LET FREEDOM RING BLOG

​The ‘Uppity Peasant Candidates’
October 2nd, 2018

Jenny Berg’s article is one of the best articles I’ve seen in the SC Times in quite a while. Congratulations, Jenny.

Ms. Berg’s article highlighted the 3 candidates running against incumbents this year. John Palmer is challenging incumbent Dave Masters in Ward 1. Liz Baklaich is challenging RINO Steve Laraway in Ward 2. Paul Brandmire is running against John Libert in Ward 3. Each of the incumbents are part of the city councilmembers that I disparagingly ‘nicknamed’ “the 5 ostriches“. Laraway, Libert and Masters would each rather bury their heads in the sand than listen to their constituents. They’re bought and paid for by special interests. By contrast, I’ve known Dr. Palmer, Mr. Brandmire and Ms. Baklaich a total of easily more than 20 years. Here’s what they told Ms. Berg:

Many of the candidates taking on incumbents — John Palmer in Ward 1, Liz Baklaich in Ward 2 and Paul Brandmire in Ward 3 — resoundingly said they don’t think the process was transparent. “I know (Mayor) Dave Kleis has said it’s been transparent, that they put out the word but I didn’t see anything,” said Brandmire, a retired U.S. Air Force officer who works for Schill Trucking. “All of a sudden it was announced that this was happening and boom — the next thing you know the trees are down.”

Those three candidates also said they don’t feel the council members listened to the concerns of residents who wrote to the candidates or spoke at public hearings.
“What a tragedy,” said Palmer, a former St. Cloud State University professor. “I think that’s a reflection of the freedom of the people being suppressed. I think it’s a perfect example of what should unite us as citizens and demand a more thoughtful, open process.” Residents who spoke at a Feb. 12 public hearing relayed concerns about losing parkland and trees, as well as the notion that selling parkland could be seen as bad public policy.

Laraway, Libert and Masters aren’t interested in listening. They’ve shown their spots. Those spots aren’t changing because they won’t listen to We The People. Once that happens, it’s time to find new leadership. This year, I’m recommending that voters elect this trio [John Palmer, Liz Baklaich, and Paul Brandmire], along with Mike Conway, to sweep out this batch of ostriches:
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