NDG’s View
Erik Wilson and Tennell Atkins are facing off for District 8 in the June 10 runoff election. There is a concern that too often Wilson is more inclined to go to the highest bidder, leaving the residents he promised to represent behind. But should this come as a surprise? After all the city of Dallas is known for spending money to put political candidates in office to ensure their agendas are a priority.
It seems Wilson is for sale because his representation – or the appearance of his representation – will allow Mayor Mike Rawlings and his deep pocket supporters – to do as they will with District 8. Leaving the true needs of District 8 unaddressed. Businessmen and women who want to partner with the city for better opportunities will ultimately just become a casualty as he helps to fatten the pockets of his billionaire buddies.
The For Our Community Political Action Committee (PAC) provides a single organization the opportunity to fund whatever candidate in whatever district befitting for their overall agendas. The voters are often unaware of whose deep pockets are truly shaping public policy.
In other words, the PAC is the purse for the Mayor and his buddies to ensure they get what they want as it relates to building businesses in Districts 7 and 8. In the May general election, the PAC helped Tiffinni Young, who is vying to return to the council for District 7 to the tune of $24,000. They also invested more than $24,000 in the re-election efforts of Wilson. It is no coincidence Wilson once even changed his vote after he voted against Rawlings.
When the powers that be call, you answer right?
No thank you!
The PAC is ensuring the candidates charged with representing the minorities in Districts 7 and 8 are merely pawns, willing to watch and protect the assets of their owners. Once the key is inserted into your back, you are the property of the person who is willing to wind you up. African Americans have come a long way but remain at the mercy of superficial candidates working on behalf of the PAC’s agenda.
The PAC serves as the financial engine for keeping outside policy makers overseeing the African American community. They invested nearly $50,000 in electing Young and Wilson because the duo is not willing to fight like Eric L. Williams. He is no longer a candidate in District 8 but he stated he was not going to drink the Mayor’s Kool-Aid. Unfortunately, the other two candidates may have already taken a sip or two. Wilson has proven to be little more than a rubber stamp for what the power brokers want.
The PAC’s activities are legal, thanks to the 2010 ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. However many are worried an organization with anonymous donors can wreak political havoc. The PAC is telling people who to vote for and how to vote using the services of a former popular radio personality, an agent for this PAC. He has spent handsomely on the radio, a line item you will not see in Young or Wilson’s campaign report. However, these candidates benefit from the thousands of dollars spent on radio ads helping to deliver their tainted messages of more jobs, better communities, and no crime. When in actuality the property located in Southern Dallas is the hot commodity the wealthy developers are seeking.
Young did not respond to multiple attempts to the North Dallas Gazette’s Candidate survey. Wilson scheduled two appointments for editorial review and did not bother to show up for either meeting.
The Right Choice
Atkins is outside of the political machine trying to influence our community. As a former Dallas City Council member, he understands firsthand the full gravity of the forces that are in play in our community trying to manipulate the vote in an effort to serve their own business plans. The North Dallas Gazette is not opposed to economic development, but the residents of District 7 and 8 should be given the opportunity to participate in the economic progress, in the business endeavors and jobs. The residents should have a say in the growth of the community.
It’s time to stop burying our heads in the sand waiting for a political messiah to see the value in our communities. It is time to stop being led to the polls by those whose pockets are lined with money from organizations like For Our Community. It’s time to stop waiting until we’re far past the end of our ropes to respond to what needs to be done rather than what they tell us we need to do.
It’s time the voters know who is funding these political campaigns, so they can have a full understanding of why South Dallas support has become so important to the agenda of the PAC.
Twiddle-de and Twiddle-dum seem to be the stars of this up coming election.
Of course, I was personally impressed with Tiffany Young on the few occasions that I was able to see her in action.
Wilsons’ vote withdrawal promises to taint him as a candidate for some time. Tenell Atkins showed his a*s to the people on several occasions when he was on the council in the past. Atkins was strongly against the Occupy Wallstreet movement that exposed so much wrong doing in this country. He was a thorn in the sides of the Paul Quinn students who didn’t want the city dump in their area. He has told his voters on occasion that he did not owe them anything and instead only owed T. Boone Pickens for helping finance his campaign. I wonder how he convinced the unions to support him this time.
Regardless; what is needed is not a shining single hero candidate. Instead, what is needed is a peoples’ organization that stands ready to kick sellout politicians squarely in the buttocks. Any person who is a politician is likely to be weak without the support/chastisement of the people to make them strong…or immediately kick them out.