Neither candidate was good for El Paso’s future. Both candidates asserted holding the line on taxes but neither was likely to seriously look at the city’s growing debt crisis. Both asserted that the Quality of Life projects would proceed meaning that the city’s debt will only increase as new debt is issued to fund the pending projects.
Although I believe both candidates are beholden to the oligarchy and will support their public policy agenda, the race showed that the horde is still intent on taking full control while the rest of the oligarchy tries to keep some measure of control over city council. The power play within the oligarchy can clearly be seeing by the sides two of the useful idiots took.
On one side, David Karlsruher (by the way, I hear David is upset that I didn’t create a cartoon for him. Don’t despair, David, I’m working on one for you as well) supported Al Weisenberger when his preferred (I should state his mother’s) candidate, Rick Bonart proved unviable as a candidate. Jaime Abeytia, on the other hand, supported Peter Svarzbein.
Both have traded allegations and traded barbs. Karlsruher accused Svarzbein of creating a campaign funding money laundering operation in anticipation of payoffs for votes. That is a serious allegation with no basis from which to draw from. It is just typical David Karlsruher throwing out unfounded allegations in hopes something sticks.
Funny, they both accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist, yet Karlsruher has no problem alleging a criminal conspiracy by Svarzbein because of how Svarzbein handled his campaign funds. Karlsruher went so far as to allege that Jaime Abeytia would soon be working for Peter Svarzbein at the city. Again, there is no foundation from which to draw this conclusion but it has never been about the truth for both of the useful idiots.
Is it possible that Karlsruher is right on both counts?
Possibly, but very unlikely.
What you saw play out was two useful idiots going at it because their individual masters wanted to flex their useful idiot muscles. Want an idea of who belongs in what faction of the oligarchy; take a look at who funded which candidate. Also, notice how Al Weisenberger hid from the news media and when confronted told them he was out of politics. When the oligarchy fights among themselves, there are many bruised egos but in the end money speaks louder than egos. The oligarchy will come together when there is money to be made on the backs of the taxpayers.
Even drug cartels or mafia kingpins work together when there is money to be made. It is no different for the oligarchy, who may despise the horde but in the end will go along with them as long as the money trickles down to them as well.
In the grand scheme of things, the Peter Svarzbein win makes no difference to the horde, he will play ball with them.
The real loser in this race, besides the taxpayers, is the Forma Group.
As far as we know today, Weisenberger spent about $43,615 with the Forma Group to get him elected. We still don’t know the total amount Weisenberger spent on the Forma Group because the final report is still pending. We also know that Weisenberger has been lacking in properly filing his campaign finance reports and thus we cannot depend on their accuracy.
What we do know is that the Forma Group lost to a grassroots driven candidate, albeit a well funded one. The Forma Group is notorious for attempting to win elections via glossy mailers making their clients believe they can win simply by paying them big bucks and sitting at home waiting for the win.
The Forma Group’s model has been failing against opposing candidates who are willing to work for the win. Peter Svarzbein is expected to be sworn in on June 30, 2015.