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Lucas McGrail: A Man for the 21st Century; BY ANNA KROME
Topic Started: Jul 2 2009, 06:33 PM (3,776 Views)
Mrs.M
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CP = Capital Punishment
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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Lucas McGrail
Member
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Monkfish
Jul 23 2009, 10:20 AM
"So, being republican or democrat or conservative or liberal tells us a lot about you and what you would support. Your belief system will guide you. Can't fool me. "

What if you're a Conservative Democrat? Or a Liberal Republican?
Good evening UhOh, Micki and all
I felt obligated to follow up on the comments made by both of these posters which question my intentions as a candidate and a member of city council. First I would like to point out that my comments are not sweet nor naive. They are honest, straight forward and without pretension. Both posters have argued that by labeling myself with a single pronoun or adjective I could accurately describe myself to potential voters. With issues as complex as abortion, gun ownership, unionization, fiscal responsibility, land development, and environmental stewardship, a one word description of a candidate's views or perspectives is almost impossible. It is truly unfair. Unfair to me as well as perspective voters. It's unfair because using labels only help to negate people, to marginalize and minimize them. It diminishes the person's message. Oh course, I could use several time tested tricks to fool you into voting for me or say whatever you'd like hear to get your vote, but I'm not going to do that. As one poster said 'can't fool me.' Well I am not trying to fool anyone. I am simply trying to offer up my decade of experience in the architectural and construction industry for the betterment of Livonia. One poster said 'government is supposed to support people' but that implies that the people need to be propped up. The government is not a crutch for people to lean on, as I have said and been quoted many times already, government is meant to be an instrument of good, a place for people to come together.” It is not supposed to be “a game” as one poster put it. Government is supposed to be better than that, we deserve better than that as a citizen. A person's beliefs can guide their decisions but that guidance must be tempered with experience, logic and wisdom. As an architect I can believe that the Art Deco movement was the most influential movement of the 20th century. That doesn't mean that I make every building I design look like its from the Art Deco era. As a city council member, I can believe that the reuse of an existing building or buildings is good for the environment, good for the city and good for a tenant. That doesn't mean that I won't examine the entire picture of land use proposal and reject it solely because a developer doesn't want to reuse the existing building. As your next city council member, I will use my experience and background to evaluate and study an issue but I will use my wisdom, knowledge and logic to formulate and make a final decision.

I would like to close by saying that I appreciate everyone's continued interest and support of my campaign and I trust that I can count on your vote.

Speramus Meliora – We hope for better things
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Micki
I love teaching.
It may be unfair but full disclosure should be what elected officials or those running for office are willing to give. I obviously can't FOIA you to see if your are prolife or if you have the same stances as me in other areas so all I can do is ask you my questions and hope you answer them and not dodge them. (In all fairness I haven't come out and asked you what your stance is on abortion, capital punishment, unions, privitization, fiscal responsibility, etc...)

I do think it is great that you are willing to come on here and share your thoughts. I am reserving judgement until I have enough information to make an informed decision and yes, those other questions are important to me and I don't think it is a one word answer. Qualify it. If you are a democrat but prolife, then say it. If you are a republican and support a woman's right to choose, then say it. Whether you want to admit it or not, these are things that impact decision that can or will be made in the future because it is a mindset.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Vanna White
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Sometimes people may not really identify themselves with either party, so it is difficult to label oneself. Personally I think that both the Republicans and the Democrats have inconsistant and at times warped philosophies, one wanting freedom in the area of individual rights (with the exception of the right to bear arms,) but more government regulation in the business arena and more social programs, while the other wants less government intervention in business and social issues while at the same time limiting the rights of individuals they disagree with by legislating morality (as they see it.) Because of this, many people do not fit into the "conservative" or "liberal" labels.
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Micki
I love teaching.
You are right Vanna, however, specific questions about specific areas warrant an answer and do define you as a person whether you like it or not. :)

And, as a government official that will be able to weild power in some fashion, especially if this is a stepping stone to get into the bigger arena.
Edited by Micki, Jul 25 2009, 10:25 AM.
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Otis B.
Veteran
Lucas -

Outside of letting us know how you plan to use your architectural background, you really haven't told us much else on your plans for bettering Livonia once you take office. Where do you stand on the issues? How do you plan on addressing the budget problems facing the city? Do you agree with Mayor Kirksey's unpaid furlough plan? Do you think government services should be cut back? How should the city help attract new businesses? How should blight be addressed -- especially in the NE corridor?
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Ms. AK
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OB: These are good questions.

Can you elaborate on NE corridor blight for my own FYI?
Krome on Cars

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uh-oh
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Not surprizingly, Mr. McGrail, I disagree with your assessment of my comments. Our government's primary role is to support it's people--with laws, enforcement, education, etc. Further, the people we elect must be labeled! We cannot know everything about a candidate just by listening to what they say on a few soundbites, or in a few articles. We have to have a general idea where they stand based on those labels.

Just as the previous poster said, you have not yet told us anything other than your architectural background and your leanings in that realm. If you call yourself a moderate conservative, liberal republican, independent, etc., that gives me something to go on. Otherwise I have no idea who you are.

Vannas comments about 'warped philosophies' goes back to my initial comments about seeming naive. All politicians (even at this local level) play games to get elected. Most often at this level, the games come in the form of unanswered questions or scripted answers to avoid losing potential voters. (Sort of like how you talk about marginalizing, labeling, etc--makes me think you don't want admit aligning with a party which may hurt you come election time)

Really, you've never alligned yourself to a particular party?

Sorry, call me cynic!
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Extra Olives
Veteran
I don't think all politians play games to get elected. That type of blanket statement is terribly unfair. Quite honestly, I don't care so much about a person's views on national topics (abortion, gay marriage, etc) as I do about how they view their community. I am voting for someone to sit on the City Council, not the U.S. Senate. I want to know things like: funding for libraries, maintaining greenspaces, attracting new businesses to the city, what they think of Greenmead, what will they do to improve the conditions in the NE area of town, are they closely aligned with the current administration and so on. There have been plenty of people on the council who I thought were doing the job they were elected to do and yet, their national political views were very different from mine. This is a LOCAL election.
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Micki
I love teaching.
EO- Yes it is a LOCAL election but may become a stepping stone and you know as well as I do that once you are elected you have more clout. Your chances of moving up are much more likely than an unknown. As citizens we must look ahead as well. It may not matter to you, but it does to me and many others.

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Vanna White
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Micki
Jul 25 2009, 03:04 PM
EO- Yes it is a LOCAL election but may become a stepping stone and you know as well as I do that once you are elected you have more clout. Your chances of moving up are much more likely than an unknown. As citizens we must look ahead as well. It may not matter to you, but it does to me and many others.

I understand what you are saying, but I think you could end up with the wrong people locally by focusing on national issues. Like Extra Olives, I will focus on local issues in making my decision in a local election. If someone on Livonia City Council actually ends up running for a national office down the road and it turns out I disagree with him or her on an important issue(s,) I will have the chance to vote against him or her then.
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Micki
I love teaching.
Hypothetically, what if a Klansman (not Lucas McGrail) or White Supremicist was running for office and was able to do the job? Would you vote for him?
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Monkfish
Advanced Member
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Micki
Jul 25 2009, 03:32 PM
Hypothetically, what if a Klansman (not Lucas McGrail) or White Supremicist was running for office and was able to do the job? Would you vote for him?
Are you comparing someone running for local office (and is "qualified") that is pro choice or in favor of gun control equal to a klansman or white supremist? Are we taking this too far?

There are national issues and there are local issues. We live in a diverse city as far as people's opinions on national issues. Trying to make local elections into more than they are is silly, in my opinon. Many of the candidates have no aspirations of moving on to "higher" office.

On a side note...I don't care what Linda Scheel's opinion is on abortion or gun control..even if I agree with her on those issues I would never vote for her for City Council.
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Micki
I love teaching.
I used the word hypothetically... and yes it was to make a point. A person's ideology and character are always important. I don't consider it "silly".

As for Linda-- She isn't even a contender for me. I don't care if we agree on everything. I have many other choices out there and I will not even entertain her. Period. She screwed up this district as well as her pack of friends.
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Otis B.
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Anna Krome
Jul 25 2009, 10:56 AM
OB: These are good questions.

Can you elaborate on NE corridor blight for my own FYI?
The northeast corner ("corridor" was probably incorrect) has far more foreclosed homes, shuttered businesses and general malaise than the rest of the Livonia. Livonia Mall was probably the poster child for this blight. While Livonia Marketplace is a nice step forward (debatable); those of us who live in this area still feel that we have a long way to go.

So, Mr. McGrail, how do you plan to address these issues?
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Monkfish
Advanced Member
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Micki
Jul 25 2009, 06:22 PM
I used the word hypothetically... and yes it was to make a point. A person's ideology and character are always important. I don't consider it "silly".

As for Linda-- She isn't even a contender for me. I don't care if we agree on everything. I have many other choices out there and I will not even entertain her. Period. She screwed up this district as well as her pack of friends.
But where does it stop? What about religion? Is that important to you as well?

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Extra Olives
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Micki
Jul 25 2009, 03:32 PM
Hypothetically, what if a Klansman (not Lucas McGrail) or White Supremicist was running for office and was able to do the job? Would you vote for him?
Actually, a Nazi ran for office many years ago. He didn't get very far. But you are taking your hypothetical to an unrealistic extreme. Like this guy, I have to believe that most people who fall into that category (Nazi, Klansman, etc.) are so far out there that it would be difficult to take them seriously for any elected office. I am pro-choice. I will only vote for like-minded people for state and national office, but at the local level, it is really irrelevant. Most people who run for local office have no plans to run for state or federal offices. To use national issues as a litmus test for local offices rules out too many potentially qualified people who care about their local community.
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Extra Olives
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Anna Krome
Jul 25 2009, 10:56 AM
OB: These are good questions.

Can you elaborate on NE corridor blight for my own FYI?
Take a drive in the 8 Mile and Grand River/Inkster area. It's really depressing.
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Micki
I love teaching.
EO- I hear ya, I really do. But, I think that there are many that do use it as a stepping stone. Look at Scheel... school board, now city council, then what? How about Maureen (who personally I really respect and adore) Brosnan? The important thing is to ask the questions that are important to you and then go from there...
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Otis B.
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So is Mr. McGrail going to tell us where he actually stands on the issues, or try to skate through the primary without answering an actual question?
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