Mayor Jim’s Weblog

Normally I do not venture into State or national issues.  After all, my position as Mayor is that I am Mayor of the entire city, not just the Democratic Mayor.

But all this talk about why the race for the Democratic nomination should end bothers me.  For years we have complained that the Democratic and Republican conventions are shams– mere photo ops to coronate a victor chosen much earlier.  Fewer and fewer people watch, and fewer networks carry the event.

What if we had a real convention?   What if the Democratic nominee were really chosen at the convention and if the convention really decided something?  Would that be so terrible?

Think of it for a moment.  Millions of people would tune in.  It would be, easily, the most widely watched convention in history.  When the two candidates kissed and made up at the end, and ran as a team the momentum would be incredible. 

There hasn’t been a convention since 1952 which went beyond the first ballot (this one won’t either), but in the grand scheme of things, it is the Democratic tradition to chose people at the convention. 

It is a myth to believe that a “divided convention” leads to defeat.  Sometimes it does, as in 1924, which we would not have won in any event. 

But in In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt won at the convention on the 4th ballot over the early favorite Al Smith.  In 1960,  John Kennedy won at the convention over Senators with far more experience, Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey.  Both Roosevelt and Kennedy, as we know, went on to win and to be great Presidents.  

Two of the most divided conventions of all time were the 1948 convention, where Dixicrats walked out, and the 1964 convention where the Mississippi Freedom delegation walked out.  In both cases, the Democrats won.

The one convention where I was a delegate was in 1972 in Miami.  That convention was unified, and decided ahead of time for George Mcgovern.  The result was one of the greatest landslide losses in history. 

So I ask you, dear readers, what is so wrong with a real convention?

Jim Fiorentini

By a vote of 6-3, the City council tonight voted for the Mayor’s parking plan, the fourth plan which has been presented to them.

Unlike previous plans, this parking plan did not recommend charging for parking in the downtown.

Voting for the plan were Councilors Hart, Hall, Daley-O’Brien, Scatamacchia, McGonagle, and Quimby.  Voting no were councilors Macek, Donahue and Ryan.  

After the vote, Councilor Macek said he would have changed his vote to yes, bringing the total to 7-2.

The plan called for two hour free parking on Washington and Wingate Streets, free parking in the lots, and strict enforcement with civilian ticket takers.  Several councilors objected to the civilian ticket takers.  Councilor David Hall, a former police officer, made and impassioned plea for civilians, pointing out that using police officers was three times more expensive.   

What is your opinion?  Are you happy with the new parking plan?  Should it be enforced with civilians or with police?

Jim Fiorentini

I met today with the race organizers from several races and with Deputy Thompson from the police department  It was a very cordial and friendly meeting. 

Everyone was in agreement that, whenever possible, we will use auxillary police to avoid charging for details at road races.  The races we have in Haverhill today are charitable races.  We all agreed that if a for profit group wants to run a race to make money, they should be treated differently than a group raising money for charity.

We also agreed that there will be an application form, that road race organizers will give the city at least 30 days to review the race route to make certain it is a safe route and that the police chief has the final authority to determine safety at races and, for that matter, on Haverhill streets in general. 

Everyone there went out of there way to praise the Haverhill police for their past cooperation on road races.

We have more to do, and follow up meeting to be scheduled soon, but it appears we are on our way towards developing a policy we can all live with.  Overall , it was a great meeting!

JIm