"Politicize the debate"

At the May 15 City Council meeting, NotWithMyMoney.org requested that the Council pledge to allow the citizens of Santa Clara to vote on any stadium proposal that would require spending public money. Besides putting off a "yes" or "no" answer, certain Councilmembers also denigrated the citizens who spoke in favor of a vote.

Councilmember Caserta said,

"I just think this is political theater."

Mayor Mahan said

she fears that an election could improperly politicize the debate over a stadium.

Hello? Ms. Pot? There is a Mr. Kettle here to see you. Shall I tell him you'll call him black?

Santa Clara residents received a 4-page color pamphlet from the 49ers a few weeks ago. It was distributed as an ad insert in the Santa Clara Weekly newspaper. This paper is delivered unsolicited. The pamphlet looks remarkably like an election flyer. There is a "candidate football player holding cute baby" picture. There is a "candidate football player helping out in the community" picture. There is just about every election pamphlet device except promises of a chicken in every pot.

Here is a sample of election pamphlets:

Look pretty similar, don't they?

So let's see, carpet bombing the city with slick campaign literature. Doing so in May, many many months before the election. An exercise for the reader would be to find out how much money does it take to accomplish this mission.

"Political theater" indeed.