Examining A Recent Trend In Sierra Madre Politics

There is a term that has gained wide media acceptance over the last decade. Originating in Great Britain, "Metrosexual" (a play on "metropolitan" and "heterosexual," see Wikipedia's definition here), is used to describe men who, while not gay themselves, do find themselves drawn to similar kinds of styles and accouterments. Trappings that typify attitudes about things from fashion trends to acceptable social mores. Drawn to the same high-end neighborhoods located in tonier settings, metrosexuals, at least in this original context, are often the first adapters of new trends in fashion, entertainment and decorum.

Over time, and with more exposure in the popular press, the meaning of metrosexual morphed a bit to include certain attitudes and behaviors as well. While the more traditional male roles came with certain expectations for dealing competently with the cold hard facts of business and governmental life, metrosexuals were seen as more likely to talk about empathy, their feelings, and yours.

Caring deeply about current issues typifies this media meme, but how that care is to be applied to the everyday mundane problems of making this world work properly is not always fully aired out. It is an outlook far more attuned to mood than matter. Vague, airy pronouncements about concepts such as "community" and aesthetic "values" can often be heard, but rarely do they come with anything of true substance attached.

And somehow this approach has come to be a part of Sierra Madre politics. We are now into our third straight election where a metrosexual politician is conducting a strong campaign for City Council. A campaign that is heavy on visual appearances and expressions of deep caring, but with precious little being said about actual policy and the hard decisions this city faces. The "good guy" you really need to meet, many find likable, and cares deeply about the community, but who is as difficult to pin down on anything truly substantive as mercury.

The first time this approach was used here was in the campaigns of Joe Mosca. In his premier run for the City Council we saw a lot of attractive photography of the candidate in various natural settings, with a message that invariably included something about his desires to preserve the community while "holding dear" its "precious values." There was little in the way of actual concrete policy attached to that campaign, and when Joe later went on to betray those who had believed he authentically shared their desire to preserve this town as it is, he denied ever having said such things. And he was technically correct, he never really did. While Joe did talk often, he never really said much of anything.

This technique also worked for the campaign of Josh Moran in 2010. Widely suspected of being a carpetbagger who cared only about jamming predatory development into Sierra Madre, and for personal aggrandizement, Josh's handlers mounted a publicity effort that included photographs of the stylishly dressed candidate standing in a signature downtown setting gazing up with a look of sheer ecstasy on his face. He appeared to be so consumed with joy over Sierra Madre that he was about to either soar skyward, or have an orgasm. The message was that he deeply loved this town. Though exactly how he would show that love was never discussed by the candidate. That was only revealed after he had won the election.

Now Colin Braudrick's campaign is problematic for me. For the record, both myself and my wife did sign his campaign papers. And in person he does say all the right things. However, the sad fact is he is running his campaign in a very similar way to those conducted by Joe Mosca and Josh Moran. It is almost as if he is talking to the same campaign consultant, one that has advised him to by all means stay away from discussing hard governmental issues. Instead Colin is conducting what I am terming here a "Metrosexual Campaign." Heavy on feelings, mood, and visuals, but nearly invisible on the very serious challenges currently being faced by this community.

An example of this is the recent postcard Colin's campaign sent out, a representation of which appears at the beginning of this article. "Preserve our Community for the next generation," is one of the broad statements to be found there. "Ensure we have a thriving downtown." "Ensure continued funding and support for Public Safety." Does this mean Colin does not support the part-time SMPD he discussed in my kitchen? Hard to tell. "Protect our urban forest." Can anybody please tell me what an urban forest is? Is it about the trees in our yards? For that matter, can anyone tell me what any of this means?

My vote will go to those people who really dig into the policies and concerns of this town. People who don't just allude to the very real problems we face (#1 being the current spendthrift City Council that squandered our CRA money on absolutely nothing, and now has just been given the rather shocking news that they're going to have to pay a bunch of it back), but also how they will actually solve them. People who will take an actual stand rather than pandering to all sides, all the while claiming they're doing it in the name of "unifying our community."

I've become worn out on the politics of feeling and empathy. I don't care to hear about how much you love this town, I want to know exactly how you will save it. This City just took a $1.8 million dollar hit. What about it? Are you going to raise taxes even further? Reduce the size of City Hall? Sell off CRA owned properties? I want hard-nosed people who will come up with hard-nosed solutions to very real problems such as these. And then actually talk about them.

Two years of a so-called "Civility Council" and all we have gotten out of it is precious little civility and a trip to the brink of true financial disaster. It is time to elect people who actually understand the issues this town faces, and can solve its problems. And don't just pander to our "feelings."

We are only going to know who these people are if they actually talk about the issues.

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