me of that famous Republican President, Richard Nixon, who said during the height of his troubles with the voters, said that if the President does it, it can’t be wrong! If Brandt and Kuehn say it or do it, they can’t be wrong, ergo, it must be the “disrespectful” audience that is the problem. Hope these two never take the paper bags off their heads because the light of day will burn their eyeballs.
Mr. Brandt has surrounded himself with friends and supporters who protect his tottering, erratic behavior and tell him how great and infallible he is. Why else would he run for re-election?
He has his personal reasons for stalling the U.E.P. project in this city. He represents those people who have the same problem he does with the personal financial cost that this public infra-structure project will cost them. Perhaps Brandt made a lot of campaign noise about all the “evil” he claimed was rampant at city hall to get elected to keep his true motives hid? But, that is American Politics. He won his seat from the voters.
However, once in office, to consistently preach that what Brandt says is correct and beyond reproach, to claim that what Brandt does is always the best for the city and must not be questioned, and most telling of all, that others (the voters), who are being crushed by his damaging, dysfunctional decisions need to show more respect to Brandt and his crew, speaks volumes about this man’s character.
Mr. Brandt, you are so adept at seeing the flaws in others, but obviously you have no insight to your own. Perhaps if the ghost of Nixon could visit you in your dreams, he could help you see that you are the one who sows the seeds of disrespect toward yourself and that, rightly so, the voters will increasingly show you, their ire, because of your closed-minded behavior.
Ultimately, you will answer to the voters in November.
F.C. Perry
Cape Coral