Tt post sep 6, 2017

"If calling Tom a Nazi lover is wrong, then so is calling Wade a racist."

In my opinion, a noticeable difference exists between the two.

First, I don't know anything about the Fred and Wade issue, but Fred is a radio host, and the other is the Lucas County democrat party machine that is closely tied to the Ohio democrat party machine.

The local political machine gets people elected, not a local radio host. The political machine gets foot soldiers to vote accordingly. I doubt that Fred is strong-arming local politicians to vote certain ways.

That's why back in the winter, it was disappointing, irritating, frustrating, and revolting to read that Nick Komives and Sam Melden had aligned themselves with a group that seems to operate counter to Komives's and Melden's past activism projects.

That "fresh blood" thing is good snake-oil marketing, which is probably the benefit of partnering with a political machine that, in my opinion, does not care about all Toledoans equally.

A new, fresh approach to Toledo politics would be to say, "Thanks, but no thanks. I'll do this my way without puppeteers pulling my strings."

They could have started their own party, or they could have simply run as independent democrats, unless one or both have political ambitions beyond municipal politics. The higher up, the more the candidates need the machine.

But they did not need to align themselves with a bullying apparatus to win a seat on city council.

It makes sense, however, for the Lucas County democrat party to recruit people like Melden and Komives. It expands the machine's portfolio, and it gives the apparatus the appearance of caring.

Blade opinion writers' (or Burris only) descriptions of the machine:

• exercised broad political influence on the council
• leaning on council members
• everyone who belongs to the club
• whip on the council chambers floor
• shameless domination
• self-interest and self-aggrandizement
• will inevitably become corrupt
• blatant, sleazy, and shameless
• dirty little game
• handing out rewards to those who played ball with them
• shameless corruption
• self-dealing is the only politics they understand
• they just don’t care about what is right or what the people think

Does that describe Melden and Komives? It does now, at least politically.