Main Street: Aftermath

Dissonance is not a new feeling for me and I find myself conflicted in the aftermath of the local and national elections.
The national dialogue about the President-elect is fascinating and I admit to burying myself in reading analysis after analysis, essay after essay, columnist after columnist.
I see two major trains of thought. One is the “go along to get along” theory, which suggests that Trump is so addicted to adulation that we can train him (like a puppy) by showering him with praise whenever he does something remotely reasonable and that somehow all will be OK in the end.
The other theory is a “sauce for the goose” variant, asserting that the atrocity of his presidency must be resisted at every turn. After all, this is exactly what Republican leaders did to President Obama after the 2008 election, bragging that every move he made would be met with obstructionism and disdain.
I admit to a narrative curiosity about the TV game show host, sexual predator, con man and builder of ugly things. As a character, he’s rich in detail – even if most of it is abhorrent.
I’m also stubborn – when you mess with someone or something I love, I never forget. And, Trump is messing with my country. I say we buckle up and fight him tooth and claw.
Locally, the election results aren’t surprising, but the process was sad and disappointing. The rhetoric surrounding Measure R, the effort to eliminate restrictive growth management rules and try new tactics, was impassioned, articulate, convincing and sometimes ugly – on both sides.
While the pro-Measure R folks eventually went after the retired developer who bankrolled the growth management ordinance and defends it ferociously, the most personal attacks were made against those who supported the measure. The story line was that if you supported Measure R, you must be a crook plotting to profit off the community’s desperation for more housing.
At the Healdsburg Community Housing Committee meeting Monday night the committee chair asked committee members and the audience if they wanted to share any feelings in the aftermath of the bruising Measure R election.
Not many committee members spoke, but those who did talked of feeling hurt and saddened that their sincere efforts at change were met with such vehemence.
It’s not over yet. When the audience – many of them anti-Measure R activists – was invited to comment, the prevailing message was that the committee had betrayed their trust and the defeat was just what they deserved.
That’s not a recipe for coming together to solve problems, but we must find a way; Healdsburg is waiting.
Another election issue won’t be resolved until January. City council member Eric Ziedrich resigned after the defeat of Measure R and his replacement will be named by the 2017 city council, which is far from unanimous in its feelings on the matter.
Gary Plass, who seemed to be re-elected in early returns, eventually came in fourth (out of the running) when the final votes were tallied. Supporters of Joe Naujokas, who said Joe should be appointed to Eric’s seat when they thought Joe was fourth, now say that we need a “robust discussion” about the future of the council instead of automatically choosing Gary to fill the empty seat.
Meanwhile, former council member Leah Gold is interested in the appointment and there is growing support for her. I wonder who else will come forward?
Ray Holley can be reached at ra*@so********.com.