Keep incumbents

In the February newsletter of the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation, Calabasas Planning Commissioner and Professor of U. S. history, Dave Brown, reminds us of the divisiveness which can surround election time.

In a quote from The Federalist Paper No. 10 (1788) James Madison wrote, "The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature on man ... An attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for preeminence and power ... have, in turn, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to cooperate for their common good."

It would appear that politics have changed little since Madison’s pamphlet writing the same year the U. S. Constitution was ratified.

Regardless of how much we’d like to see squeaky-clean campaigns, the unfortunate truth of the matter is that "negative" works. Gray Davis buried Bill Simon with a negative campaign from start to finish. The idea is to get voters riled up over an opponent’s record.

But there’s one major difference between Madison’s new nation and Gray’s California. In small towns like Calabasas we get to know our elected officials and can witness firsthand the hard work and dedication required to serve and represent all citizens at city hall. We can see their service almost on a daily basis. For example, at the recent Ahmanson Ranch perchlorate hearing, who showed up from Calabasas—Councilmembers Lee, Washburn and Devine.

Madison would have been pleased. Despite differences, these elected officials care about the greater common good and share a deep concern over the potentially harmful effects of this highly toxic compound on our city and its citizens.

Would it be considered "negative" to state that of all six candidates currently running for Calabasas City Council, only the two incumbents, Janice Lee and Dennis Washburn, demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of this issue?

Reelect the incumbents. Anything else is a roll of the dice.

Toby Keeler

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