Independents and an Interesting Race

As Dave Croteau's campaign manager, I felt compelled to write a response to Jim Nintzel's Skinny column in the August 9, 2007 issue of the Tucson Weekly. The Weekly's editor, Jimmy Boegle, liked it but said it was too long for a letter to the editor. I trimmed it way down, but the following is the full version.

In regard to the August 9th Skinny, I'm left wondering why Jim Nintzel thinks the upcoming mayoral race won't be an interesting, or even exciting, campaign unless it's John Kromko running against Mayor Walkup?

What we have in the Green Party's existing candidate, Dave Croteau, is not only a candidate who is qualified to be mayor of Tucson, but who offers the people of Tucson and its economy a very clear choice that the two major parties are deathly afraid of. Those who think the only path to Tucson's economic future is by encouraging more low-wage no benefit service sector jobs and paving over what little is left of our fragile desert ecosystem in order for special interests--very few of whom are local--to continue amassing obscene fortunes are those who have neither vision nor hope.

If the job of the press is to help educate people and make them aware of issues, the Green vs. Republican choice, and especially Croteau's sustainability through relocalization campaign, should be generating more interest than anything else the Weekly has covered in decades. When anyone takes an objective look at what's going on in the world today, they immediately realize that change is necessary. Unless, of course, their salary depends on them not realizing that inconvenient truth.

Isn't repeating the conventional "wisdom" that Mayor Walkup is unbeatable simply helping to create a self-fulfilling prophecy? As was made evident to me by the replies I received to my recent op-ed piece in the Star, "Rejection of growth is a viable policy option," people are aware that some hard decisions must be made. And they want them made now. Rejecting change because it is not politically expedient is simply a cop out, when the necessary path is to elect a mayor with the vision and courage to do the right thing for our community, its economy, and the environment they both depend on.

As far as Nintzel's suggestion that Independents request a Green ballot and write in John Kromko, I'd like to ask Independents an open question. You're an Independent because neither the Democrats nor the Republicans are serving your interests, correct? Since you're astute enough to recognize this simple fact, and you care enough about your community to pay attention to and participate in the political process, you're probably also aware that any hope for a vibrant and viable future lies in Tucson becoming sustainable. My suggestion is to exercise your independence, look at the candidates and see which one actually has an understanding of and passion for sustainability, and which one has a realistic and systemic plan for moving us toward that goal. I don't see anyone except Dave Croteau meeting these criteria.

I'm still thoroughly amazed that local Democratic Party leaders are on record as saying that Walkup is doing a fine job representing Tucson's interests, and that there aren't any pressing issues on the minds of Tucson citizens that the Dems could successfully challenge Walkup on in the mayor's race. When you look at national politics, the fact the Democrats would so thoroughly abandon their base is no longer surprising. If I were a local Dem, I'd be pissed. Of course, that's but one reason I'm not a Dem.

But, what we're talking about here is Tucson's future, especially in light of what's rushing head-on toward us--Peak Oil, global warming, the imminent meltdown of the global economy, and loss of our sovereignty to corporations. The best we seem able to do so far (if we can successfully move past denial) is adopt the deer-in-the-headlights stance and hope that the status quo will somehow protect us from the mess it's created in the first place.

Well, folks, we do have a choice in the mayor's race, and the Green Party with its Ten Key Values is proud to give you the opportunity to vote on that choice.

Dave Ewoldt
Campaign Manager
Dave Croteau for Mayor