back. Cox had odd vibes for us....for some reason. We could
never figure out why he always wound up on the opposite side
of whatever issue that we stood up to!
John Cox served on a variety of County Commissions, City
Committees and the like. John had gone bankrupt...but this
event was rather shuffled under the rug at the time - as we
recall. Hey, stuff happens in life! A divorce here, a bad
business investment or company, a bad business partner, a
series of unlikely macro economic events......hey, these
things can catch up to almost anyone..depending on how brave
or perhaps reckless or desperate one might be. All of us
need to have a little empathy....for those of our peers that
may have had a tough time....at one time or the other.
The Cox issue created an apparently mean spirited, angry type
fellow....in opposition to his smooth, kindly and caring
nature that he exhibited during the election cycle. When we
had the temerity to make inquiries into his actions about the
Newport Coast Annexation or the Expansion of the John Wayne
Airport - John was very defensive. Whether he was a Mayor or
Mayor Pro Temp or even a normal Council member...John seemed
to be taking his personal problems out on the public. This
was not attractive in any regard. The worst side effect
however, was that other2 on the Dias.....soon joined, in his
acrid and cynical attacks on various public comments addressed
to the council. It was much later that another out of control
ego followed perfectly with their own John Cox Syndrome!
Todd Rigdgeway, was a USC guy..and of course we immediately took
a collegial attitude toward Todd, his lovely wife and family.
Once elected however, that old "power corrupts" and makes people
mean and cruel attitude took over! Now we are not calling Todd
necessarily "Corrupt"....no, Todd joined several other City
Council members and took a bunch of "Free" Conextant Stock!
How did they get that stock? No one knows! How much stock did
they get? Who knows? We do know that then Council member Gary
Adams immediately liquidated his interest in the Conexant stock
he received....at a pretty high dollar value we might add. The
others on the City Council that took that stock, liquidated
much later and were very upset that the Stock value had fallen
greatly - even complaining at the time. The approval of the
expansion of the Conextant facilities up on Jamboree..must have
been pure coincidence!
Conflict of interest issues and political action seem to go
hand in hand all too often. Todd Ridgeway also made a variety
of investments with others and bought up a great deal of
property around the City Hall area. They then built some
"Joint use - Residential & Commercial developments.
Now, we have no opposition to progress and in bettering our
community....but why did a sitting City Council member have
to be directly involved? It was the appearance of "Iffyness"
that seems to be our problem. But all of this is "Old News".
This is 2008 and Political Corruption seems strictly Regular
Order with a brutality that attacks our senses. Governors, Senators,
Congresspeople, State Government Officials, County Officials and
a wide variety of City Officials scattered not only around our
nation and state, but almost in any direction we look. How is
this all possible? Why aren't these people put out of office
immediately?
Currently, the Daily Pilot has focused on our new Mayor Ed Selich,
and Council Person Steve Rosansky! There is little doubt that
Rosansky is a "Slum Lord"....the Daily Pilot even had the photos.
Mayor Ed is under a cloud because of several Federal Tax Liens
that exceed a couple of million dollars. The good news is that
Mayor Ed is on a "Payment Plan"...and doesn't seem to be under
any Federal Indictments. Rosansky is easy not to like...because
of his stiff...nasty attitude. That doesn't make him a bad
Council member...it just means...we will not be voting for Steve
for any further political office. Mayor Ed on the other hand....
well, we are certainly not pleased that he has problems with
the tax people. But in these times, we are all just here on a
wing a and prayer anyway! If Mayor Ed can sort out his IRS
issues legally and in a timely fashion and get back on track
....we might entertain....voting for Ed in another capacity in
the future. The main for this is that Ed presents himself well
...and seems kind and caring enough to do the people's business.
The best example of how personal behavior affects the our blind
perceptions and the lives of politicians might be the difference
between two very different personalities: Congressman Dan
Rostonkowski, from Illinois and our favorite Congressman - Jim
Traficant, from Ohio! Both were very abrasive personalities....
but Traficant wanted to help the people fight a bunch of government agencies...including the IRS. Sadly, if you think you can fight
the IRS....you have made a rather bad decision. Rostonkowski
however, wanted to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from
the Congressional Mail Room.....to buy gifts for constituents and
his grandkids! We love Traficant - he always told it like it was
....but he is still in Federal Prison. Rostonkowski got out after
five years! Dan now works as a Political Consultant for a variety
of Political Campaigns. We will bet that when all the shoes drop
that our man Dan will be someplace in the current mix of events.
Politics is a dirty business....so it seems. Too much power and
too much money that just can't wait to pollute the political
process. It can be a evil cocktail. It is the very reason that
Benjamin Franklin said it best: "We have given you a Republic..
..if you can keep it!"
The Governor of Illinois is showing us all....that between him,
OJ, Casey Anthony, Hank Paulson, Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan,
AIG, Freddy Mac, Fanny May and so many others.....our country
has some serious problems about accepting guilt for anything!
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