More On Local Politics

In addition to work and the kids, I've become embroiled in local politics in the past couple months. On Tuesday night, I was at a Planning Board meeting until 11:30; I was up for hours later, too juiced up to sleep. Before that meeting, I had written letters to the local newspapers, roped in reporters, shot off e-mails to the town council, created a local blog, and hosted a party for the neighbors. I googled words like "legal non-complying property" and "variance standards." Obsession is a dangerous thing.

The details of the case are too dull for this general interest blog, but may I just engage in a little flag waving. Sure, there have been a lot of frustrations along the way. Getting really busy people to show up at boring meetings is difficult. Being bullied and lied to by thugs hired by the developer has been enraging.

However, I've enjoyed this process more than I could have imagined. There's a real hands-on, getting-dirty aspect to local politics that you never experience at the state or national level. You get to go face to face with your opponent and demand answers. People are less polished and motives more obvious. Instead of playing the role of impartial academic studying events from afar, I'm right there in the thick of things getting hugs from the mayor and showing diagrams to the Planning Board. I've also made a lot of new friends. I'm more likely to show up at town events and schmooze.

I'm not sure if we're going to make a difference. Deals may have been cut in backrooms long ago. But I do love a good fight.

Comments

[jen]

Hey Laura, good for you that you're able to partake in the process and feel good about it. I served on the board of my neighborhood association two years ago, and I can't remember anything more emotionally punishing. I couldn't hack it.

[bj]

I'm smiling 'cause I'm thinking that we're seeing a politician in the making. What do you think? would you run for office someday? Are you going to be the new soccer mom in congress (or the senate)?

bj

[Laura]

I doubt that I can ever run for office, after some of the crap that I've written in this blog.

[Michael]

Good for you.

I was in a cab recently in DC and my cabbie--who was Black and probably from the Carribean--was talking about his gentrifying neighborhood. He said the best thing about his gentrifying neighborhood was that white people love to complain and are good at it. He said that his poor neighbors were very ineffective at getting any action but that his well-educated white neighbors were much better at getting things done.

While he said race played a role in it, he also said that educated and wealthy people had the skills and temperament to wage fights poor people couldn't deal with.