Do you like to party?
Most do. Some don’t.
Let us explain. Political parties developed early in the American experiment with democracy. While founding folks like George Washington believed parties would tear apart the republic, others, like Tommy Jefferson, thought it was important to form political organizations to collectively advocate for or against certain policies.
Throughout the succeeding centuries, parties came and went, coalescing around favored policies to confront the pressing issues of the day. Whether it was the controversial formation of a national bank to stabilize monetary policy, or the abolition of chattel slavery, or abandoning the gold standard, or the role of the federal government in addressing the Great Depression, political parties organized to elect candidates to advance specific programs and proposals.
Fast forward to today. Contrary to what you might think, there are more than two parties. The Ds and Rs get the lion’s share of press, and votes, and are considered the major parties. But from Greens to Constitutionalists to Libertarians to Socialists to Working Families, and more, minor parties abound across the fruited plain.
We could discuss the vagaries that allow for, and largely suppress, these alternative organizations. But we won’t.
Because what has all this to do with City Politics?
Yellow stripes and dead skunks
The Toledo Charter mandates that all municipal elections ar non-partisan, a throwback to the Progressive Era notion that parties foment political corruption. You wouldn’t know it, though. It only means party affiliations don’t control ballot slots.
But in a city where most voters cast their ballots for Democrats, those affiliated with the Ds wear that affiliation on their sleeves.
And their yard signs. To be sure, if you see a sign with no party listed, you can bet the candidate is a Republican.
Unless they’re not.
These days, it’s getting en vogue for erstwhile Rs to claim they are instead an “Independent.”
Take Councilman Georgie Sarantou. He was an R for years. He often voted in ways that more closely aligned with the Ds, including support for organized labor and public schools. He maintained his R label throughout.
After a sojourn caused by term limits Georgie returned to Council as an Independent. Huh? The lifelong R suddenly wasn’t?
There’s an old saying about lipstick on a pig. Another about old dogs and new tricks, and a zebra changing its stripes.
We prefer this one. There’s only two things in the middle of the road. Yellow stripes. And dead skunks.
Pick a side, Georgie.
Which side are you on?
This year, most candidates for municipal office still declare their party affiliation. It lets voters know where they generally stand on important issues. It brings an infrastructure of volunteers and donors.
Not Robert, ahem, Roberto Torres, though.
Formerly an elected D, who served under D mayors in Toledo and other cities, Roberto knew he’d never get the endorsement for mayor over incumbent Democrat Mayor Wade.
Dial up the Independent label.
Never one to believe it’s about anyone but himself, Roberto will wear whatever label as long as he gets center stage. Sounds like a former Finkly mayor we could name. Who alternatively ran as an R, a D, and, at one point, an Independent. Whatever, it was all about him, anyway.
Then there’s political novice Eddie Beczynski. We like him. We wrote about him previously. He’s got a good life story, cares about Toledo. Seems to have a strong base of volunteers.
Calls himself an Independent.
Does that mean he doesn’t have settled policy beliefs? Is he a political chameleon, changing this way and that depending on the changes in the background? Or a Republican in Independent clothing, like Georgie?
Which side are you on, Eddie?
