Bumper sticker I saw yesterday on a Subaru — natch, this is Bloomington, right? — at 3rd & the Bypass:
When I See Cows I Make an Announcement to the Rest of the Car that There Are Cows!
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One-Sided
Well, the teams have been set for next year’s mayoral beauty pageant. It’ll be the upstart Amanda Barge challenging the reigning champeen John Hamilton.
This being B-town, the May Democratic primary tussle between the two will be the de facto election. Our town hasn’t had a Republican mayor since December 31st, 1971. Inauguration day around these parts is always Jan. 1.
So that’s 46, going on 47 years of one-party rule hereabouts. Sheesh. We’ve gone from Frank McCloskey to Tomi Allison to John Fernandez to Mark Kruzan and now to Hizzoner. That’s half a dozen Dems in a row and how much do you wanna bet the seventh, no matter who it may be, will also come from that side of the fence.

Hamilton & Barge in happier days.
Even though I personally haven’t voted for a Republican for any office, be it local, state, or national, since the Grand Old Party opted to oppose the Equal Rights Amendment, I still believe it’s a shame that we live in a place where one gang has an undisputed monopoly.
I’ll be supporting Amanda in the primary and I’d vote for her against any Republican but a healthy democracy needs a strong, principled opposition. Sadly, even if this town were able to produce a viable Rep. candidate, I’d have to shy away from her/him for being even nominally associated with the baboon at the top.
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