The Great White North

One of my first lessons about politics came when I was a kid . . . Emanuel Cleaver was the first African-American Mayor of Kansas City and upon his victory I was naively impressed with that fact . . . However, things didn't stay cordial long after he came to power. Only months after he took office, Northland residents were up in arms because one of his first acts was to try and place a (most likely toxic) dump for the City up North. Older KC residents might remember this . . . It was about 15 years ago (obviously, I can't find a link).

Anyway, folks up North were upset at what was obviously a political reprisal . . . They fought tooth and nail, they were fuming mad and I think in the end they even got the size of the waste site reduced but the lesson was clear . . . There is clearly a price to pay for any political support or lack thereof.

Additionally, there is also a HUGE BENEFIT for backing the right pony. And now the tables have turned to the advantage of the Northland.

Most people know this kind of stuff without being told and it's really only common sense to see that people who supported Mark Funkhouser for Mayor are going to want to cash in while those who opposed him (Hello Eastside!) are going to be left out in the cold. Arguing otherwise is not only extremely naive but it also subverts the very nature of Democracy (as do all disagreements with TKC).

Anyway, today The Star accurately (for once) notes that the Northland stands to make some significant gains for their overwhelming and some say (I do at least) "racially motivated and suspect" support of Mark Funkhouser.

Count Northland residents as potentially winning big after Tuesday’s elections in Kansas City.

Residents north of the river soon may have more luck tapping into City Hall for money to build new roads, expand park amenities and invest in repairs for older neighborhoods . . . Northland voters provided former city auditor Mark Funkhouser a crucial edge in his mayoral victory. He won more than 70 percent of the vote in the parts of Clay and Platte counties that are in Kansas City.

I believe the phrase is: "To the victor go the spoils" but it's hard to argue that suburban-living, supermarket-mecca-having, SUV-driving Northland residents aren't spoiled enough.

I'd argue that South KC needs far more attention but a Funkhouser press conference during the last week, and some handshaking placated the Southland well enough to soften the blow of the edge Alvin Brooks had in this area despite his own negligence of backing Chuck Eddy's scheme to turn the place into a truck stop. But that's all hindsight now . . .

What's important to understand is that everybody is now lining up to get a piece of Mark Funkhouser's administration . . . After a close race like this one, everybody claims it was their support that provided the edge.

Here's a quick list of who Funkhouser has to payback big time or face an even LOWER voter turnout and possible rebuke in his next bid (and there is no doubt this guy is all about using Kansas City as a stepping stone for a greater political career):

La Raza . . . I'm biased here but I also know there are plenty of Latinos who think they pushed Funkhouser over the top. With 67% support among Hispanics and an important and news-making endorsement (ugh) from La Raza Political Club . . . You could probably make a somewhat reasonable case that they made a difference. Still, I wonder if Funkhouser will hire any more Hispanics at City Hall other than the lackeys that he's already got in his camp? The local Latino community is usually pretty harsh about having tokens sent their way but I've had my own issues dealing with an entitlement culture that is often present in minority communities. Buena Suerte to the big man in trying to overcome this hurdle!

The ghey community . . . Nearly every the ghey political group came out for Funkhouser in a move that probably didn't embarrass their family in that instance at least. I don't even think Brooks tried to impress these folks or he would have risked his religious base. I don't know how Funkhouser is going pay back these folks for the support but they are EXPECTING some RECIPROCATION since they definitely had his back. Ewwwwwww.

The GREAT WHITE NORTH - Yeah, Funkhouser might as well move his headquarters to one of the empty shops in Metro North Mall . . . He owes everything to this part of town and if there isn't some major payback . . . Cops, streets, infrastructure and appearances then he won't last long . . . Thing is, Mayor Kay has sent a decent amount of (TIF) money "up there" already and despite the mostly well-behaved Meth addicts -- That part of town is pretty nice . . . What this means is that Funk will have to continue constant support of this hood and consequently CONTINUE TO IGNORE the problems of the Eastside. That's how he got elected and what will keep him in office but few can argue that it's in the best interest of the city.

So, the postscript to this election is simple: Suburbanites win BIG. Even the (JOCO) Star thinks so . . . Still, a messenger boy for the cookie cutter houses and suburbanites up North is hardly the "grassroots" revolution that Funkhouser camp sold to the rest of the City but if he fails to support his base (no homo) then he won't last long.

What's clear is that it'll be fun to see Funkhouser spreading himself thin(er) to please all of these camps . . . Also that image makes me realize that KC politics only gets uglier after watching it since I was a little kid.