Mat Gamel, Clowns and Primaries

The big news is Mat Gamel, the Brewer 1st basemen of the future. Seems he is/was an Atlanta Brave and he wreaked his knee yesterday working out and is out for the season.  The Braves released him.  Maybe we can get him back for next year.  After all, according to Baseball Prospectus last year the Brewers had statistically the worst 1st base IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL (well since 1900).

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Yes, there is a clown shortage and I could not be happier.  Many people with coulrophobia (fear of clowns) will back me up on this.  It's all I'm going to say on the subject. OK OK - Conan O'Brien blames it on one horrific car accident. 

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Primaries in Wisconsin are not automatic as many people think.  It's up to the community on whether to have a primary or not.

A primary cost's Columbus about $6000.

The argument is that it's a waste of money for such a small turnout (we had about 350ish yesterday) and why kill ideas, just have any number of candidates run in the spring election.

My view is that it's not about the primary but what might happen if we did not have one.

If we had an election with perhaps 4 candidates what might happen if one candidate belongs to a large club or organization.  Three of the candidates work at getting individual votes, knocking on doors while the fourth sits back doing nothing because his club or organization has an agenda and will tell their members, who really don't care, to go out and vote for him.

It's like having a one party democracy.   Whoever has the biggest club wins.  It takes the citizens of Columbus out of the picture and puts all the power into clubs, organizations and groups.

The argument about why have one for a small turnout . . . . well, does that mean we should only have one when there will be a big turnout?   Perhaps this is not a government problem but a citizen apathy  problem.  This creates even more apathy.  The primary yesterday but candidates in the news and makes people talk months before the real election. 

And while $6000 is not chicken feed there is much more waste in city government then this.  Maybe the budget should have a $6000 line, IN CASE, of a primary.  If there is not one it can go back into the general fund.

Having a primary is anti-corruption and keeps power groups out of the equation and gives power back to the citizens of Columbus.  It's a price all communities pay for having a government that elects it's city officials.

Would love to hear others thoughts!