Kasim made it clear once again he’s the only candidate that is qualified and has a record of delivering substance and not Obama-like rhetoric of empty promises of change.

Watch for yourself when the video is posted.

Icarus your so right. Everyone in Georgia in my opinion has a stake in this race. That’s why I support Mr Reed. I think Ms Norwood would do a great job but we need someone that can represent Atlanta on a real national stage. Mr Reed’s experience in the Senate can help him do that. These are my opinions. To me it seems logical.

Normally a political machine involves elected officials engaging in fraud or underhanded dealings – corruption.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a political machine as (1) : a combination of persons acting together for a common end along with the agencies they use (2) : a highly organized political group under the leadership of a boss or small clique

The first definition seems to work more towards lobbyists or a group working towards a single goal within a system; whereas, the second definiton seems more fitting to the “Maynard Machine” as it refers to a group working towards influencing and controlling an entire system. By this definition Maynard should be the one calling the shots in this Machine. However, as well as should know, Maynard Jackson is deceased. So, why name the “Political Machine” after him? Is it because he was the first African-American mayor of Atlanta? I can only guess, hence my initial question.

Running with the assumption that Maynard created a highly organized political group and that this Machine still exists, all mayors following Maynard must have been and are a part of the same political machine. Therefore, Andrew Young, Bill Campbell, Shirley Franklin, and for arguments sake Kasim Reed are all apart of the same Maynard Machine. This would also mean that every political step they took to acquiring the visibility to become mayor was all planned out by the Maynard Machine.

Well Andrew Young was a civil rights activist, UN delegate, and GA congressman before becoming the Mayor of Atlanta. Seems the Machine was pretty well established nationally from the beginning. I wonder why Young had all the political positions and not Maynard…and why its not the Young machine? Hmmm, well maybe Young does not count since, Maynard was mayor before and after Young was mayor.

New assumption: Maynard machine starts after Andrew Young. Ok, so after Maynard establishes his Machine he uses his political power to get Bill Campbell elected. Campbell was a City Councilman before becoming mayor. Proof in the Pudding; he was involved in Atlanta politics and the Maynard Machine put him there.

Following Campbell, Franklin served as the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs under Maynard. Subsequently, she was named Chief Administrative Officer and City Manager under Young. More Proof in more Pudding.

Since Maynard Jackson was in office for his second term every following Mayor has had a political position in Atlanta politics prior to becoming mayor (if you wish to include Young at this point, his civil rights activism often occured in Atlanta while Maynard was in his first term…Proof in more PUDDING).

Seems to me that the Maynard Machine would apply to anyone who was involved in Atlanta politics prior to becoming Mayor. However, is that not a realistic requirement for becoming a city’s mayor? Doesn’t one need to create some type of established resume to point to in order to be elected. Under this analysis, Reed and Norwood are a part of the Machine. HOW???

Wait, I think I know what the missing piece to the Machine. You have to be an African-American, duh. Any African-American who is involved in Atlanta politics (formal or informal) following the Maynard’s days as mayor of Atlanta is thus a part of the Maynard Machine. This person is only mayor because they are African-American and play towards the whims of what the Machine says. Well if Maynard is not here anymore who is running the machine? The Black “ELITE.”

Therefore, to break up this Machine of corruption that Atlanta has grown and prospered under, that has recognized and award many times over nationally, and that has one glaring mare from Campbell’s tax evasion felony, we must inject someone who is outside this ring of deceit. i.e. anyone white.

Mary Norwood is white, a prior business owner, a buckhead resident, and constant dissenter of Franklin. Perfect! O wait, she kind of sucks as a leader and has no real vision for Atlanta past cleaning up crime (which is good for a position as a commissioner or something). Ah well, say the black community loves her, but no the black community involved with the Maynar Machine. Perfect again!

Guess I figured out what the Maynard Machine is and how to defeat it. All those who believe there is some African-American Elitist Political Machine running Atlanta into the ground since the 1970’s please vote for Mary Norwood to defeat the Maynard Machine. The rest of sensible Atlanta that wants the city, region, and the state to move forward on education, public safety, transportation, and water conservancy, elect a leader who can take on these challenges at all levels.

By the way; great article Icarus!

HillTopper
November 18th, 2009
9:24 pm

@AtlGirl3929

You’re lying about the inauguration, which means you’re probably lying about everything else. Kasim is a personal friend of mine and he was a guest of a top democratic operative at inauguration, he was nowhere near the “grass”. He was definitely seated with the other guests in the main stage area. These Norwood supporters are getting more and more desperate.

Kasim will win this thing, because some of the Norwood supporters are getting downright evil.

——————-

As an aside, I totally disagree with the poster’s last comment and hope everyone else does too. In every race canidates attract their share of weirdo but the actions of those people in no way magically make the other candidate more qualified. Anyone who is going to vote for Reed or Norwood based on the bad behavior of a few supporters of the other camp posting on a blog are really wasting a vote.

I ‘met’ him at a meet & greet, where he ignored my female friend and I to go slap backs with some old white guys.

His plans and policies aren’t even logical; he’s banking on the same insider network of corruption that’s gotten Atlanta into trouble in the first place. Norwood isn’t perfect, but I’ll take someone who’s more concerned with fixing our city than giving favors to his friends and seeing his name in print.

Kasim Reed is bright, but he’s not going to do anything more than add gridlock and hot air to this city, and this comes from a local/national democratic political activist. He wants to raise the vesting period for pensions for city workers to 15 years. He thinks opening playgrounds later will decrease crime. He wants to increase the police, but had no answer when I asked how reducing the police officer’s retirement benefits (via the pension vesting period increase) would impact police retention.

And you think he wants to ‘help’ the poor of Atlanta? The blue collar worker? The small businessman or woman? The city employees? Think again, fellow Atlantans. This guy is all about power, and nothing more.

Lightweight holds the door open for the corrupt.

No thanks.

Academic achievement is a measure of brainpower. It is not the only measure, but if you have it – it counts and provides credibility towards potential success.

Finally, your statement indicating the faculty of Harvard has a monolithic view or are predominantly socialists is simply loopy. It shows a lack of knowledge and experience in dealing with academia.

And you’d complain if Obama was a political heavyweight anyway. You’d claim he was “part of the problem.”

Face it: your team picked a hottie with no brains to be VP. Sort-a like Dan Quayle only without the worse Democratic alternative. Enjoy living with it.

Palin? She’s just a whiny corrupt media ho. And, yes, with that statement, I’m comparing her to myself.

Two years before Obama wins the Presidency he’s a hack community organizer / state senator. Four years before the Presidency he can’t win a bid for Congress. The top of the Democrat and GOP US Senate ticket in Illinois, blows up, and next thing you know an ineffective, no-name State Senator, who happens to throw his name on the ballot, because he’s got nothing better to do, is at the top of the ticket, with the Republicans scrambling for anybody.

Palin and Obama are both lightweights. Obama is just better with charisma and his delivery of saying nothing. Plus, the press just chose to ignore all of his gaffes.

Snap!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33866693/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

Go Mary!