Thoughts on I77 activism...

With well over 400 blog posts and newspaper columns under my belt, having run for office once, and attended more public meetings than I can count, I've had the opportunity to see and learn a lot about the local politics scene in North Mecklenburg  - some of it not nice and some of it is absolutely great!

What has happened in local politics with the rise in citizen activism around the I77 HOT lanes issue falls into the latter category.

Has it been messy?  Yes.  Has it always been nice and polite?  No.  No, it has not.

But really, what exactly do those in positions of authority really expect when people finally wake up, get off the couch, and get involved?

If you take the most docile dog, put it in a cage, feed it garbage, and only let it out every so often just to give it a swift kick, when it eventually gets off the leash that dog will bite.  Not only will it bite, it will grab ahold tightly and shake as hard as possible.

Admittedly, that's an overly colorful comparison, but that's essentially what happened in Huntersville this past election.  The same likely would have happened in Cornelius and Davidson as well - particularly in the Mayors' races - if those had been contested.

So, while there is still considerably much to be done when it comes to the I77 toll issue, the activist groups involved have done a lot of things right to get to this point.  So far, the anti-toll movement has done a great job avoiding three major pitfalls that often kill activist driven movements  - too much ego, too many ideas, and too little enthusiasm.

When it comes to leadership, there is not a single leader of the anti-toll movement or even a real leadership structure.  Are there people who are more prominent than others?  Certainly, but they are dispersed enough to make it difficult for the pro-toll politicians and their allies in the media and the toll industry to specifically target them effectively.

The multiple activist groups that have grown out of the movement all cover different niches and leadership has been dispersed in ways that minimize the opportunity for conflict.  Between Exit 28 Ridiculousness, Lake Norman Conservatives, WidenI77.org, and I77 Business Plan there are at least a dozen "leaders".  That does not include the many other individuals doing things on their own and those who step up for specific efforts.

This dispersal also broadens the movement's appeal by providing different options for more people to be involved in ways they feel comfortable.  In this movement you will find people of all income and education levels.  You'll find people most comfortable in bathing suits on the lake to people most comfortable in business suits in boardrooms.  You'll find Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Progressives and most importantly, people who would describe themselves as "none of the above".

That diversity is a real strength, but it can also be a weakness if not handled correctly.  Here again, the movement has done things well by remaining focused.

Two of the groups, WidenI77.org and I77 Business plan are solely focused on the issue, so that is relatively easy.  LKN Conservatives started out of the desire of some Republicans who wanted to speak out more forcefully on the issue breaking away from the more establishment local GOP group, the North Mecklenburg Republican Women.  Even though the LKN Conservatives does have speakers covering other topics they do a good job of keeping the conversation about tolls when crossing paths with activists of different stripes within the anti-toll movement.

The group most at risk of other topics dividing the effort is E28R simply because it is an effort based on Facebook.  It is really easy to get off track in cyberspace.  However, the group has done a really good job of moderating and when things have periodically veered off on other issues it is quickly brought back to focus.

Finally, there has been no lack of enthusiasm.

For an effort that has been this long - three years running for many people - that is simply amazing.  When looking at the number of hours put into this effort it is simply hard to believe that so many
people have remained committed for so long.  That also tells you how important this issue is for the community.

The victories at the polls this past election should be a real shot in the arm - particularly for those people new to the political process.

If this activist driven momentum continues and does not fall prey to a letdown, there will likely be repercussions felt for years to come.  So many more people are watching and are now aware how local government works, it will be hard to go back to how things were when only a few were paying attention.

A house divided...

cannot stand is the saying.

While I don't think that saying really applies to the Republican Party here in North Mecklenburg, things are going to get very messy over the next few months.

Tuesday saw the announcement of a new group forming in the area called Lake Norman Conservatives.  The group's first event is ambitious - a candidate forum for the US Senate race.  Three of the five announced candidates are apparently confirmed, but that list does not include Speaker Thom Tillis of Cornelius.  I'd be surprised if he does.

This new group has its genesis in the controversy over toll roads - a controversy that has its roots in the actions of our elected officials - primarily Republicans. (See here, here, and here for just a few examples.)  Those actions were bound to ultimately end in this result - a division within the ranks of the conservative movement in the area.  Regardless of what happens from here on out, people need to remember where the blame really lies for that.

There are good, committed people on both sides of this dividing line, and I hate to see them lining up against each other.

Wednesday saw the entry of recently re-elected Cornelius Commissioner John Bradford into the NC House 98 race to represent North Mecklenburg in the NC Legislature.  This is the second time in two election cycles where a Cornelius elected official announced plans to run for a higher office immediately after a municipal election cycle - the other time being when then newly re-elected Mayor Tarte jumped into the primary for NC Senate 41.  Tarte was successful and maybe Bradford will be too.  However, if I was a Cornelius voter I'd be pretty annoyed with my Town Board repeatedly being seen as a stepping stone to higher office.

During the last campaign when Bradford was the target of the "Fire Bradford" signs posted by the Widen I77 activist group, the campaign pushed back by releasing a long list of endorsements.  One of those endorsers had this to say...

Local businessman Joshua Dobi, expressed concern if Bradford were not to be re-elected. “Considering the amount of turnover we have had on the Commission this year I would be very worried if John Bradford were not to be re-elected to the Cornelius Town Commission. His service is vital to the health of our town government. 

Apparently, Bradford does not share that same "worry".

Expect to see comments coming out of the Bradford camp like "this just came up", or "people started asking me to run" etc, etc.  Do not believe them.  The rumor that Bradford was thinking of running has been circulating for a while now.  The first bit of evidence received here was less than ten days after the last election.  Also, comments by the other announced Republican in the race, Lynette Rinker, make it sound like she might have had the inside scoop a while ago.  In hindsight, her references in her campaign announcement to being "a full-time legislator and working for you will be my only job” may be an attempt differentiate herself from Bradford who owns a real estate management business.

This race will be interesting to watch, but frankly, as a conservative, neither announced candidate excites me all that much.  The biggest local issue this year has been the widening of I77 with tolls and both of these candidates come down on the wrong side of that issue.  They are in the same camp as the person who they are trying to replace - Speaker Thom Tillis.  It's hard to see many of the local activists I know supporting either of them enthusiastically.  What would make it more interesting is if a third candidate jumps into the race.

I can think of a few people who I'd like to see, but unfortunately, there is no chatter, swirl, rumor or innuendo to report on the possibility of that.