November 5, 2007

Karas seeks payback for presidential candidate visit

Alderman Pete Karas was busy Monday. After putting in a communication requesting to talk with city committees about signage in Racine, he went back to work with two more proposals.

Karas wants to talk with committees about requiring presidential campaigns who visit Racine to reimburse the city for the cost of the visit. This could come into play during the 2008 presidential election. Wisconsin is a toss-up state and Racine County is split between Democrats and Republicans, which could draw candidates to the city.

Karas also teamed with Alderman Aron Wisneski to announce a public information and listening session on the city's 2008 budget. The meeting will be held Nov. 16 at 6:30 pm at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, 3319 Washington Ave. Attendance at the session is open to the public.

1 comment:

  1. I attended the September,'04 Bush campaign rally as a registered ticket-holder. I can attest that the innapropriate expenses went far beyond local policing and traffic disruption costs.

    Our military forces are intended to protect our country without becoming becoming involved in partisan political processes. This is vitally important in a democracy; a separation of force from partisanship.

    On this day, though, all boat traffic along the lake shoreline had been stopped and a Coast Guard cutter was prominetly patroling. There was no plausible threat to protect against. This was simply window dressing at taxpayer expense.

    Just prior to the Presidents arrival, a Coast Guard helicopter started swooping and circling the grounds, with someone wearing what appeared to be the President's blue-striped campaign shirt waving from an open door, in order to excite the crowd and create anticipation.

    Think carefully, now. Is this an appropriate use of our military, with its obligation to protect, without interfering with, our electoral system? Our taxes were used to pay for this partisan display.

    I had gone with the intent to attempt to ask the President his views on Biblical prophecies and whether they might bear any influence on his decisions in office.

    Once he'd reached the microphones, but before he had begun to speak, I'd held my hand up and said "Mr President, I have a question." When I received no answer (he was certainly aware of me) I repeated the statement.

    I was shouted down by the crowd, physically attacked by several other attendees, and ultimately arrested and jailed by local police.

    The local police had been sent, according to their affadavits, by the Secret Service. Again, the Secret Service is a protection force who are required to remain separate from politics. I was simply attempting to practice my free speech rights and Constitutional guarantee to be able to petition my elected representatives.

    I was arrested, handcuffed, spent most of the night in the Racine County Jail, and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting/obstructing an officer.

    The costs for the Secret Service intervention, local police and jail processing, court costs, etc. were all born by taxpayers, and all inappropriately.

    Although the visit was posited as a representative visit, it was simply a campaign stop for partisan purposes and I trully feel that all exceptional costs associated with the visit should be paid for by the George Bush campaign commitee, and any inapprpriate federal misuse and costs should also be investigated.

    This is our country, and fairness, appropriate separation of powers and the misuse of resources is our responsibility. Democracy only works when the citizens choose to be involved and advocate for themselves.

    Thanks.
    Marc

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