Reflections on Elections

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Editor,

Seeing elections in a mirror (“From the Rearview Mirror,” Indy Nov. 14), no wonder Michael Ray gets everything backwards.

Instead of honoring our small town democratic ritual during a bizarre campaign season, Ray tells us he was “distinctly nauseated” by our 2014 election. Yet, because candidates he supported won he patronizes voters for being “rational.”

Ray praises Toni Iseman, but then loudly condemns the City Hall policies and practices that are Iseman’s true legacy.

Specifically, Ray argues Laguna Beach “has become a ‘nanny city’ with so many different committees and laws governing behavior” local government is like a “nagging annoying mother-in-law.”

Ray’s rant redundantly mimics Michele Hall’s platform for renewal of our civic culture.  Yet, Ray derisively disdains the earnest and good-natured Hall as “an obvious loser,” even though she came from behind to finish first runner up.

Ray then shows his true colors, condescendingly dismissing Hall as having no “qualification” other than “being a declared Republican…strongly supported by the local Republican Party.”

Ray wasn’t satisfied giving Hall the metaphoric back of his hand for being a Republican woman daring to seek local elected office without permission from him or anyone else.

Clumsily pretending to be an equal-opportunity censor of all partisan free speech, Ray adds grandiosely, “Political parties of any type, stay out of Laguna Beach.  We are doing quite nicely without that kind of crap.”

Yet, Toni Iseman campaigned at Main Beach on election day with the head of the local Democratic Party, and has appeared on Democrat candidate slates.  Why does Ray’s scatological diatribe single out Hall for her party affiliation but not Iseman?

Michael Ray held a fundraiser at his home for Republican Party state assembly candidate Keith Curry, but tells a young Republican woman her party affiliation is “crap.”  Yet, somehow he didn’t see fit to call Mr. Curry who also lost an “obvious loser” who should “stay out of Laguna.”

Michele Hall was supported by voters across the political spectrum.  Her record of non-partisan service in our community is well-known.  Michele Hall stands for old Laguna values Ray can’t comprehend.

Unlike Hall, Ray wasn’t here before the regulatory regime he now claims to abhor was ushered in by Iseman and Village Laguna.

Like all of us at times, for a dose of reality Michael Ray needs to take a good look in the mirror…at himself.

Howard Hills, Laguna Beach

The author is president of Laguna Beach Republicans.

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