Just trying to keep going with real debate topics here at Mojo, and I'm not talking about whether or not to spank. But before it's over, it's possible we'll all feel like disciplining some of these Mayoral candidates.
I hear that Jim King and Greg Fischer had a little spat last night at the Social Justice Forum (where, it should be noted, none of the 3 Republican candidates bothered to show up). The argument was over who had brought the most jobs at the city, and who has the most knowledge of how to bring new jobs to the city.
That's a good topic, and the Republicans aren't going to be left out of that one. On Monday, Hal Heiner released his economic plan for the city, touting his experience in bringing jobs to the region. Heiner, as president and founder of Capstone Realty, which has developed business parks employing lots of people in both southern Jefferson County and Jeffersonville, Ind.
His opponent, Chris Thieneman, reacted with a comment that seemed to have hit a sore spot for Heiner, writing in a release that Heiner had taken "Louisville jobs to southern Indiana for profit."
Reaction? Of course. Today Heiner's campaign countered, calling Thieneman's claims "false and reckless" and this: "His opponent's lack of understanding of the basic economics of job creation has led the campaign to set the record straight."
It goes on to outline Heiner's history of creating jobs, stressing that it's a regional economy and that the Indiana jobs still contribute to the local economy. And it concludes with another tartly-worded slap:
"This campaign season for mayor is critically important for the future of Louisville. Wild accusations issued by candidates have the potential to reduce this race to a school yard brawl. Should this happen, Louisville loses."
All this from two guys who vowed, just a few months back, to keep the campaign friendly and avoid personal attacks. It's a long way to May 18.
I suppose people have different ideas of what constitutes a wild accusation or personal attack.
But if jobs went to Indiana, and not Louisville, and if voters care about that, it may well be that those people don't fully understand regional economics, and it may even be exploiting their feelings to mention it, but I'm not sure it's really very wild or terribly personal to say it.
It's just an opportunity for Heiner to explain what he knows about regional economics.
Just trying to keep going with real debate topics here at Mojo, and I'm not talking about whether or not to spank. But before it's over, it's possible we'll all feel like disciplining some of these Mayoral candidates.
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Rick Redding