Audrey Moran is a personal friend of mine and I've been supporting her run at the mayor's office since the beginning. I, personally, lean a little to the left and many of my friends do. However, many of my friends and family also lean way way way out there to the right. So, I've found myself trying to explain to my lefty friends why in the name of Che' they would ever vote for a REPUBLICAN and at the same time, explain to my conservative friends why Audrey is the natural choice for them too.
It is very important to note that political parties are (should be) mostly (totally) irrelevant in local politics. Your mayor will never need to weigh in on Rowe v Wade. Your mayor will never ever ever be asked to vote on the Obama health care bill. Yet, people use these paradigms to sort and understand political data.
So, as a person who knows Audrey Moran, I have challenged myself to share with voters what she is all about. She can't personally meet all 1,000,000 Jacksonvillers, but if she could, I have no doubt at all who they would vote for.
Appeal to the Left
This may or may not come as a surprise to local liberals, but: a Democrat will probably not be winning this election. We declined to elect a strong Democrat in Nat Glover, so we don't really have to worry about trying to elect a weak Democrat such as Lee or Brown. I think Mr. Lee and Mr. Brown are both great guys, but weak candidates.
Audrey is the candidate for the Left. She will be a transformative force in City Hall. Can you imagine our city led by a smart mayor who advocates for non-profits, the arts, and education? Can you imagine our city with a smart mayor? A strong mayor?
How many candidates have real credentials when it comes to race relations? One does: Moran. She served on the Aspen Institute's Project Breakthrough, a nationwide policy program aimed at tackling structural racism.
Audrey is committed to dismantling structural racism in Jacksonville. No other candidate has uttered the phrase "structural racism." I don't think any other candidate knows what that means.
Ms. Moran supports the addition of sexual preferance to the city's human rights ordinance. Rightly so. It's 2011. I want to live in a city that people want to move to not a city that people avoid because it is backwards and out of touch.
Moran is honest, smart, and woring harder than any other candidate.
Appeal to the Right
Moran is a republican and she will help us make more money in Jacksonville. She has promised not to raise our taxes to pay for the bloated and ancient public pension program. Other so-called conservative candidates have signed on to do whatever the unions say. Is it fiscally conservative to promise so much of our precious tax revanue to an out-dated and unsustainable program?
The city will be bankrupt in 5 years if we don't address the pension system. Moran has promised to reform the pension system. It is the only way that can grow and develop as a city.
Audrey is a shrewd businesswoman. She is the only candidate who is a business person. I'm interested in attracting business, growing business, and growing our city's economy. Politicians like Hogan and Mullaney don't understand the needs of business. A businesswoman like Moran will grow our economy.
Just like the recent governor's race, I think we're not going to see a politician win the mayor's office. We're going to see a business person: Moran.
Audrey is the most morally conservative candidate. You surely won't find a more honest one. One political insider candidate is viewed by many to have been fleecing the city for hundreds of thousands of dollars through back-room pension deals. Other candidates have exhibited notably poor judgment.*
Audrey is clearly the most conservative candidate and the best candidate.
*I changed this sentence to be less slimy.
Quote from: Taylor Strasser on February 17, 2011, 04:53:11 PM
One political insider candidate is viewed by many to have been fleecing the city for hundreds of thousands of dollars through back-room pension deals. Other candidates associate with known convicted child pornographers.
You had me ...... until I received a healthy dose of unneeded mud in the eye. :(
I agree, that comment was unnecessary. She can win on her own merit. No need to tear the others down.
QuoteMoran is a republican and she will help us make more money in Jacksonville.
Any of the candidates will do this for the GOB. How do you think they get elected in the first place?
Here it is in a nutshell. Hogan and mullaney chasing the ultra conservative and tea party vote. Brown counting on the minority and democratic vote. Which leave the middle 60 % looking for a non partisan candidate offering bold leadership. That is Audrey Moran. Word is really getting around and polls are showing her gaining lots of strength. I have said this over and over. Audrey wins because she is honest, highly intelligent, yet has a wonderful common touch, a strong backbone, a reach to the whole of Jacksonville, and last but certainly not least, the best partnership and relationship building skill sets. Everything needed to be jacksonville's greatest mayor. I'm with Audrey!!
Quote from: mfc on February 17, 2011, 08:17:03 PM
Here it is in a nutshell. Hogan and mullaney chasing the ultra conservative and tea party vote. Brown counting on the minority and democratic vote. Which leave the middle 60 % looking for a non partisan candidate offering bold leadership. That is Audrey Moran. Word is really getting around and polls are showing her gaining lots of strength. I have said this over and over. Audrey wins because she is honest, highly intelligent, yet has a wonderful common touch, a strong backbone, a reach to the whole of Jacksonville, and last but certainly not least, the best partnership and relationship building skill sets. Everything needed to be jacksonville's greatest mayor. I'm with Audrey!!
mfc totally nailed it.
Moran is backed by the Sierra Club and bird lobby. If you want access to Huguenot Park you should put your vote elsewhere. Sierra Club reps have openly stated that they want to close the park and turn it into a preserve for birds. She is not the right choice for for anyone who is pro access to our area beaches and waters. All the other issues may be important too but all the candidates including her have similar statements and strategies to deal with them. If you like going to the last real accessible mile of beach you better not back the bird lobby's choice.
Quote from: mfc on February 17, 2011, 08:17:03 PM
Here it is in a nutshell. Hogan and mullaney chasing the ultra conservative and tea party vote. Brown counting on the minority and democratic vote. Which leave the middle 60 % looking for a non partisan candidate offering bold leadership. That is Audrey Moran. Word is really getting around and polls are showing her gaining lots of strength. I have said this over and over. Audrey wins because she is honest, highly intelligent, yet has a wonderful common touch, a strong backbone, a reach to the whole of Jacksonville, and last but certainly not least, the best partnership and relationship building skill sets. Everything needed to be jacksonville's greatest mayor. I'm with Audrey!!
I agree 100%
If she is truly bold and strong and wants what is best for our city she needs to give the Sierra Club's money back.
The Sierra Club support is a positive - it proves that Audrey is the one candidate in this race who is concerned about our natural environment. I know her well enough to believe that she would never restrict public access to our parks and waterways; instead, she will work to protect and promote those parks and waterways so that more of our citizens can enjoy them.
You're a lot more likely to lose access if another republican is elected.
Audrey is the right person to lead Jacksonville forward.
Quote from: kitester on February 25, 2011, 08:27:35 AM
Moran is backed by the Sierra Club and bird lobby. If you want access to Huguenot Park you should put your vote elsewhere. Sierra Club reps have openly stated that they want to close the park and turn it into a preserve for birds. She is not the right choice for for anyone who is pro access to our area beaches and waters. All the other issues may be important too but all the candidates including her have similar statements and strategies to deal with them. If you like going to the last real accessible mile of beach you better not back the bird lobby's choice.
You are making stuff up again, but that's no surprise. Stephen won't let us use the "L" word. Why don't you post some evidence of what you are claiming or shut up.
Dog, thanks for stepping in it again....
FACT: Sierra CLub is listed as as a contributor on Moran's web page (at least as of this morning)
FACT: Sierra Club representatives have openly stated that they wish to include Huguenot Park as part of the huge preserve already in place in the area. I was there when they said it, I heard it with my own ears. To do this they want to eliminate driving on the beach at the park completely.
FACT: When asked where all the people who visit the park each year would park they could offer no solution.
FACT: Members of Florida Open Beaches offered a solution to the beach driving conflict. Making the park more like a state park facility by building three large parking lots in the dune area and board walks to both the "pond" and the ocean could solve most of the issues surrounding beach driving at the park. This idea was rejected by both Audubon and Sierra Club
FACT: The director of the Florida Audubon stated in an e-mail last year that he was headed to Tallahassee to "close Huguenot Park". One of the many attempts to close or restrict access at the park. I will see if I can find that e-mail.
FACT: Both organizations attempted end run tactics around our elected officials by lobbying the ARC in Tallahassee to reject the city's lease renewal
Now to be fair She may not even be aware of these organizations true intent. BUT IF SHE IS.........
So dog I don't know what planet you live on. But here on Earth 2+2 still = 4.
That enough evidence for you or will you ignore the fact again?
I don't know about you, Kitester, but i'm against driving on the beach. additionally, putting parking in the dune area seems like a dumb idea. dunes are pretty important for the beach ecology. i have no idea what audrey moran's views are on huguenot park, but i'm a big fan of the sierra club. i don't think the beaches suffer from a lack of access to them. and i don't think that a lack of parking is a serious issue either. additionally, it's very likely that the sierra club gave money to many candidates and that the candidates accepted that money because they support the sierra club generally without taking a specific stance in regards to their many many goals.
So you are not a fisherman, surfer, ocean swimmer kayaker or or other type of beach goer. That is perfectly fine. The great out doors is not for everyone. And since you don't care about access you sort of disqualify yourself from this topic of discussion. But lets suppose for a minute that you had a favorite hobby. Like, for the sake of argument, radio controlled model aircraft. And lets say that groups of people that did not like your hobby tried to limit or completely ban the sport in the best places that it could be enjoyed. And lets say that they used larger recognized organizations to promote their cause. How would you feel about those organizations?
Its funny how non PC it is to stand up for the truth when organizations like the Audubon and Sierra Club take a stand based on a narrow political agenda. You are probably correct.
"it's very likely that the sierra club gave money to many candidates and that the candidates accepted that money because they support the sierra club generally without taking a specific stance in regards to their many many goals."
In fact it could be that those candidates are unaware of the issues surrounding specific goals. One of the purposes of open forums like these is to bring to light the truth. If a candidate is unaware they need to do a bit of research. If they are aware then they show their true colors.
Your statement "I don't think the beaches suffer from a lack of access to them." disregards the public that live in our community who do want access to the beach and the water." Its a little cold but if that is your opinion fine.
I think its important to find the truth. Before this controversy came to light some years ago I would have said that those organizations were wonderful with only the best intentions. In fact I have spent hundreds of volunteer hours in their service. However today I know a different side of them and it has little to do with the truth and is not even based on science. I have caught their representatives in direct outright untrue statements. And its not just here. They are doing this all over the country. Many communities have been seriously affected in bad ways by the narrow minded views these groups lobby to impose on them. Many times compromise is abandoned for the "my way or the highway" attitude. The compromise of building parking lots in dunes that are essentially man made seems a good one to me. No animal or plant species would receive any harm by doing this. Indeed, if the park disappeared under the waves tomorrow the only species to really lose would be us. I know its not popular but it is the truth.
So if we couldn't drive on the beach, destroying its ecosystem, or add parking on dunes, also destroying it, then we couldn't enjoy the beach? Your reasoning makes no sense. During the warmer months I'm frequently at the beach, Micklers in particular since I can bring my dog, and our beaches stretch so far up and down Jacksonville that the idea that protecting them for future generations would injure access is laughable.
I'm not clear on what Kitester wants to do on the beach, but I'm pretty sure it can be done.
As I'm seeing it, this thread is missing the actual eco-issue in this race: Mike Hogan's proposal to sell off parts of the Preservation Project to balance the budget. (Of course this balance will be much harder for him, since he's sitting in the unions' back pockets.)
Here's a map http://www.coj.net/Departments/Recreation+and+Community+Services/Waterfront+Management+and+Programming/Preservation+Project/Preservation+-+Map.htm
Any of these parcels being sold off to developers would be a black eye upon us all. Moran helped Delaney create this project. This project represents Delaney's legacy and our legacy. Moran will protect this.
I fish. I want to continue to fish in the creeks near the mouth of the river for the rest of my life.
Quote from: konstantconsumer on February 25, 2011, 02:31:50 PM
So if we couldn't drive on the beach, destroying its ecosystem, or add parking on dunes, also destroying it, then we couldn't enjoy the beach? Your reasoning makes no sense. During the warmer months I'm frequently at the beach, Micklers in particular since I can bring my dog, and our beaches stretch so far up and down Jacksonville that the idea that protecting them for future generations would injure access is laughable.
Are you familiar with Huguenot park specifically? Or just "the beach in general". For example... I am NOT in favor of driving on Jax or Neptune or pontevedra beaches. Access is easy... parking is ample. This is simply NOT the case at Huguenot park and that is why... in my opinion... this is a bit different than "I dont think we should drive on the beach".
Huguenot Park is a very unusual place. Its man made and man enhanced.. Just like anywhere natural forces work on it. Wind and water cause both erosion and accretion. Sun and rain provide for natural plant growth and plant seeds are carried on the wind and water to the area where they grow and begin to stabilize the sand.
The park only exists because the jetty stops the southward flow of sand. The sand was compacted by the army corp years ago to control the flow of water through the jetty and stabilize the mouth of the St Johns river. As the sand built up it changed the course of the Ft. George River pushing it to the north. The more the sand built up the more the bar pushed north and filled in what some people now call the "pond". During the 70s the Boy Scouts collected discarded Christmas trees and truck loads of them were placed on the very low dune line and sandbars to speed the build up of sand.
As the area became more stable it was covered with water less frequently. People began to go there to fish and camp. At that time only very good 4X4 trucks could make it out there. Where there had been just ocean this wisp of sand grew up to become what we call Huguenot Park . Most people know that in those days there was no "park". People used to hold sand drag races out there and dune buggies and trucks could drive wherever possible. I was told that they even had horse races out there at one time. Up to several years ago the JSO was able to take their horses out there and patrol. As the area became more popular there was a need to police it to keep it safe. The state did not want the hassle and the federal govt. was only interested in maintaining the jetty and saw no reason to become involved. So the city of Jacksonville stepped up and offered to lease the newly formed land and operate it as a public park. Everyone was happy. And still the park grew in size. Back then you could still drive on the beach at Jacksonville beach. I don't know which happened first. If Huguenot Park was formed before beach driving was banned at jacksonville beach or the other way round. Driving on the beach was how most people who lived off the water, i.e. 99% of us, got to and accessed the ocean.
It is interesting to note that quite a few people have told me that when driving was permitted in the dunes they were much taller. They say that since driving was restricted to the beach there the dunes have been decreasing in size. I have to say that it doesn't sound right that driving on the dunes would make them bigger but perhaps packing the sand helps to prevent erosion.
The fact is that no human activity at the park really does any environmental damage. The park was created by people just as surly as if we dumped big rocks out in the ocean and built an artificial reef/island off shore. I know that saying that is not politically correct and offends people who feel that driving on the beach is some sort of immoral activity. If you don't like going to the beach or are happy to pay to park blocks away and walk through traffic on hot pavement please stay home or go to Jax Beach.
Driving on the beach is what keeps Huguenot Park open for the rest of us. The bird lobby does not care if you can ever play in the water again. They want driving off the beach. We have suggested a very reasonable solution and they are unwilling to consider it. And for the people who think its a bad idea to put parking lots in dune areas please consider most other beach front parks including state parks. Parking and board walks are the norm and dunes are flattened to make it possible. Should we close them down, tear up the parking lots and boardwalks? I don't think so.
The city has proven that coexistence between our park patrons and wildlife at the park is possible and works well.
The bird lobby is still set on reducing your access until the last few remaining voices can be swept aside. That is why I want a candidate who will openly stand up for our access and say enough is enough and preserve the park as a park for people. I want someone who not allow a narrow minded few to steal the park under the guise of environmental preservation.