It's a Parade!
Two things small time politicians need to be good at is:
1) Chicken Dinner Circuit
2) Parades
My State Assembly Representative is really good at both of those. She has been in office for over 20 years.
It is for this reason I was shocked... SHOCKED...to read that the Republican and Democrat parties will not be allowed to participate in a parade.
According to the Kenosha (WI) News...
A local GOP official is crying foul over the city's refusal to allow the party to enter a float in Sunday's Kenosha Civic Veterans Parade.
Erin Decker, the Republican Party of Kenosha County's float committee chairman, recently sent a letter to city aldermen and county supervisors, asking them to request that city Project Coordinator Penney Haney allow the party to participate in the parade.
Haney, who assumed oversight of the parade after the former parade committee's recent demise, countered that she has chosen this year to simply follow previous parade policies, including a restriction prohibiting the involvement of political parties.
Excuse me? A Fourth of July weekend parade honoring veterans...and no politicians allowed?
Well, not exactly.
While political parties and candidates for office have been excluded from the Kenosha parade, sitting elected officials - including those up for re-election - are allowed spots in the event. Those on this year's parade roster include U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; state Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie; state Rep. John Steinbrink, D-Pleasant Prairie, and various partisan county elected officials.
Incumbents can ride in the parade, but challengers can't? Who's paying for this?
The parade is funded largely by contributions from the city and county governments. The county is contributing $12,500, and the city is putting $10,000 toward this year's event.
So, let me get this straight? Taxpayer money is funding the parade and the politicians who voted to fund this parade, can be in the parade... but anyone who might run against them...can't?
And ... they are getting away with this?
Al Arnold
2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
lol , when there can be gay parades , whats the harm in having political parades.
You did miss one big item. 4th of July Parade honoring Veterans and the Veterans where DENIDED entrance into the parade.
It is great to see someone (Erin) standing up for all the taxpayers of Kenosha not just the GOP. Guess it takes a person with Republican princples to actually do something about injustice.
KUDOs to Erin and the Kenosha Republicans.