Tracy Running As Independent
Cal Skinner’s McHenryCountyBlog embraces a political perspective so it was hardly surprising that once Cal rendered a favorable verdict on the Dick Tracy design proposed by the Heck Of A Guy blog for the new County Seal,1 he re-framed the County Board’s Design Contest into an election in which he backed Dick Tracy For County Seal.
Early Campaign Spotlights Economic Issues
The opening salvo, focusing on fiscal matters, in the contest was sounded in the McHenryCountyBlog post, Dick Tracy For County Seal
The reason?
If adopted, it will achieve nationwide, perhaps, worldwide, recognition for McHenry County.
It might even shame local folks with money to finance the re-opening of the Dick Tracy Museum.
It might turn the courthouse and government center into a tourist trap.
Offices with seals might sell embossed copies to the public.
Colorists might buy them in quantity to sell in local tourist traps. They might even turn into a source of revenue for a Dick Tracy Museum.
Power To The People
This is, of course, only another in a long succession of subversive tactics on Cal’s part. First he disrupts school board meetings by laughing loudly, then he declares retinal warfare on officials, using flash photography as his weapon of choice, he keeps asking for material under the Freedom of Information Act even though it’s clear the powers that be don’t want him to have that data, he photographs folks having private meetings to discuss agenda items not deemed suitable for public meetings, … .
Now, however, he may have gone too far, promoting the radical and clearly dangerous notion of participative democracy, implicitly suggesting that voters might be capable of choosing a proper County Seal. Does he really expect the Count Board to put the entire local governmental infrastructure at risk by allowing the hoi-polloi to make a decision better relegated to sanctioned officials?
What’s next - Cal coming out against taxation without representation?
A Plea For Peace
Having already made the sacrifice of developing and promoting a legitimate candidate for the McHenry Seal, thus forgoing the gleeful construction of puns, the joy of embedding thinly disguised insults, and the base gratification of self-indulgent sarcasm and salaciousness that would have been possible had I opted for a more satiric design, I am grateful for Cal’s Dick Tracy For County Seal campaign.
I also dare hold out the hope that the County Board is less invested in being right than doing the right thing, choosing Dick Tracy for the County Seal because that design produces a seal that is unique, identified with McHenry County, and definitely not boring, the exact qualities they set forth as desirable.
Even now, I can’t make myself believe that the design of the County Seal, barring some catastrophically horrid choices, makes much difference in the long run. I do believe, however, that if the choice is made to pursue a project of this sort, it should be done well.
Besides, who doesn’t like a happy ending?
Credit Due Department
The yard sign was generated in part by Political Sign. The other graphics, including the election button, the taxi sign, and the video, were generated with the help of various toys located at Image Chef.
Footnotes
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