When political recalls only serve a small group’s self-interest

 

“Those of a conservative disposition who feel unsettled by change might well be prevailed upon to oppose measures that threaten to upset the status quo and replace it with something unknown.  This is not necessarily because they oppose the content of the proposed reform, just that they oppose change itself.” - Dr. Madsen Pirie,  The impact of interest groups on public policy

Upon reading former City Councilman Don Duff’s reason for initiating a recall on District 4 Councilwoman Allison Maguire in the Denton R-C’s May 6th article, The basis for a recall petition against Alison Maguire? A meme on Facebook, his justification appears transparently flawed, unless of course you are part of the crowd these days who seek to gain political power by any means possible, despite what voters have shown their preference for.

I don’t disagree that the meme Ms. Maguire used was lacking good taste, especially in an ever increasing environment where gun violence is rampant.  But had this been a Republican campaign ad who use guns to appeal to a common culture and common fears, would Duff and his ilk been equally offended or vocal about it?  Who can forget “Sarah Palin’s infamous attack-ad that seemed literally to ‘target’ 17 sitting members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.”?

And his objection to “an absolute, dead right-on gerrymandering of the worst kind” seems laughable in the face of this State’s GOP efforts to create one of the worst gerrymandered voting district maps in the country.  Again, the hypocrisy here from someone who lives in Denton’s most solid Republican voter bloc is beyond shameless.

Equally ludicrous is Duff’s concern about Maguire’s comments in the DRC about Denton turning blue, admonishing her for stepping over the line in our tradition to keep city elections non-partisan.  You would have thought he would have at least equated this to a recent campaign flyer that invoked the “Republican” label in its support of Gerard Hudspeth for Mayor.  But sadly, his silence was deafening here.

The remainder of his reasons remain dubious at best from someone who never really actively inserted himself in meaningful policy during his brief, two-year stint as District Three’s council representative. On occasion he would be seen nodding off when City Council sessions went beyond 9pm.

But let’s cut to the chase here.  This can easily be seen as an ongoing pattern by far-right conservatives employing yet another tactic to remove those elected officials who fall outside the right’s ideological circle.  Councilman Brian Beck is right when he calls Duff’s efforts a ploy to change the current leadership on the City Council.  

Trump MAGA supporters opposed his impeachment following his abuse of power to influence a foreign government to find dirt on his opponent, Joe Biden.  Let the people decide his fate they cried when the election rolls around.  God-forbid such a notion should apply to Allison Maguire however, whose use of a misplaced meme comes no where near the transgression that’s evolved into the “Big Lie” and still persist in its efforts today to undermine our constitutional democracy.  But apparently principals in fair play apply only when it suits a special interest’s agenda to attain political power.