Left In Lowell

Open Thread Thursday

14 Responses to “Open Thread Thursday”

1. Abe Froeman Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 10:45 am

   After reviewing The Sun’s endorsement for city council, I am stuck by a simply questions.

   How a business that receives funds for political advertisements with a direct correlation to editors and writers paychecks endorse those same candidates for office?

2. joe Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 11:03 am

   I don’t want to put away the “bickering,” because the “bickering” in question is a very important difference of opinion between two factions with quite distinct visions of how the city’s government should work.

   In the fight between professionalism and buddy-buddy back-room back-scratching, I don’t want to split the difference so everyone can all just get along.

   I want professionalism to win, and the buddy sytem to lose.

3. Lucy the Dog Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 11:15 am

   If I were to make a suggestion to the Lowell Sun, I would advise dismissing the entire staff and starting from scratch for this error alone. I would also advise figuring out a way to get subscribers the newspaper before the sun sets.

   (At this point in my comment, pretend that Lucy the Dog understands how to make text a link.

   Then pretend that the text “this error alone” links to the following blog post that discusses said error: http://lucytheblog.wordpress.com/2007/11/01/the-lowell-sun-so-dumb-it-hurts/)

4. Lynne Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 11:33 am

   I think a whole lot of newspapers could be construed as having “ad revenue” conflicts regarding endorsements or even connections to candidates. Or, sometimes the ideology of the editorial staff informs their endorsements (for instance, the Herald rarely endorses liberals, and the Sun endorsed W. in 2004 despite the facts about the administration…which may have been more about Kerry than Bush.)

   But if you look around, other local candidates took out ads in the paper or online. I think it’s highly possible that the Sun’s head honchos make editorial and endorsement decisions based on personal connections (which, while human, is also dangerous), but I’m not sure you can correlate ad revenue with said decisions.

   That said, generally editorial endorsements are a group decision by all the various editors so I imagine only those that can garner a majority of supporters of the editorial board. I don’t know the inner workings of the Sun’s process but I don’t think this comes from one person.

   Joe: well said. I will add that those who want to “go back” to the old ways do not see themselves or their methods as bad. I really do think most of them want what’s best for the city, even the ones who have personally gained considerably from their connections. However, they cannot see how divisive and exclusive and not good for the city that way really is, because from the inside, it looks really rosy…and now that they’re on the outside, they’ve lost a lot of that clout which gives them a big say in the direction.

   One thing you can really say about Lynch is that he’s not about to ignore anyone who wants to be part of the process. That is, input and ideas from anyone are welcome…and he listens carefully. He doesn’t reject an idea because of where it came from. That said, I do not (so far) believe that any one “faction” or group or citizen has more than their share of influence, and in fact, many have diminished roles. For someone who was put in the situation of having a diminished role (ie a sane amount of clout, instead of too much), it obviously stings, and feels like getting shut out (despite the fact they are invited to contribute in their new diminished role).

   All I can say is, welcome to the club, kids, because for a lot of people and groups in the city, that’s what the previous administration did to them, except it was a complete shutout. You reap what you sow, I suppose.

5. Lynne Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 11:39 am

   Lucy: I like a lot of the staff at the Sun, actually. For the most part, they have done a bang up job covering politics and policy - when they are allowed free reign. It’s when they are interfered with too much that things go messy, in my opinion.

   The spelling mistake you mention was pretty bad (and funny!), but overall, grammar and writing at the Sun are much better than some papers…I remember when we lived in Dover NH, I think it was the Dover paper, or maybe the Portsmouth one…at the time, I was going for a B.A. in English focusing in writing, and occasionally that paper would fall into my hands…and it never failed, I was always shaking my head at the poor writing and grammar. Here I was, barely out of high school, and I could write better than the “pros” at that paper. It was so painful.

   I think it was the Dover paper. I remember the Portsmouth paper as being a bit better.

   And then of course there’s the Union (Mis)Leader…a fine paper, if you like FOX News.

6. joe Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 12:25 pm

   Lynne,

   The Good Old Boy network probably frames the dispute as “Real Lowellians” vs. “Outsiders.” What they fail to realize is that they do not represent “Lowellians,” but “a clique of white insiders who’ve known each other for decades.”

   I’ve got nothing against those people. Many of them are honest, dedicated to their city’s well being, and have respectable records of service to their community. They do speak for a considerable segment of Lowell residents, perhaps something like a majority, but they are not Lowell. Their perception of themselves as the “real Lowell” makes it too easy for them to confuse their self-interest with the public interest, and that’s how we get councilors in a televised meeting on the floor of the Council Chamber saying there must be something wrong with how the towing contracts were assigned, because this good fella they know didn’t get one. They honestly think that making sure the good fellas they know get taken care of IS the public interest.

7. waittilnextyr Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 12:36 pm

   I believe joe has a good sense of the politics in Lowell.

   On another subject of breaking news out of the Sun:
   WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Niki Tsongas will serve on the Budget Committee and the Armed Services Committee, the Democratic leadership announced today.

   That puts her in a good position to be effective in following through with some of her campaign promises. Let’s hope she is able to do so.

8. Prince Charming Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 12:54 pm

   “Put aside bickering and grudges…”??? Put aside the crackpipe Kendall. This is Lowell politics. If the bickering and grudges go away, you can kiss your Sunday Column goodbye. Bickering and grudges and rumor sell newspapers and you know it. That’s why you ride your High Horse on Saturday mornings and let your underlings get filthy on Sunday morning. Were you ever a pinsetter at the Rialto? You’re very good at setting them up so others can knock them down.

9. Jo Says:
   November 1st, 2007 at 2:55 pm

   Overall, the Sun endorsements make no sense and seem to signify more about a divided editorial board than a cohesive plan for the city’s future. For example, if the editors really wanted to continue to move the schools forward, why did they endorse two candidates on each side of the superintendent issue? Both Jackie Doherty and John Leahy support the current school leadership claiming results in student performance, while Regina Faticanti has made clear she wants the superintendent out, along with Jim Leary. (Leary changes with the wind on this issue though, and depending on what he thinks is popular, he could swing back.) A far better, more consistent slate would have been: Doherty, Leahy, Martin, McHugh and challenger Canney.

10. Eddie Jr Says:
    November 1st, 2007 at 5:53 pm

    O Armand, Armand, wherefore art thou Armand?

11. MVP Says:
    November 1st, 2007 at 9:48 pm

    “White insiders” ?

12. joe Says:
    November 2nd, 2007 at 9:04 am

    Is it one or ther other of those words that you find confusing, or is the concept the Lowell is run by an all-white clique of insiders a novel concept?

    Don’t get me wrong - some of my best friends are white people. As are both of my parents. But that’s just the facts; Lowell is run by a clique of insiders, and they’re about as racially diverse as the cast of Friends.

13. MOONLIGHT Says:
    November 2nd, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    the sun endorsements are right on !!!! just replace
    bud-i need to call the police if i have a party -caulfield
    with mendonca or kristen, goodbye armand , see you later
    support lynch all the way

14. jack Says:
    November 2nd, 2007 at 3:58 pm

    The Sun endorsements were ok by me. although I do think they missed the boat by not endorsing Mendonca and KRS. They easily could have left off Koch(decent enough man, but cant win) and Lenzi who has doen nothing on the campaign trail and even less on his “real” reasons for running. Over all they made some fair and balances selections.

    I also give them credit for standing up and waving goodbye to tired Armand and nto cavign in to the pressures of the MacMahon and KMAN groupies.

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