More Stars, Dollars, Spurs & Coconuts

• Editorial: Stars, Dollars, Spurs & Coconuts 11-29-08
• Editorial: Stars, Dollars, Spurs & Coconuts 11-22-08
• Editorial: Stars, Dollars, Spurs & Coconuts 11-15-08

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Vice presidential virtues

A stanza of the “Starfish-Spangled Banner” to all Southwest Floridians who worked so hard for and attended events for our nation’s two vice presidential candidates within three days this week.

Both Sarah Palin and Joe Biden were able to meet with small groups of supporters and later with thousands of them to get everyone all fired up.

Very exciting.

It goes to show we aren’t Mayberry anymore, for either party, but it’s the money that keeps them coming back.

Psst, an election’s coming

A sand spur for general-election campaigning, Southwest Florida-style.

The primaries got their fair share of attention, with a fair number of public forums giving candidates a chance to face each other and the voters.

Not so for the main event come November, which this year has more contests than usual because Democrats and independents sense vulnerability among Republican ranks.

That leaves candidates more dependent than ever on money, which everyone likes to say is the root of all evil, for mailouts and other advertising.

It is time for the campaign, and there is no campaign.

Voters have to be on their toes from now on to fill this political information void.

What did that one say?

A coconut to political candidates who waste their money on roadside signs that are too small to read or set up outside their districts.

Frustrating and confusing.

‘Stealth’ electioneering

A starfish to Lee County commissioners for at least questioning doing business with firms who can terrorize them and other politicians.

When a lobbying contract came up for review this week, Commissioner Frank Mann noticed an employee of the incumbent firm had taken part in one of those midnight raider quasi-political action committees that specialize in hit-and-runs.

Entirely legally, yet hardly ethically, these groups spring up at the last minute, bear down on their target — Mann and colleague Ray Judah know the heat well — and then go away before anyone can untangle the paperwork or the money trail before the election.

Mann saw this as an opportunity to send a signal, although his timing — with his own re-election test only weeks away — was dreadfully partisan.

Missed the opportunity

A coconut to Mann’s colleagues for not going along.

They decided to keep the firm aboard.

Thus, a chance was missed to communicate in political operatives’ chosen language — money.

Service with courtesy

A starfish to garbage truck drivers.

You know, the ones who are thoughtful enough to pull over a little more on that narrow street to let you get by.

Lawn maintenance guys? Forget it.

Gathering to remember

A starfish to organizers of the annual old-timers’ event in Naples.

Every year about this time, those who were here before Hurricane Donna in 1960 gather at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club to reminisce and the public is graciously invited to mingle and listen in.

A gem from Sunday’s event, from a woman who arrived in 1955: “It’s just not the same place.”