Stephanie Tubbs Jones: No Better Champion

The last time I had a chance to speak with Stephanie Tubbs Jones at any length occurred quite by accident. A meeting had been scheduled at an Eastside church to discuss universal healthcare, and Stephanie was the convener and principal speaker. I had another appointment in the area that finished up early, so I got to the church a half-hour before the scheduled start time.

Going in through the rear door of the church I was walking past the open door of the kitchen and there was my Congresswoman, all alone, busily preparing food for the meeting. No kidding, here was arguably the most powerful woman in the region, one who had a pretty large staff that was always at the ready to do her bidding, and here she was, elbow deep in preparing food for the faithful that would soon fill the church.

She flashed that high-wattage smile of hers (some people with such large personas suck all of the air out of a room when they enter, Stephanie, on the other hand, breathed life into a room when she entered) and invited me into the kitchen and immediately put me to work assisting her.

I couldn’t resist telling her that old joke, about having bacon and eggs for breakfast: The chicken might have been interested in your having a hearty breakfast, but the pig... now he was seriously COMMITTED to the idea. That's the type of commitment my Congresswoman had to the people of America... her commitment was total, complete and unwavering.

I took the opportunity to ask her some detailed questions on national healthcare, and what she thought of the chances were of a bill passing Congress that would provide overage for all Americans. She never stopped moving (or even slowing down) as she provided me with in-depth answers to all of my questions, and made me an almost instant expert of the subject. She had the unique ability to take a relatively complex subject — like funding universal healthcare — and break it down to language anyone could easily comprehend... even me. That was part of her genius.

She expounded on her view that the political climate in Washington had to change before the problem of lack of universal healthcare (and many of the other tough issues that affect working class citizens) could be solved, but she was highly optimistic that change was on its way, and that she was one of the engines of that coming change. She was optimistic about a better tomorrow for all Americans, and that optimism was infectious. She made a believer out of the most callous cynics.

You name the subject, and if it affected the people of the 11th Congressional District — indeed, if it affected any Americans no matter where they resided — she was always there, tirelessly fighting the good fight. It can be said, with the deepest sense of reverence, awe and respect that this was a woman who quite literally worked herself to death for what she believed in. She was our bright, shining Joan of Arc, our Harriet Tubman, and our Rosa Parks all rolled into one. There will never be another quite like Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones... she now belongs to the ages.

Lying by "Unit Rule"?

In Cleveland City Council the "Unit Rule" works this way: If the 21 members of that body, in private, are split on a particular issue, say, by 11 to 10, when they come before the public they all vote together 21-0, or as a "Unit."

My question is, does the “Unit Rule” also apply to lying? If Council President Sweeney is lying when he says Fannie Lewis whispered the name of a replacement in his ear, are the other members of City Council obliged to tell the same lie... sort of lying by "Unit Rule?" Inquiring minds in Ward 7 want to know.

Talking Control of Our Future

When two residents of Hough went down to City Hall last week in an attempt to obtain financial records regarding how Block Grant funds and other public monies that rightfully belonged to the citizens of Ward 7 have been used, they came away empty-handed — which is not surprising. Some clerks and bureaucrats routinely throw roadblocks in the way of citizens seeking information, and then they immediately inform the councilperson for the ward that someone is "trying to get nosey," as if the business of the ward is privy information... which it isn't... it's supposed to be public record.

The residents in this case timidly skunked away, not realizing that Open Records Laws are in place, if only they knew how to utilize them. Their first mistake was probably in their approach. Residents should always approach City Hall as if they OWN the joint... because they actually do — it's ours, we pay to keep the lights on and pay the salaries. No one working there is doing us a favor... they work for us, and sometimes need to be reminded of that fact. Ohio's open-records law is plain and specific: "All records shall be promptly prepared and made available for inspection to any person at all reasonable times during regular business hours."

In a 2004 survey conducted by two media outlets of 20 communities in Greater Cleveland, public records were released without a hassle only one-third of the time. The journalists (who did not disclose their occupations) who conducted the survey "found suspicion and even hostility" when making records requests. Ohio's records law requires timely access to public records, without undue hassle. But the journalists often faced possessive public officials who wanted to know who they were and why they needed the information.

Now, before anyone charges down to City Hall all fired up to get into some clerk’s face, be reminded that no amount of compensation is enough to take abuse from any citizen. All public servants should be treated with the upmost of respect at all times — just like citizens should be treated.

If a situation arises where a citizen feels they are not being given the information they rightly deserve, there are remedies. I would start by asking the clerk for their name, and then requesting to see their supervisor... and I would do it in the nicest tone of voice I could muster... while letting the clerk know in no uncertain terms that I was dead serious about getting the information I came for ... no matter how many forms I had to fill out — or lawsuits I had to bring. Now you’re talking language they will understand.

Once a bureaucrat knows that you will not be blown off their attitude towards you changes. Sure, you might be subjected to some eye-rolling and dirty looks at first, but that’s par for the course — just roll with it. Only by staying the course and obtaining the necessary financial information can residents determine how public funds are being spent.

The Best Wrong Choice Ever

While I'm still pulling mightily for Barack Obama to become president, he may have made a critical blunder in picking Joe Biden as his running mate over Hillary. True, Biden brings to the table experience that Obama lacks, but for that experience to do any good the team first has to win. What Biden doesn’t bring — which Hillary does — is voters. He ran so poorly that he was one of the fist candidates to drop out of the race... after polling in single digits. To paraphrase the old commercial: "Where's the Votes?"

When someone makes an illogical decision of this magnitude, one has to look for answers that also defy logic. The only one I can come up with is... Obama is henpecked... nothing else makes any sense.

It's an open secret that Obama's wife Michelle despises Hillary for the nasty things she's said about Barack, but Biden (back when he was a candidate) also said unequivocally that Obama wasn't ready to lead the country. Why isn't Michelle Obama mad at him also?

It takes someone who once was henpecked to know someone who is henpecked. Forty years ago I was among the most henpecked men on the fact of the earth; I know henpecked when I see it... from a mile away. It took a divorce at age 30 and some growing up to cure my henpecked-ness... I sure hope it doesn’t take losing a presidential election to cure Obama's.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com

Artwork by Ralph Solonitz solonitzATsbcglobal.net
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