Crafton in the lead

Just over 20 days after the Crafton amendment went public, we're in about the same position we were at day one. While editorials and blogs have called him names and speculated about his motives, Councilman Eric Crafton has outcampaigned his opponents and continues to dominate the coverage of the amendment. The other side is too busy mocking him to admit that, of course. But it's true. Remember the website, the robo-calls, and the postcards? Think of any story about the issue. All Eric all the time!

Three lines of counterattack have been opened, but they haven't been developed. Here they are waiting for flesh to be joined to bone.

1. Getting the opposition organized. June 9 was the last time we heard anything about who might be leading the opposition to the amendment. Can you hear the crickets in the background? It's kind of quiet right now.
2. The money trail. Further exploration of this issue might really knock the credibility of the campaign.
3. A stark discussion of the harms that the amendment might bring about. While it's true that Gail Kerr hurts her argument by being so insulting personally to Crafton in the piece, she paints the most vivid picture of the potential harms that the amendment would bring about.

The editorials and the letters and the blog discussions have been helpful and entertaining. But Crafton's amendment will not die the death of a thousand (paper) cuts. Someone is going to have to step up and lead the opposition's campaign.