I am angry and have had to take this time between the primary until today to have the composure to write down my thoughts without SOUR GRAPES and PUCKERING UP myself. I am not sure who I am angry with, either the PACs or a labor union that endorsed a total failure of a Democratic candidate or the voters for voting like sheep possibly based on the endorsements. I hate insulting our voters that way, though, whereas, I believe the PACs and labor union should have known better and have a responsibility to the constituents in our county to give them an informed endorsement of the best candidates.
I have worked on political campaigns and been a “hard core” Democrat since I was 18 and first voted for Walter Mondale for President to save us from the disaster of Reagan. We all know how that turned out. Maybe I am doomed to work on campaigns that meet with failure. All the candidates I have supported and helped were people I believed in and felt were right for the position they were seeking. In the case of Monroe County Clerk, I found Jenn Marcum to be the best candidate out of all those running on both the Republican and Democratic ticket. She has extensive experience working with elections and directly with Jim Fielder (R), County Clerk. She has extensive knowledge of our election laws and has had a plethora of fiduciary responsibility in agencies through United Way. But, I digress. Her qualifications matter NONE now. She is out of the race and she is no longer a choice that can be made for our county clerk’s office. We now have 2 options. Candi Haley (R) and Linda Robbins (R…oops! I mean D). Basically, we have two republicans running against each other in the general election. One who was a self professed Republican until 2008 and, worse, fired for her inability to perform simple tasks for which she will be in charge of if she is elected. The other candidate is a REAL Republican who has experience with the clerk’s office and has no evidence of being incapable of filling the position she hopes to fill. I observed Candi with the Clerk’s office staff and she is a person who is respected. On election night, I sat in the clerk’s office with Candi and Jenn, watching the results come in and these two women could discuss in detail the clerk’s office needs and duties and it was clear to me that either woman would be an acceptable replacement for the current clerk of the court. As I was there, both women interacted with Jim Fielder and the rest of the volunteers and staff at the clerk’s office who were there working the election. There was great camaraderie between both ladies and the staff and administrators. As the results came in it was clear that Jenn lost, the mood in the office changed dramatically. The sadness and intense emotions were apparent and Jenn kept a smile on her face and said it would be ok. And, it must be.
As a life-long Democrat, I have never voted for a Republican. However, come November 2, 2010, I will make my very first vote for a REAL Republican because if it is between a person who was terminated from the clerk’s office and a Republican that is respected already in the clerk’s office, I think the choice is clear.
It was shortsighted and completely irresponsible for the PACs and a labor union to endorse a candidate for an office from which she was terminated. I also feel it was disingenuous for Linda Robbins to say in a forum, her biggest concern is to make the staff feel safe and secure after a turnover of any kind in leadership. If she were elected, the staff would be EXTREMELY concerned and unhappy as they were affected by her incompetence and are still having to deal with the improperly filed cases and other job duties done poorly by Linda Robbins. It is sad and pathetic that the PACs in this town didn’t ask their candidate to step down. If I were a part of Linda Robbin’s committee, I would have told her it was best for the Democratic Party to STEP DOWN and allow a better candidate, capable of winning and improving the clerk’s office to run and win. If Linda Robbins wins, that office will be turned upside down, merely a result of the fact that she will be supervising those that she was rude to, created more work for and showed a lack of leadership to as a staff person. Imagine the judges and court administrators having to deal with her, not to mention human resources staff. I can’t imagine what precipitated this choice by the DFMC, DWC, and UAW. It’s a travesty and as a Democrat and having lived in Indiana for just 4 yrs this July, I am blown away at the lack of leadership and professionalism in the Democratic Party here. On a scale from one to five, I would give this county’s Democratic Party a 0. As much as I disrespect the PACs in this town, I will work feverishly to ensure we hold our Democratic seats in Congress and the Senate in DC and build a stronger Democratic leadership in Indiana. We have a lot of work to do and I won’t allow the unprofessionalism and rudeness deter me from my duty to my Party and what I believe is right. As for the County Clerk’s race, however, I will NOT vote Democrat. So, the “old shoe” that Linda Robbins talks about is going to be kept around for 40 years if I have anything to say about it. It’s the one time in my life I will work for a Republican. I can’t back an incompetent and disingenuous candidate for a position at the local level. It’s not worth it. It doesn’t matter. What’s another 4 years out of 40 anyway for the position of Clerk of Courts? Life will at least go on and things won’t be turned upside down by incompetence and a lack of leadership. I can’t say that enough. Regardless of Linda Robbins’ experience and education, her experience in the Clerk’s office should have been a wakeup call for voters, unions and PAC groups.
