Yesterday was the first day to circulate nomination papers for local offices...City and County mostly....so in a sense...election season is starting up...it will culminate in the elections on April 1, 2008....April Fool's Day no less....
But at the same time, it' s the holidays and government actions are winding down. With a little luck, tomorrow night will see the passage of the City Budget, unless something extra-ordinary happens it will pass.
Just in case the opposition has a surprise or two for me tomorrow night, I've got my ammunition ready and I've been pacing my favorite spot in front of the picture window (the carpet actually has a worn spot where I pace back-and-forth) trying to figure out every possible tactic, technique and scenario.....(I know, I know, I know....I have NO LIFE!!!!) Anyway....I'm ready for them.
I was thinking last night about the dangers of seeking re-election . No, I'm not talking about having a coronary or a stroke over some bone-headed thing that my colleagues might or might not do. I'm not even thinking about the ever present possibility of being smeared, embarrassed or humiliated by my opponents, or even worse, being humiliated by myself.
Nope. I'm not worried about that.
When I left public service last time, I did a lot of thinking and I found out that I hadn't been quite as good of a public servant as I thought I was. You see, I fell into the trap that awaits politicians who spend large amounts of their life-time in office...especially if tha
t office (or offices) are all in the same town. Pretty soon you start believing that the City can't possibly get along without you; that you are absolutely indispensable to the City and if the public can't see that then they are absolute fools. You start believing your own press releases and that every word you say should be etched into a marble pillar....
t office (or offices) are all in the same town. Pretty soon you start believing that the City can't possibly get along without you; that you are absolutely indispensable to the City and if the public can't see that then they are absolute fools. You start believing your own press releases and that every word you say should be etched into a marble pillar....In short....you forget WHO THE HELL YOU'RE WORKING FOR!
I've taken one step that's a saving virtue....I've recognized the trap.
Now I've got to learn to avoid it.
