Print This Post Print This Post

Jan

26

Kyle Sisk on Mandel: “he is ‘policy-light’, blindly ambitious & a great fundraiser “


Kyle Sisk writes clearly (except for that comma outside the quotation – I didn’t feel like putting [sic] in the subject line) – doesn’t use a ton of hyperbole, rhetoric, talking points or invective, and he also doesn’t substitute conclusory statements for actual points he wants to make in debates (we’ve had a couple of comment exchanges at his blog). These characteristics set him apart from the gazillion of political, conservative Ohio bloggers who use those other tactics in order to amplify their very frequently unoriginal thoughts.

Which is to say, when I read what Kyle writes, I feel like it’s original – similar to the Professor’s writing (but his begging for attention once in a while made me roll my eyes a fair amount, even though the content was absolutely above average; he’s on hiatus right now).

Anyway, here is what Kyle Sisk has to say about something I wrote about over the weekend - my state rep, Josh Mandel and running for state treasurer (a race which Buckeye State Blog also wrote about today):

Josh Mandel for Treasurer.  I don’t know much about this guy (kind of like the dem Auditor candidate I wrote about last week David Pepper) so I went to handy Wikipedia…not good.  He ought to water-board one of his staffers (Marines are still allowed to do that, right?) for his Wikipedia entry.  It at least had a link to his website which was ok…B- on that.  Better than most State Rep sites, but not as good as Kevin Coughlin’s site.  I read his Bio on his site, but didn’t really learn anything I didn’t already know (Jewish Veteran in case you couldn’t figure that out by the last name and all the camo pics).  I absolutely frigging LOVE the fact that it gives the GOP a candidate from Cuyahoga County (access to big $$$) who has done well in a not-so-Republican House District to say the least.  I talked to a few friends “in the know” to get the low-down on Mandel and basically the word is:  hard worker, fresh face/new blood, conservatives love him but he does well with I’s & D’s as well, he is “policy-light”, blindly ambitious & a great fundraiser (SOS site says he has almost $460K on hand…is that a typo???).

I’ll do some more poking around on this one, but in an Apportionment Board year I want candidates who can get votes, work hard and self-fund in the AG and TOS seats.  We know Portman & DeWine can raise $ and it looks like this Mandel kid can do the same. [emphasis added]

What is so appalling to me about the reviews I’ve read so far about this race is the abject absence of considering the skill, talent, experience or education that voters should be demanding of someone who would seek that elected position.  Nada, nunca, zero, zilch.

Mary Taylor won her state auditor race because of her experience and yeah, pushing that CPA thing didn’t hurt.

Jennifer Brunner won her secretary of state race because she’s been a judge and an elections lawyer for years.

Rich Cordray won the treasurer’s seat because he too had experience as…a treasurer.

Name me one thing Josh Mandel has accomplished that would indicate that he has any ability whatsoever to be the state treasurer – to actually carry out and perform the functions of that job.  Unlike Sarah Palin, whom people said would, as president in waiting, at least be sitting “at the feet” of John McCain when it came to pretty much everything, when you get the top job, there’s no pair of feet for you to worship.

As an Ohio resident and voter – as well as a political blogger – even putting forth someone like Josh Mandel for treasurer is indicative not only of politics as usual, but it’s reinforcement of it.

Then again – those politics as usual for the GOP haven’t been working too well.  Maybe I should just leave it alone.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:28 pm January 26th, 2009 in Campaigning, Elections, Government, Jennifer Brunner, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics, Predictions, Primary, Sarah Palin, leadership, treasurer 

Comments

4 Responses to “Kyle Sisk on Mandel: “he is ‘policy-light’, blindly ambitious & a great fundraiser “”

  1. 1 nobody special on January 26th, 2009 11:30 pm

    I agree that likely job performance should matter more than it does, and that’s true for BOTH parties. Marc Dann, anyone?

  2. 2 Greg Helms on January 27th, 2009 7:34 am

    I’m sure this sounds like a broken record, but I think this is why you should consider running in the 17th District in 2010.

  3. 3 J. Walker Red on January 27th, 2009 2:42 pm

    Fill me in on why Kevin Boyce is qualified to be Treasurer?

  4. 4 Carole Cohen on January 28th, 2009 6:12 pm

    Tim Hagan had private sector jobs. You could argue that he learned the value of hard work as a steelworker; you could argue he learned how to listen to people as a psychologist. You’d be wrong. I usually want people to have worked at something (like Taylor’s CPA experience). We need to apply this across the board, as the Marc Dann commenter suggested.

Leave a Reply




"));