Friday, November 16, 2007

Sometimes I hate to be right


As predicted in this post about Jack Ford's idea to make COSI into a science/math school, The Blade has jumped all over the idea as a viable option to keeping the failing venture open.

While it's true that they'd rather have this remain a museum in the downtown area, they're basically giving the elected officials the go-ahead on the idea. Which means that you'll see the TPS school board, the mayor and the county commissioners 'uniting' to figure out how to make it happen. Never mind that voters don't want their taxes spent on this ... it's obviously more important to keep The Blade happy than it is the voters.

The Blade says they don't want another shuttered building downtown. I can't help but wonder if it ever occurred to them to actually sell the building to a private developer and let the private market take responsibility for making it into a successful venture ... especially when you consider that neither the city nor TPS have a good track record on such projects.

I hate it when I'm right on these kinds of things.

6 comments:

Timothy W Higgins said...

Maggie,

All of us out here know how prescient you are on all things political in NW Ohio, but I can't believe that it took much of your all-seeing ability to spot this one coming. A blind man on the corner selling pencils could heve predicted this one.

As for vision, one look at this building and you can see that it was never designed to be used as a museum or a school, but as a retail or entertainment facility.

Instead of any real leadership however, what we get are the Mayor, the former Mayor, and the Blade doing their best imitation of the local version of the Three Blind Mice: "See no problems, Hear no voters, Speak no truth".

Maggie said...

Agreed that this one was easy to predict...but still wish I'd been wrong.

Instead of any real leadership however, what we get are the Mayor, the former Mayor, and the Blade doing their best imitation of the local version of the Three Blind Mice: "See no problems, Hear no voters, Speak no truth".

I LOVE it!!!!

Jay Ott said...

This is just one example of what I meant when I said that these people -- the mayor, the commissioners et. al., operate on the idea that they're going to get our money from us one way or another either through fines, taxes or donations.

In this situation, if COSI is allowed to be turned into a school/museum, it most likely will be funded by tax money.

I don't think it has occurred to them on how just much of our money they blow on things such as flowers from which the benefits are intangible and therefore cannot be measured.

If they have ever thought about their misuse about our money for their pet projects, their attitude is that no one can do anything to stop them.

This COSI/school idea is just another one of their hell-bent, underhanded schemes based on good emotions but bad business decisions. Wouldn't we be better off if it was based on bad emotions but good business decisions?

They think this will instill "hope and pride" in the citizens, when in fact it has the opposite effect i.e. false hope, arrogance, apathy and helplessness.

If I may seem a little obsessive compulsive about this it's because I am. In the 20th century alone more than 60 million people have died because of governments trying to pull the wool over peoples' eyes. I'm not saying people will die here, there are other kinds of suffering caused by government attempts to mold people into their way of thinking.

We all must take responsibility for not allowing ourselves to be lied to, misled, or coerced by publicity stunts, bandwagon campaigns and other schemes designed to thwart the will of the voters, otherwise we are just as guilty as they are.

That of course presupposes that people are capable of discernment. Fortunately, help is available for those who cannot.

I think making policies under false pretenses and fallacious reasoning undermines the public trust.

Isn't any wonder why there is such low voter turnout? The voters get 1 or 2 chances a year to try to un-do what they dream up 365 days a year. What voter has a chance against such a political machine?
None if he/she disengages in this process. His chances slightly improves by voting and significantly improves by becoming an educated voter.

Roland Hansen said...

I think a better idea would be for COSI to merge with the Challenger Learning Center of Lucas County.
But that's just my opinion.

Maggie said...

Roland - I think that's an EXCELLENT idea!!!!!!!!!!!

Robin said...

I honestly don't believe that TPS could afford to open a new school, especially since they've recently closed down a few to cut down on operating costs.

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