Well now, Buffalo’s gearing up for its first real Mayoral election in many years. The Byron Brown era is finally over, and not a moment too soon. It was the very definition of what I call “petrified politics”. Nothing moved. Nothing new happened. All the same players in all the same places, except every so often they changed chairs, as when whatsisname Higgins retired, a bunch of local pols moved up a step. Whoop de fuckin’ do.
I try not to be cynical, it discourages the young people, who don’t need any extra discouragement from cranky old Kevin. But man it can be hard in this town of petrified politics.
I can say without reservation – I’m not seeing anyone yet who’s expressing interest in running for Mayor who’s the slightest bit outside the box of politics as usual. All pandering to their particular voting or power groups. All without anything approaching a new idea.
All boring, to be honest, and there’s nothing more worthless than a boring politician. Show us some skin! Stand up for something! Piss somebody off! You only live once. My favorite politicians were quite happy to poke someone in the eye now and then. We don’t need wimps or overly cautious types.
Note: For the newbies and out of towners, Buffalo’s a one-party town, Democratic, and we’ll be having primaries in June 2025. In many years, that’s the whole ball game, you win the Dem primary, you’re in. It might be different this time around, but the June primary will be the first act in this political show. So the candidates are stepping up right around now.
More later . . .