Comments on: Shirley Franklin

By: memberg

memberg — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 05:58:29 +0000

Silence, you may think I’m full of “bullcrap,” but it’s hardly partisan. Can you specify some of her “incredible” accomplishments?

And about Sonny…I disagree that he was thrown into a pile of crap, but I find it ironic that he always has that stupid sh*t-eating grin on his face.

By: Ben King

Ben King — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 04:46:48 +0000

::hat tip to Silence::

I just wonder what people will be saying when she’s not polling out the wazoo in the suburbs. Well, I know what GAWire will be saying….

By: Silence

Silence — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 03:38:56 +0000

Memberg, pure partisan bullcrap. I’m as dyed in the wool Republican as they come, and Franklin’s one of my heros…she’s done an incredible job, kind of similar to Sonny’s situation, in that she was elected and thrown face first into a pile of crap…she’s done extremely well in handling it.

By: GAWire

GAWire — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 21:12:32 +0000

I will admit the water/sewer problem is partially a county issue, but it is first and foremost a City of Atlanta issue and let’s be clear on this: Atlanta gov’t (i.e. Mayor Franklin) has done absolutely NOTHING to resolve that issue.

If you prefer tax increases, millions of city dollars thrown away in shotty investments (i.e. embezzled), corruption swirling through city gov’t, residents and businesses moving out of the city at alarming rates, etc then, by all means – support Shirley Franklin.

By: memberg

memberg — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 20:49:28 +0000

Shirley is at best a coward puppet and at worst a racist slush-fund baby.

By: Ben King

Ben King — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 18:47:27 +0000

GAWire – um, what are you talking about? First, the percentages in the race have nothing to do with demographics or history. She didn’t have a serious challenger, period. The number two vote getter was a food stand vendor and a gadfly.

Also, is it possible that Franklin simply doesn’t have serious ethical issues like Delay, Newt, Sonny, Reed, et al.? Maybe that is another explanation.

Also, I simply think you are nuts to say that you question her leadership on water and sewer stuff. I would say that largely, that is WHY no one challenged her. People see her as having taken on an unpopular issue with difficult solutions (higher fees, for example), and done ‘what is right for the city’. Why is that baffling? Erick and Buzz understand why she’s so popular.

I’m not saying that she’s perfect. I’m just saying that your take on the election is total bunk. I’m guessing you don’t live in the city? I don’t mean that as an insult or that it means you are stupid. But it would explain why you don’t ‘get’ Shirley Franklin.

By: buzzbrockway

buzzbrockway — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:39:25 +0000

I agree that Franklin has done a good job. I think the most important thing she has done is restore confidence in the Mayor’s office. If she can attract business to Atlanta she will have done a good thing.

By: Harry

Harry — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:31:47 +0000

It’s all about perception and image. I’m jaded enough to like her just because she’s on top of her game.

By: GAWire

GAWire — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 14:59:21 +0000

So many folks out there are willing to burn people like DeLay, Newt, Sonny, etc at the stake for ethics violations, but somehow Shirley Franklin gets off the hook for her issues. Also, while there has been some reduction in crime; I still question her leadership on issues like resolving Atlanta’s and Fulton Co’s water and sewer problems. I wasn’t too surprised to see the percentages in the Atl Mayor race last night b/c I know somewhat how voting demographics and history work in the city of Atl, but I am a little baffled how people see Shirley Franklin as such an effective leader.

By: Bill Simon

Bill Simon — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 14:02:54 +0000

The City WAS run into the ground by her predecessor, Bill Campbell.

With any luck, no one is fudging the crime statistics (like they did during Campbell’s term) and there isn’t as much blatant cronyism taking place. Unless, perhaps, Cynthia Tucker and Julia Wallace over at the AJC are playing the “good ‘ole girl” game of not touching Franklin’s administration with too much digging into possible cronyism.

By: Joeventures

Joeventures — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 12:39:54 +0000

Franklin, on the other hand, should fairly be considered the gold standard for urban Democrat leadership in the country.

Not quite, but close. Ed Rendell in Philadelphia came into his administration with even worse circumstances than Shirley had to deal with. Check out "A Prayer for the City" by Buzz Bissinger.