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Jerry Green has taught us that Plainfield politics is a kick-ass sport. Thank you, Jerry! |
A Plainfield Today reader thanked me at Tuesday's victory celebration for exposing moves by the Campbells that she felt led to the defeat of Baby John for Council and to Emily Morgan's victory in the Board of Ed race.
A nice compliment, but the truth is that it was Plainfield voters that saw through the shenanigans that were going on and decided with their votes how they felt Plainfield should move ahead.
As the late mayor Al McWilliams always used to say, "Plainfielders are passionate about their community."
And I am passionate too, and believe it is important to play a role as a participant, and not just as an impartial observer. Which, of course, leads me to take positions on issues of concern to the community.
And some would say, use sharp elbows at critical moments, especially during election campaigns. So be it.
I might say I owe it all to Jerry Green.
It was Jerry who taught me just how much of a contact sport Plainfield politics is -- rougher than rugby, I would say -- and that Plainfield politics is not for sissies.
Though the days of Jerry's favorite tool of the anonymous flyer under windshield wipers at City Hall and church parking lots may be past, it can still get rough out there. And now we have the Internet and social media.
The second thing I want to thank Jerry for is what some folks refer to as his "ABCs of politics", which is usually translated as "Always Be Conniving".
I would be more charitable and say "Always Be Considering...next steps".
And that is what Plainfield Democrats now must do.
The media have pointed out that the next two years will be "political doozies" in New Jersey, what with a presidential election in 2016 and the governor's race in 2017.
They will be doozies in Plainfield too. With the Ward 3 and citywide at-large seats up next year, it is within the realm of possibility that Mayor Mapp will at last have a Council that will unite behind his leadership to move Plainfield forward.
And, as this year's Council races have shown, the Campbell clan will have to be taken into account.
Seniors were outraged yesterday when Mayor Mapp explained to them the impact of the school district's pulling its support of the citywide "Youth Summit" slated for next Friday. This affects the future of their grandchildren and they were not happy with this Campbell-inspired move.
You might say the gauntlet has been thrown down.
On to the next chapter of Plainfield politics!
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