Barring a significant failure on hizzoner's part he should win a second term. Indianapolis has a long history of protecting incumbents for at least two terms as long as they handle the basics. In this case public safety, snow removal and reasonable control over the cost of government. Mayor Ballard you are about to make history.
Advance Indiana's (ADIN) did a great job on summarizing the ever increasing challenges facing the Ballard Administration's ham-handed bungling of the community's perception of law enforcement.
In a series of missteps including putting a comedian/lawyer/radio personality who advocates for police beatings (in context of course) on a Public Safety Advisory Board or a Public Safety Director asking for public relations advice from the Chief of Police right in the middle of a fatality accident investigation involving a police officer and a civilian.
The situation would make you laugh if this was a Tarantino movie, however it isn't. Its the new reality of life in the 14 largest city in the United States.
And through all of this Mayor Gregory A. Ballard falls back on the same clueless political novice act. Well Mr. Mayor after 2 1/2 year it is time for you to shed the Mayberry shtick and start act like a CEO.
You have a Public Safety Director who is more concerned about his makeup than his responsibilities. You've allowed the Public Advisory Board to be populated with a member has become a lightening rod for controversy. And neither you or anyone in your office seems to be able to define what the Ballard Administration stands for or stands against.
A few qustions Mr. Mayor. When are you going to articulate your vision? When are you going to take control AND responsibility of your City? When are you going to treat 25th floor as a premium place for command and control instead of a viewing platform to watch the flickering of gunshots in the streets below?
While you consult your advisors here's a few clues to help you find your way before fate makes you an asterisk in Indianapolis' political history.
Now, if you're not going to run again then step down now and leave with a shred of dignity. If you are going to run then start thinking as a Mayor. No one will remember the faceless individuals who gave you bad advice. They will remember you as the one who implemented the bad advice.
1) We were initially open to the "outsider" argument for the role of Public Safety Director, however Dr. Frank Straub has proven he is not the "one" and now he needs to go.
2) Start talking to the community. Be prepared for anger, bad news and frustration. Take it and use it to re-shape your policy.
3) Get control of your police force. Support the good ones. Purge the bad ones. Ban together to take back our streets.
4) Dump the self-interested operatives within your circle of "allies".
5) Include the Democrats at the table when discussing public safety issues.
6) Examine your staff and eliminate the dead weight. Every one of your upper level managers should be able to articulate your values and vision in any neighborhood setting or event. If they can't they need to go.
6) Start being a Mayor instead of a MINO.
ANALYSIS:
UP: ADIN $210
DOWN: GBAL $70, NQAI $30, INBR $140, FSTRA $50
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7) put your passport away for a while.You have not brought back one penny for you (errr our) troubles. An entire team to Brazil? and all you got was a IndyCar T shirt? Geee,I wonder if Melina will bring that one up?
ReplyDeleteThis ugy is a gift for the Dems. This election will be fore Melina to lose. Abdul will be the poster boys of what this Mayor thinks about police/community relations. Every day he's on the air people will be reminded about his "beating the public" commnets.
ReplyDeleteSpot on, IPSE.
ReplyDeleteBallard screwed himself (and The People) when he surrounded himself with the elites and didn't build a kitchen cabinet of the activists who got him elected. You know...the ones that don't have their hand out to the taxpayer wanting something for their campaign help. The ones who worked for the pure love of our city.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm buying McQuaid stock if it becomes available! He's my favorite TV reporter.
ReplyDeleteBallard has been told he has nothing to worry about. As long as Melina is working for B&D and B&D want contracts with the City she is not a threat. That's the way Bob Grand and Joe Loftus have planned it. When Melina takes resigns from B&D she will be taken seriously. Unitl then get use to this Accidental Mayor.
ReplyDeleteYeah, anonymous 7:40 what you say sounds about right.
ReplyDeleteOnly what are they all going to do when the Libertarians run someone awesome? If I ever wanted to be mayor, and knew I was qualified above the others, I would be talking to the Libertarians about now. That's who will get the Independent vote.
Obviously Ballard and Kennedy are completely controlled.
Ballard admitted he was in over his head shortly after the election. Personally I have no pity for the guy, he's a joke of a man with no real leadership skills and reminds me of some midwest version of the Beverly Hillbillies. No speaking skills, no management skills and the only original idea he ever had was ChinaTown. And we thought it couldn't get any worse. @ Mel - I bet all of those guys who helped him behind the scenes are laughing their asses off right now.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Greg will take this advice, ipse, or some of it. Gotta run; "The Closer" is on.
ReplyDeleteWow it seems that everyone who Ballard "kicked to the curb" is doing much, much better outside of his adminstration. He ignored Bob Turner right after the election and now Bob is making money left and right. Please Ballard can you let me help your re-election campaign then kick dump me afterwards so I can be successful? Pluuuuuzzzzeee????
ReplyDeleteVinnie, all you need to do is show cross swords with Joe Loftus. Bob was not invited o the party because Bob Dillon gave Bob Grand and Joe Loftus a list on individuals he blamed for Peterson's demise. Bob Turner was on the list. Ballard was so overwhelmed that he took whatever the B&T guys suggested. Loftus wanted ot make sure there no one who had an independent thought would be part of the new adminstration. And guess what now you have one of the most comical adminstrations in Indianapolis' history. A Mayor who struggles to put a coherent sentence, a Deputy Mayor who is even worse. A Party Chairman with enough baggage to put Spitzer to shame and a Prosecutor who is literally months form being totally unemployable.
ReplyDeleteYou stoled my thunder Annie! I've worked with these guys and you nailed it. All you need to do his hang out at a few well known watering holes and you can see it all playing out before your very eyes. It will be fun to see watch Abdul bring down the Ballard adminstration one stand-up joke at a time. A kingdom brought down by a unpaid part-time court jester. Gotta' love it.
ReplyDeleteIPSE, I agree with the content of your posting but can't you find someone to post articles who understands common English grammar rules. {Gee, I hope I didn't make any errors in my comment.}
ReplyDeleteIf the Democrats are smart they will continue to ask for Straub's resignation and double up their demands that Abdul steps down from the Advisory Board as well. His comments were imflammatory, irresponsible and undermine the good work that could be done in the future by well-meaning residents. And just for the record had Amos made a comment about shooting police officers I'd ask for his removal as well. The longer Abdul stays the more this becomes an issue and focal point of what's wrong with the Mayor's office. Everytime his voice is on the air people will think about his comments supporting police brutality. As a mother of a 16 and 18 year-old boys I am worried that his comments could encourage this type of attitudes in the police dempartment and escalate tensions in the community.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:53, I agree. The grammar in this post was especially poor.
ReplyDeleteSorry guys, we were trying a threeway editing/pasting process with Blackberries. Not the best way to review a post.
ReplyDeleteNumber 4 defines this administration. MINO cannot change it.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to cut you some slack IPSE, for the most part you guys post pretty good stuff. I blog as a part of my day job and know how hard it is to get a solid posting completed under the gun. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteAbdul will be Ballard's Monroe Gray. IPSE will be Ballard's Indy Undercover. Karma is a beautiful thing.
ReplyDeleteI was the first to predict this blog would become the new IndyU. I only wish they posted more frequently. IndyU geared up in 2006, the year before Ballard defeated Peterson.
ReplyDeleteThis time we don't need another R or D because we have been shown time after time we get the same crap when we vote for them. We need an indepdent and a true outsider who will stand up to the elites and stand for OUR interests.
HFFT, you can huff and puff all you wish. The next mayor will be either an R or D. It is our job to make sure that the parties offer the voters a choice who will stand up for OUR interests. I think the Democrats have taken a big step in that direction with Melina.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with an "outsider" is you get the same challenges Ballard faced. I won??? Now what do I do??? Just try and find competent, experienced, totally devoid of self interest individuals who are willing to work for a govmt salary as opposed to private enterprise jobs. These people aren't found through the classified ads. Someone imbedded in the city cajoles someone else to suffer for a few years in order to win big in other ways at other times.
ReplyDeleteAn outsider might end up with honest, forthright, well intentioned friends in their kitchen cabinet, but before they realized how over their heads they were in managing all the city business details, our city could resemble a third world country.
I wish it were otherwise, but an insider with a true moral compass, who steadfastly holds on to the principles they know in their head, heart and soul, to be intrinsically good, would be the best leader for our city
IPSE, do a little research on who was around Ballard at immediately after the election and were summarily dumped at the advice of Joe Loftus and Bob Grand versus those who are didn't support him but are reaping the benefits now, (Brizzi,Tom John, Olgen, Olgen son, Abdul, etc...) You will find that almost all of those pushed aside are doing great without being tainted by the the Jimmy Carter of Mayors Greg Ballard. Bob Turner is a prime example of talent over taint. And now I bet they will settle his case out of court. And Joe not only is Karma beautiful is a bitch!
ReplyDelete@Keith,
ReplyDeleteGood observation. I looked up the Star's archives and outside of Bob and Joe everyone who Ballard had requested to be at his side is long gone. And you're right as I serch the internet I would say that each of them are certainly in a better position than if they had stayed in the Ballard adminstration.
You cannot make this stuff up.
ReplyDeleteA Mayor that cannot talk
A GOP chairman that cannot stay sober
A Sheriffs candidate that barely graduated from High School.
A Chief of Police that has no clue as to what day it is.
A Safety Dir. that has an ego bigger than Tom John
A wannabe talk show host that cannot pass the bar in Indiana.
An Attorney (Dave I beat drums in the woods because I hate women) Brooks who runs the Marion County GOP but lives in Carmel.
A Rich dude that has given money to all of the above and will be in jail soon.
A man running against Andre Carson who could not beat Adolf Hitler.
and of course the real Boss Bobby Grand who sits in his tower and smiles everytime a legal fee is sent to the city
I am serious, you cannot make this stuff up.Welcome to the Republican party in Marion County.