Sunday, April 10, 2011

ZAP! #45: We're Old...Not Feeble

ZAP! #45...April 10, 2011


The Geezers on the CCRs staff are really bent out of shape. In fact, we are incensed because one of the candidates running for mayor is appealing in condescending ways to Irving’s older folks.


To wit: Trojan Barbie (VanDuyne) has already sent two very expensive mailings to all Irving voters 65 or older. The purpose of the mailers is to have Geezers send a form to obtain a mail-in ballot for the May 14 city council election. (The other half of the form has a heaping-helping of political tripe that will be mentioned later.)


Does she think that Geezers will not remember to go vote...unless it is by mail? Does she believe that Geezers are suffering from so many infirmities that would prevent them from hoofing ambling to the polls on election day? Was this just a subtle way for her to taunt Geezers with her mane flipping glamor shots?


Regardless of her true motives, Trojan Barbie is attempting to shore up her shallow base of supporters by capturing the Geezer vote. All we can say is that singling out Geezers is an affront to our sensibilities...if we had any.


Another interesting facet of Trojan Barbie’s campaign mailing is that she seems to be channeling former presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry, with her “Washington” message for Irving. We all remember Kerry and his infamous quote of: “I actually did vote for (it), before I voted against it.”


And this pretty much sums up Trojan Barbie’s vitamin rich MDR (Minimum Daily Rhetoric) dose for her campaign and actions when she was on the city council. How could one forget her Golden Days of Crankie skulduggery, petty politics and not filing years of questionable reimbursement requests for travel until she left office? And she wants to be in charge of city budgets?


She hopes folks fail to remember (maybe this is her Geezer connection) that she was part and parcel of voting for many of the ills that currently plague our city. And like those in Washington, she is now quick to point a finger, spin a pablum non-response and distance herself from an issue that she previously supported or voted for. Isn’t this the type of Washington politics that Irving really doesn’t need?


Want to do something proud and grand for the city in the upcoming election? What to demonstrate what Geezer power is really all about? Then, vote for a Geezer who will provide the leadership currently lacking in our city...vote for Joe Putnam. He has more smarts, understanding of Irving values and the ability to work with all factions wanting to improve our city than the other candidates.


And the fact that he could vote by mail -- if he wanted to -- is an even greater plus!