The vitriol in the comments on Facebook, and even the South Park NextDoor site, was incendiary. “You can have them live at your house” and “why don’t you take care of homeless veterans first” were recurring themes. Recall was mentioned too.
What did Queen Nan do?
Whaley and 17 other U.S. mayors sent a letter Thursday asking the president to increase the number of asylum-seekers America will take in.
Source: Dayton mayor would welcome Syrian refugees [1]
And, I actually agree with her and the 17 other mayors. We should do more for refugees- and we should also ground the Syrian Air Force- like yesterday, but, that’s the question you should be asking Congressman Mike Turner- who takes yet another swipe at Whaley for overstepping her authority.
The parallels between Turner and Whaley are becoming more apparent over time- both lust for complete control and a strong mayor form of government, both love media attention, and both can’t stand it when they hire a city manager who actually tries to do the job.
Whaley is predictable in her actions- she always wants to put herself on a higher pedestal- to feel more important, to pry her way kicking and screaming to the Na(n)tional stage. Her ego knows no bounds.
And, she wants to please people with money- so she can keep her campaign coffers full- and show her prowess at fundraising- the new prima facia scorecard for politicians. Her connections with Miller Valentine, with the Fairgrounds project, the no-bid Arcade fix, etc. are suspect.
The other essential in Queen Nan’s court- is loyalty. There may not be a ceremony involving drops of blood to seal the oath, but, the passing over of Terry Slaybaugh for the interim manager’s job for Shelley Dickstein was most likely due to Slaybaugh’s short jaunt to Milwaukee which was seen as a slight to her royal highness.
There is zero interest for Nan to work to improve service delivery to current Daytonians unless there is a donation to be had or a tent pole accomplishment for her to add to her resume. She just doesn’t operate at that level. It’s the megalomania factor at work.
Dayton is in desperate need of more citizens- as is Ohio. We’ve lost 2 seats in Congress due to population stagnation, and now we’ve lost the speaker of the house. Nan looks at Syrian refugees as additional taxpayers- knowing full well that they also come with federal assistance dollars to help them get started. The idiots commenting on the article in the Dayton Daily news don’t understand that there is a huge difference between documented refugees and undocumented illegal aliens.
The United States was founded and built by “refugees” – and we seem to have done OK. The idea that those fleeing the war zone are ISIS jihadists trying to infiltrate the U.S. is laughable- but, reading comments you’d think they are coming over wielding Kalashnikovs.
The mess in the Middle East is a much bigger problem than just refugees, it’s human rights, it’s religious freedoms, it’s economic, it’s a complete lack of peace and prosperity- and much of it can be attributed to the lack of statesmanship by the political hacks we elect. Europe has an even bigger problem with assimilating refugees than we do, and yet, we’re not working together to stem the flow. Probably because we allow our defense industrial complex to sell way too many weapons to the wrong people- and they in turn buy too many political offices in our country- including Mike Turner’s seat.
If you need to see what refugees can mean to Dayton, all you have to do is look to the Ahiska Turks in Old North Dayton- what was falling down, is now standing tall. And while they didn’t come here originally because of anything any politician did – Mayor Gary Leitzell reached out and made the connections and the “Welcome Dayton” program was born- Nan has had no problem stealing credit and trying to give it to Matt Joseph to prop up her most loyal puppet on the commission.
The likelihood of any Syrians actually showing up in Dayton is small. But, the reality of Nan putting herself on a stage with her heroes Rahm Emanuel and Bill DiBlasio has already happened. Her goal has been reached- and most Daytonians are none the wiser.
As a downtown resident with a few investment properties in separate historic districts, I think it is legitimate for our city to welcome refugees, so long as there is a proper screening process in place that limits the chances (since it can never be reduced) of inadvertently allowing in hardened ISIS or other Syrian rebel fighters. These are not the people we want as next door neighbors. But that screening process will have to be at the federal level, and I have zero faith in this current presidential administration to properly vet those coming in.
In terms of Mayor Whaley, she’s doing what most typical politicians do. Eventually she’ll be found out. Her tenure is increasingly disappointing.
The Whale has always demonstrated the typical characteristics of a narcissistic personality disorder. At least it is becoming more and more public for the masses. The Syrian refugee issue is her way of priming the pump for her next job–senator or Turner’s position. Wish the Dems would derail her. She is unstoppable in her present form.
Nan Whaley will never beat Turner in an election unless Turner suffers some serious scandals (which is possible with that guy). The overall district still leans heavily republican.
If Nan spent a tenth of the energy that she blows fighting for losing issues on actually governing, the healing waters would have bridged all the divides in our country, unicorns would have appeared, and Dayton would truly be the place to live.
When I moved to downtown Dayton four years ago, I read up on what Gary Leitzell was attempting to do with the city. I saw the projects that were proposed or underway, and I really did believe in the city’s revitalization – despite being several years behind the curve, I thought the city was going to actually get its’ act together.
Then Nan got elected, and it was all downhill from there.
Whether we’re talking about the stupid streetlight assessment, the baldfaced lie that voting for the city tax was was to “renew Dayton,” Nan’s repeated tantrums while trying to defend the money grab of red light cameras, or that hole in the ground that’s over on Ludlow Street…. Nan has been on the wrong side of every issue possible.
I can go on – some of which have been brought to light by your blog. The Cliburn Manor title screwup. The Steve Rauch/Clayton Luckie/Nan Whaley connection. Most recently the departure of Warren Price.
About $120 of my hard earned money goes to support this city each month via the city tax (that I voted no on). But that doesn’t change the fact that it took the city four days to plow my street last winter.
At this point – and I’m a young guy – I see no viable option except to leave the city as quickly as humanly possible and take my hard earned tax dollars with me.
Actually, I see nothing wrong…and everything right…with what the Mayor did. Yes it may be showboating and entirely symbolic; but so what! The symbolism is something I (along with the other Mayors and Pope Francis himself), agree with and the morally right.
The real pisser is Mike Turner’s vitriol. He pulled this horseshit when he was Mayor when it came to gays (see clip of his bigoted grandstanding @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnMNGEGjWAQ) and more recently how he reacted to the prospect of hosting immigrant kids…and now this. The Turner recipe for success: divide, conquer, and play on people’s fears and prejudices for political advancement.
Auston, if you can hold out for another year or so, I will have a lovely 3-BR, 1 1/2 bath brick ranch for sale in Centerville. Our streets are plowed within hours of the snow stopping, and our schools are first rate. As soon as my youngest is finished with HS, I’m putting Dayton in my rear view mirror.
David, I have been following your FB posts about your recent SW trip. Gorgeous country. Intelligent, creative people. Dare I say…prosperity? If it weren’t for your parents, would you have come back?
No Diane, if not for my parents, I’d probably have left Dayton long ago. There are other places that put a value on being smart.
What kind of pathetic jerk would oppose welcoming Syrian refugees to Dayton? Sometimes I wonder if people in this city enjoy watching empty houses rot. I’m glad I don’t read the forums you mention; it would drive me to drink. It’s a wonderful treat when the right thing to do, morally, also comes with lots of practical, tangible benefits. There’s a strong Syrian community in the Miami Valley, although mostly in the suburbs, pretty much entirely comprised of successful professionals.
I’m not sure why a post that’s pretty much 100% in agreement with the Mayor is improved by larding it up with a bunch of non-specific vitriol in her general direction, but whatever floats your boat.
DJW, your noting the “bunch of non-specific vitriol” in the comments here reminds me of a post I once read, Comments on non-moderation of Dayton Daily News Forums, that said:
I remember something else the author of that post said: “Do not call each other names, although I allow people to call me names- I will edit slams of each other in ways you won’t like as the final voice on this site.”
Calling Mayor Whaley names seems not to run afoul of this site’s rules, but it certainly detracts from any substantive arguments one might wish to make about her actions and policies.