By Mark David Blum, Esq.
Tom Dadey, Onondaga County Republican Chairperson is among the most obnoxious hypocrites I have seen in politics and exemplifies much of the defect in our political system. Last night, I listened to him interviewed on local news lamenting his party’s lack of a candidate for Mayor of the City of Syracuse and how we are all the worse off as a result. Primarily, his emphasis was on being the hero saying how it is a shame that so many political races go uncontested. The lack of opposition, said he, denies the people the chance to have a meaningful conversation.
At one level, Mr. Dadey was correct. I couldn’t agree more that the constant failure of Democrats to proffer seriously viable candidates for District Attorney, County Executive, County Court and Supreme Court judges, among others, is shameful and appalling. Republicans swamp county politics. The Party is a machine the way it eats county wide races.
But to the more immediate issue of the upcoming Syracuse Mayoral race. This is not about the incumbent nor do I live in the City.
Contrary to popular belief, I do not suffer from short term memory loss. It was Mr. Dadey whose Machine stormed into Court and forcibly removed from the ballot a REPUBLICAN candidate for Mayor. Dadey & Co. openly and without any remorse admitted to having removed a viable candidate. Republicans in Onondaga County are the ones who show a lack of American values by blocking the People from having a voice in the decision and debate. Dadey insisted on winning by judicial fiat what he could not win at the ballot box.
So after the County Republicans dump the only viable candidate because he is not a playah, they suddenly find themselves without anybody willing to run on the Republican line. This whole dance done with first Dadey then some lawyer and now nobody was right out of a schoolyard drama. Can you tell me what the hell is a placeholder candidate? No cutsies, eh? Is Ronald Reagan expected to come over the hilltops atop his mighty steed and be given the place held? I thought this was about real people running for real office. Apparently to the Onondaga County Republican Party, that is not the case.
Who then is surprised Republicans find no persons interested in representing them? The policies notwithstanding, it is Republicans who proved that if you don’t honor the Machine, they will turn on you and destroy your campaign and political career. Onondaga County Democrats are just as guilty and do it all the time to the Greens based on the false assumption that Greens are a viable alternative to Democrats.
This discussion is, however, about the Dadey hypocrisy. I blame the Machine for denying the citizens of the City of Syracuse the opportunity for clear debate and contention. We need contested elections for the same reason our legal system is built upon adversaries because from such combat, the better idea – nay, the truth – shall arise. The more substantively contested, the more likely we will all be better off. It is a fraud upon the public for Mr. Dadey to bemoan unchallenged on television the absence of discussion when he is the one who stifled it. Why TV reporters don’t call him out on this raises a whole nuther set of issues about stifled debate in the market.
It is indeed a shame that there will be no debate in the upcoming Mayoral election. For the County Republican Chair to cry like a baby on local television news and pretend he is trying to provide a voice for the People (while backstabbing anybody who actually tries to speak) is pathetic and a lie. I am not buying it. Nation before Party, Mr. Dadey.
