I think I’m ODing on Schadenfreude.
These past few weeks have had me just in awe in the response
of the Downtown Powers-that-be over Mayor Bob Filner’s actions in vetoing the
Port and the failure to override, especially the U-T’s editorial. I don’t which I love more. The fact that
Bob is exercising the power given to him by the strong mayor position that the
Powers-that-be backed or the fact that they thought Democrat that would
eventually be elected Mayor would be someone that would follow the unwritten
rule that you never, ever, mess around with Downtown and the Downtown
interests.
That was always the rules if you were Democrat that wanted
electoral success in San Diego. You would either kow-tow to the Powers-that-be
and be allowed to do some of your pet projects with the knowledge that when the
time came you would support them in some project that they needed to build up
Downtown or the Convention Center. Then they would support you when you ran for
some office either in Washington or Sacramento.
Eventually a Democrat would be elected Mayor so the
powers-that-be hopes were that it would be a go-along-get-along Dem that they
loved dealing with like a Tony Young or a Todd Gloria. I mean the recent Port
vote reeked of the typical go-along-get-along deals that permeated for years in
the Council.
But I think the Mayor and some of the City Council have done
the math and made the conclusion that with a Democrat being elected in the
Fourth District later this year that the Era of Democratic Conciliation is Over
and that Democrats must be the voice of those who see San Diego as more than
just a Convention Center and an Embarcadero. That there are communities north
of Laurel St, east of 16th St and south of Imperial Ave.
And I think this message will resonate as long as the Mayor and
some on the Council continue in the strong resolve that they have been showing.
And watching the Powers-that-be flip out is just a huge
bonus.
