Bustopher Jones
11-04-2009, 09:34 AM
“It’s a tough night, no doubt about it,” said Vincent Avallone, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee. “I think the charter revision question had a lot to do with it, and I think we got hurt by not having a mayoral candidate,” he said.
Congratulations to Mr. Avallone and all of the “new leadership” of the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee. WTF did you think was going to happen? The Democratic Party had no standard bearer, and therefore no one to focus attention on issues; of course, the DTC did not even bother to bring forth any significant issues that would motivate Democrats to go to the polls. The Party ran 8 candidates for Council when only 6 could be elected, then sat back and watched the candidates sabotage each other. They made no attempt to reconcile with the core of candidates that ran as independents in 2007. The DTC drove its top Council vote-getter, Iris Papale, into retirement. Mike Brodinsky, who was not running for office, was the only person in the public eye who tried to address the Charter Revision issue; but the proponents did such a poor job of educating the public that most people were bewildered by the complexity of the questions. As one Democrat who chose not to vote expressed to me, “Why should I vote? The Democratic Party obviously doesn’t care about this election. Why should I?”
The Republicans, on the other hand, had a standard bearer. They ran as a team, and had a clearly articulated issue (rejection of the Charter Revision) to motivate their faithful to come to the polls. The results? The Republicans humiliated the Democrats for the Council, regained the majority on the Board of Education, and annihilated the Charter Revision proposals by a more than 2-to-1 majority.
As a Democrat, I am embarrassed by the DTC leadership’s incompetence in this election. I commend the Republicans for outmaneuvering the Democrats so effectively; they deserved to win this election. I may not like their policies and decisions; but the Party leadership on the Republican side is obviously far more effective than on the Democratic side.
Maybe it’s time for another leadership change in the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee. Bill Fischer may be gone, but the DTC is still basically controlled by the same people who have been unable to provide effective leadership and unity since 1983. Perhaps some new blood at the top might reinvigorate the Party.
Congratulations to Mr. Avallone and all of the “new leadership” of the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee. WTF did you think was going to happen? The Democratic Party had no standard bearer, and therefore no one to focus attention on issues; of course, the DTC did not even bother to bring forth any significant issues that would motivate Democrats to go to the polls. The Party ran 8 candidates for Council when only 6 could be elected, then sat back and watched the candidates sabotage each other. They made no attempt to reconcile with the core of candidates that ran as independents in 2007. The DTC drove its top Council vote-getter, Iris Papale, into retirement. Mike Brodinsky, who was not running for office, was the only person in the public eye who tried to address the Charter Revision issue; but the proponents did such a poor job of educating the public that most people were bewildered by the complexity of the questions. As one Democrat who chose not to vote expressed to me, “Why should I vote? The Democratic Party obviously doesn’t care about this election. Why should I?”
The Republicans, on the other hand, had a standard bearer. They ran as a team, and had a clearly articulated issue (rejection of the Charter Revision) to motivate their faithful to come to the polls. The results? The Republicans humiliated the Democrats for the Council, regained the majority on the Board of Education, and annihilated the Charter Revision proposals by a more than 2-to-1 majority.
As a Democrat, I am embarrassed by the DTC leadership’s incompetence in this election. I commend the Republicans for outmaneuvering the Democrats so effectively; they deserved to win this election. I may not like their policies and decisions; but the Party leadership on the Republican side is obviously far more effective than on the Democratic side.
Maybe it’s time for another leadership change in the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee. Bill Fischer may be gone, but the DTC is still basically controlled by the same people who have been unable to provide effective leadership and unity since 1983. Perhaps some new blood at the top might reinvigorate the Party.