2023 KCMO Election

[beautyfromashes]

Purely out of curiosity, I'd love to see a republican mayor in KC. I know it's a long shot, but it's been 30 years since we've had a republican mayor (Berkley) and I'm curious how differently they'd run the city.

Honestly, if there's ever a time, 2023 may be it.

Funk made sure nothing like that will happen again.

Funk was a Republican?!

[alejandro46]

Republican or Democrat shouldn't really matter in a local election. Those parties (or one in particular) are too focused on cultural issues. Local government should be more focused on providing services for city residents. Municipal elections also don't really require large party appartus support to raise money.

[DColeKC]

Republican or Democrat shouldn't really matter in a local election. Those parties (or one in particular) are too focused on cultural issues. Local government should be more focused on providing services for city residents. Municipal elections also don't really require large party appartus support to raise money.

Kind of why I'd like to see a Republican mayor. Curious to see how differently they'd govern versus a democrat. Especially in today's climate of law and order Vs Defund (reallocate dollars) the police. I feel a republican would take a harder, more direct approach on fighting crime vs what's currently being attempted. Crime should be one of our highest priorities considering while this is a great small market type city to live and work in, our crime/murder rate is out of control.

[mean]

I guess it depends on what constitutes your definition of "fighting crime". It sometimes seems this means pulling over poor and/or minority people for the most trivial of infractions and then burdening them with unreasonable fines and fees they can't afford to pay, which, whether that was the intent or not, only further screws them out of any opportunity--or just, you know, shooting them, which obviously also screws them out of opportunity but even more directly.

I'm curious as to what, specifically, you would suggest as a remedy for the crime/murder rate issue. I'm happy to admit that beyond attempting to heal the wounds between poor/minority communities and police, I have no idea what to do, except that I strongly suspect giving cops increasingly militarized hardware and instructing them to be even more repressive is not the right answer. Unfortunately, having a strong feeling about the wrong answer doesn't seem to shed light on what the right answer might be.

[alejandro46]

Fighting crime starts with educuation. Students going to underperforming schools, Students with unstable family situations that move a lot or have one parent often who works multiple jobs.

Guliani era COPS style policing really doesn't work. We need to improve educuation, connectivity, and the built environment throughout the east side most importantly without pricing out the existing residents. If you think the police "prevent" crime, I think you may be somewhat misguided. Sure a traffic stop here or there, but most policing is responsive - responding to break ins may stop it, but the person still decided to commit the action and take the risk no matter how well a police force is funded.

[DColeKC]

I guess it depends on what constitutes your definition of "fighting crime". It sometimes seems this means pulling over poor and/or minority people for the most trivial of infractions and then burdening them with unreasonable fines and fees they can't afford to pay, which, whether that was the intent or not, only further screws them out of any opportunity--or just, you know, shooting them, which obviously also screws them out of opportunity but even more directly.

I'm curious as to what, specifically, you would suggest as a remedy for the crime/murder rate issue. I'm happy to admit that beyond attempting to heal the wounds between poor/minority communities and police, I have no idea what to do, except that I strongly suspect giving cops increasingly militarized hardware and instructing them to be even more repressive is not the right answer. Unfortunately, having a strong feeling about the wrong answer doesn't seem to shed light on what the right answer might be.

Well one idea is being honest and upfront about the issues. Starting with the fact that unarmed black people being shot by the police isn’t a large scale problem as many people would like us to believe. It exists but the statistics show it’s not an epidemic. Studies also show police are more hesitant to shoot a minority than a white person. So I’d start there with some hard honest truth. That’s one way to start repairing the historically damaged relationship between police and poor inner city communities. A Democratic mayor is going to always pander to the minority vote and won’t step up and be transparent about the reality of the situation. If the current Mayor said something along the lines of “we can add all the police we want and take all the guns away, but until the black communities come together and fix these issues from within and refocus on family, it will never be fixed”, he would be called an Uncle Tom.

I don’t have answers to the crime issue but I feel Democrats skirt around addressing the core of the issue. We have spent trillions trying to make up for this countries nasty past and it hasn’t worked. It’s actually worse in many ways. The long term fix is better access to good education, better access to SBA loans and changing the “I didn’t see anything” mentality of witnessing crime.

We also did see the positive impact of more policing when the feds came to town.

[DColeKC]

Forgot to mention. Polls show most people in these poor minority communities do in fact want more police presence, not less.

[chaglang]

If the current Mayor said something along the lines of “we can add all the police we want and take all the guns away, but until the black communities come together and fix these issues from within and refocus on family, it will never be fixed”, he would be called an Uncle Tom.

Every mayor, Democrat and Republican, stretching back to at least Ilus Davis has said something like this. For years it was almost the only thing said about crime.

[DColeKC]

If the current Mayor said something along the lines of “we can add all the police we want and take all the guns away, but until the black communities come together and fix these issues from within and refocus on family, it will never be fixed”, he would be called an Uncle Tom.

Every mayor, Democrat and Republican, stretching back to at least Ilus Davis has said something like this. For years it was almost the only thing said about crime.

Really? I haven't paid close attention but I've never read about Sly, Quinton or any Mayor over the last 15 years saying something like this. Sly could have said it and not been called Uncle Tom, but in today's climate, I feel Lucas would take hits for saying it.

[beautyfromashes]

If the current Mayor said something along the lines of “we can add all the police we want and take all the guns away, but until the black communities come together and fix these issues from within and refocus on family, it will never be fixed”, he would be called an Uncle Tom.

Every mayor, Democrat and Republican, stretching back to at least Ilus Davis has said something like this. For years it was almost the only thing said about crime.

I think DColeKC is absolutely right, no mayor has ever spouted that racist bs that I can remember.

[DColeKC]

If the current Mayor said something along the lines of “we can add all the police we want and take all the guns away, but until the black communities come together and fix these issues from within and refocus on family, it will never be fixed”, he would be called an Uncle Tom.

Every mayor, Democrat and Republican, stretching back to at least Ilus Davis has said something like this. For years it was almost the only thing said about crime.

I think DColeKC is absolutely right, no mayor has ever spouted that racist bs that I can remember.

If you think the current status of the black nuclear family doesn't play into the crime issues, you're flat out wrong. What's racist about having honest conversations in order to make lives better?

[phuqueue]

This place is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it!

Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.

This place is not a place of honor... no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here... nothing valued is here.

What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.

The danger is in a particular location... it increases towards a center... the center of danger is here... of a particular size and shape, and below us.

The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.

The danger is to the body, and it can kill.

The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.

The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.

[DColeKC]

https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-city-may ... r-slavery/

Another ploy by the mayor. This will never happen and further divide. I miss mayor James he had a clear agenada and it wasnt about furthering his political career.

Agree. We've already spent trillions trying to make up for our past, this won't fix it. Just another empty gesture.

[beautyfromashes]

https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-city-may ... r-slavery/

Another ploy by the mayor. This will never happen and further divide. I miss mayor James he had a clear agenada and it wasnt about furthering his political career.

Agree. We've already spent trillions trying to make up for our past, this won't fix it. Just another empty gesture.

40 acres and a mule plus 150 years of interest. It’s an owed debt.

[DColeKC]

https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-city-may ... r-slavery/

Another ploy by the mayor. This will never happen and further divide. I miss mayor James he had a clear agenada and it wasnt about furthering his political career.

Agree. We've already spent trillions trying to make up for our past, this won't fix it. Just another empty gesture.

40 acres and a mule plus 150 years of interest. It’s an owed debt.

I disagree historically. In early 1865 General Sherman's special field order promised the 40 acres, by fall of that same year, Andrew Johnson overturned the order and declared the land belonged to the original owners. It's kind of hard for anyone to ever truly make up for owning human-beings. Kind of one of the worst things a human can do.

I have no problem with municipalities helping poor people purchase a home or fix up their existing home, but even if that's done or other forms of reparations are made, It won't fix things and some members of the black community won't stop thinking they're owed something.

[beautyfromashes]

I’m not surprised that you’d be on Andrew Johnson’s side, probably the worst President we have ever had. The racist only got to be VP as a compromise to the racists and Lincoln was probably shot because of it and specifically to overturn 40 acres.

[FangKC]

I don't think Mayor Lucas will get re-elected.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

I don't think Mayor James will get re-elected.

Obviously you're being sarcastic but can you expand on how 8 years of his term/vision for the city are worse than what Lucas is doing? I can tell you what James was trying to do I'm pretty unclear with Lucas. Personally I'm a little disappointed with Lucas it seems as though hes tried to bring national issues into city politics and these things are really just stuff that cant be done on a city level.

That’s definitely a vibe I’ve been getting as well. Sly seemed to have a clear cut direction and plan for the city, while it almost seems like Lucas is having mostly knee jerk reactions with most of his policies

[DColeKC]

I’m not surprised that you’d be on Andrew Johnson’s side, probably the worst President we have ever had. The racist only got to be VP as a compromise to the racists and Lincoln was probably shot because of it and specifically to overturn 40 acres.

What???? How is acknowledging what happened in history making me on someone’s side. Besides, the 40 acres and a mule wasn’t even about making up for slavery, it was about segregation and sticking it to the south. They wanted all the black people to be in their own area and eventually govern themselves. It was a controversial and unrealistic order in the first place.

The entire concept of reparations is nothing but a political stunt. I know you’re weak and afraid, so you go along with whatever is culturally popular amongst the left. You can’t honestly think reparations are needed or more importantly, would help anything.

[FangKC]

I don't think Mayor James will get re-elected.

Obviously you're being sarcastic but can you expand on how 8 years of his term/vision for the city are worse than what Lucas is doing? I can tell you what James was trying to do I'm pretty unclear with Lucas. Personally I'm a little disappointed with Lucas it seems as though hes tried to bring national issues into city politics and these things are really just stuff that cant be done on a city level.

I apologize. I meant to say that I don't think Mayor Lucas will get re-elected.