Well-Fertilized Politicians Grow Like Weeds
Editorial by Bo Klein

Voters of Yorba Linda recently passed a citizen-initiated referendum that will require a public vote on major building and land-use projects in that city. The Yorba Linda initiative is similar to several efforts attempted in the city of Mission Viejo by its own activists. One such activist is now a council member, Trish Kelley, and another one cloaked to resemble such an activist is now Councilman Lance MacLean. However, neither successfully achieved a victory as an activist with respect to giving power to the people.

Frequently, the seeds of discontent grow where the incumbent politicians cease to hear voices from the heart of the community – the activists. When this occurs, as is happening in the current election cycle, the activists plant new seeds in the minds of voters. New politicians succeed as the incumbents are left to rot on the vine. Once strong, tall and potentially effective, the incumbent politicians had the opportunity to produce bounty for their community. The incumbents instead spread the manure way too thick, and the potential crop spoiled.

To understand what went wrong with the incumbents, take the very concept of a voter-approval referendum for major projects. The point made in such referendums is that the incumbent politicians don’t listen to those they’re supposed to represent. They have either lost an ear for the message or they never intended to listen. Kelley and MacLean, respectively, represent these aspects.

Planning commission meetings, sad to say, are rarely witnessed by vast numbers of community members. When a particularly offensive project threatens residents, they attend meetings and voice their opinions. Their objections may temporarily delay a project, but developers know how to counter several times to thin the herd of activists and discourage other community members. Once the residents have stated their objections, they assume the commissioners and city council members will listen and adhere to their wishes. Rarely is that the ultimate outcome.

What actually occurs in all the political maneuvering is an old pitfall: “the king knows best.” Our homegrown politicians from our own turf perform in office like seedlings fed with rich developer and city staff fertilizer. They grow humongous egos that become like weeds permeating and entangling the sensible thought process of city government. At this point, the formerly well-liked and respected activists who are now council members have become the Halloween house of horrors. It’s time to remove the weeds for a fresh crop of leaders in November.