local politics goes worldwide
It's election time here in Bedford, and the race seems to be a little more, ah, contested than usual. Which is to say that it looks like there are more candidates than positions. So hey, we're seeing some campaigning! Some of it is being done along traditional lines—front-yard signs, operatives going door-to-door—but this year we've also seen an explosion of local politics into cyberspace. Yes, our humble candidates for local office are presenting their arguments to the whole wide world on the world wide web. So who has the best site?
The incumbent, Cathy Cordes, presents a solidly web 1.0 design. At first glance it appears underwhelming, but closer examination reveals strengths that demonstrate her campaigning acumen. The site has an attention-grabbing masthead that matches her other campaign material, it unambiguously announces the date of the election, and it features a list of Bedford residents who are proud to stand up and show their support, in solid Times New Roman, for Ms. Cordes.
Bill Moonan's site, on the other hand, is a bit more modern-looking, but rather curious is the absence of any title or even design in the masthead. Perhaps it's blankness is a sign of Mr. Moonan's willingness to be, like Paul, all things to all men. On the plus side, the site has tons of content for the curious voter to peruse.
Finally, there's, Robert Avakian. He's the outsider in this race, the one the political establishment doesn't want involved in town government, and he shows it with a sleek design featuring the catchy slogan, "Elect Robert Avakian for Political Office." Let's hear it for generic Google Sites templates! At least he has a relevant title tag, not to mention a totally sweet zooming-star-underline logo (though the designer in me positively cringes at the visible catch between the straight part of the underline and the beginning of the curve). There are some things I'm curious about, though; for example, the mysterious box on the front page of the site headed with the single cryptic word, "Why":
An independent voice who will be:
Hard on the issues and
Work with people to
Find Common Ground
"Why" indeed! Why the colon, why the line breaks, why the capital letters? Is it some sort of poem? An acrostic? A secret code to his supporters? What does "AHWF" really stand for?!
Actually, I don't really care about any of that. In his platform Mr. Avakian says he will "oppose unnecessary tax increases" and calls for a "moratorium on affordable housing". So he wants rich folks to keep their money and poor ones to stay the heck out of town. Alright, in a race with three candidates for two spots that's all I need to know!
Election is tomorrow, Bedford residents: see you at the polls!
comments
I thought you were an anarchist.
of course he is! But you gotta think revolutionary and act locally, so to speak.
Do anarchists not vote? Sometimes I don't vote...
I would have thought anarchists don't vote much, but I don't know anything about it. Plus, you took the a fairly progressive/liberal read on equating "oppose unnecessary tax increases" with "he wants rich folks to keep their money and poor ones to stay the heck out of town." Socially progressive, taxes-to-fund-social-programs anarchy? I had no idea such an animal existed.
Also, what is a moratorium on affordable housing? Does that mean he wants for there to be no more affordable housing? That seems like a grammatical error. Better you than me to sort that out.
Well, truth be told I don't know much about it either. I don't know any other anarchists except the ones on tv that wear black balaclavas and smash windows, and I don't do any of that. Maybe I need to rebrand myself?
As for public policy choices, yes, I am very much in favor of taxes and social programs; all the best anarchists are. Otherwise, you end up looking like a libertarian, and nobody wants that.
And I am very much afraid that he does in fact want there to be no more affordable housing; I can't imagine any other reading of his platform. Hopefully he didn't win, so we'll never have to wonder about it again.
Hey, I marched on Washington with those black balaclavas guys! They were totally neeto! The bandana is to protect your nose from tear gas. And to hide your facial features from the FBI cameras.
2000 was obviously a much more idealistic year for me :)
And some countries have anarchists in parliament. It's only Jehovah's Witnesses who don't vote.