MAYOR ELECT FISCHER TIME TO PROVE YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD

I read an interesting opinion piece in the CJ this morning that you can read here: A continuing peril courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal. For me it was more of an attack piece after the fact. In short a typical garbage opinion from the CJ. When will they ever put the name of the writer on it? Don't hold your breath.

The article did stimulate me to ask some questions however and take issue with some content.

For example the writer tries to act like Hal Heiner did something wrong by challenging the student assignment plan. They wrote "GOP mayoral candidate Hal Heiner played the school card in the final weeks of the campaign, after promising not to do so earlier. " Why wasn't Greg Fischer treated the same way since he ran a commercial mimicking Hal Heiner's stance a week later?

Let me say this about Hal Heiner. He ran one of the best and cleanest races we have seen in quite some time. Hal proved over and over again he was a class act and showed the leadership potential we have in this city. He was gracious thorughout the campaign and gracious in defeat. Many should follow his example.

I think the evidence is clear on that. To lose by only 7000 votes out of approximately 249,000 cast speaks volumes considering the margin that the Democrats hold against registered Republicans in Louisville.

I also wonder what would happen if we got rid of that asinine straight party ticket vote on the ballots and forced people to vote for their candidates. How many races would dramatically change?

Hal should be proud and Greg should feel lucky.

It will be interesting to see if Greg Fischer follows through on his promises to be inclusive to all of Louisville. Once again the West End gave the Democrats all they wanted with their vote which in many ways still amazes me. Many believed after receiving some robo calls that they were in effect voting for Barrack Obama again. How easily people can be swayed by something that stretches that far is beyond me.

How can the West End continue to vote with the Democratic machine when they are the ones who have refused to help the West End move forward? Democrats and the Abramson machine have had control for decades and the area continues to suffer from the same problems with no changes in sight.

There are a few people who profit from this but not the citizenry I assure you. It is past time to deliver on promises to make the West End a vibrant part of the community and be inclusive.

Will Greg Fischer follow through on his promise to be inclusive of the Southwest as well since he was beaten there handily? Time will tell but generally most expect not. After all you dance with the partner who brought you.

So far it does not look as if Mayor elect Fischer is doing much different. He has already stated he would keep Police Chief White who is in many eyes as inept as anyone we have ever seen in that position. Many in the public don't trust him and many of the officers don't either. This has been and will continue to be problematic for Louisville at large.

He has not stated how he would clean up Abramson crony run departments instead opting to have Department heads let him know if they want to keep their job. This does not equate to smaller more efficient government or ridding us of cronyism. No it is basically a public play to act like something changes. If they opt to leave then Fischer brings in more cronies and the cycle continues. He has not stated how he would streamline the Departments for more efficiency and that is problematic.

Wait for the announcement that Ron Weston, as I stated a few weeks ago, will be one of his two Deputy Mayors. Another sign that the entrenched will stay the same. I will tell you who the other is soon and maybe out exactly why Ron Weston decided not to seek reelection for State House and it concerns a certain female in his inner circle.

We shall see what a Mayor Fischer will do that will create the transparency, reign in an out of control government, and reach out to the entire community even though he has not been transparent himself.

I look for the ORBP plan to go ahead, against the wishes of the majority of us, and include tolls no one wants nor do we need. Decisions made by the River Fields crowd of which Fischer is a part of.

Never mind that the majority want an East End bridge only and now.

I look for more substandard results overall in education. Though I know the Mayor does not have control over that, the power of the office can help force changes.

Bottom line I look for Louisville to remain stagnant. After all you can't expect a different result when you continue to play the same game.

No my biggest fear is that Fischer and the Democrat majority will see this election as some sort of litmus test that they believe will justify the way things have always been and will continue to do the same old thing. They will ignore the fact that almost 49% of the people chose differently.

There was no clear majority here but a realistic sign of the division we face in Louisville. A division that must be addressed and healed if we are ever to move forward. Is Greg Fischer the man that can make that happen? Time will tell.

I am not bitter by any means but I am realistic.

More than anything though I hope I am wrong.................