Thursday, February 17, 2005

The Very Unscientific Results Are In

Yes, I know that internet polls are slightly less accurate than the presidential exit polls taken in a swing state, but I still find the results of the www.ktul.com poll to be encouraging.

They've asked the question, "Do you support a recall of city councilors Chris Medlock and Jim Mautino?

With over 10,000 votes now in, the results are as follows:

Yes - 26%
No - 67%
"Why did you waste your time to even participate in this poll?" - 7%


In fairness, I suppose there are a lot of people that haven't yet made up their minds, and I should be greatly appreciative to them, because it most likely means they either don't take the Tulsa World, don't actually read the Tulsa World for news, or have become like a lot of other citizens of our truth starved city, know to take their opinions (even the ones that double as news stories) with a block of salt.

Anyway, this poll either shows that our support is great or someone with way too much time on their hands now has a very sore index finger from pushing "ENTER" thousands of times.

Many thanks to all of you who supported us.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

You well deserve ALL the support this poll shows! It is a picture of the majority of citizens' position with this issue.

Anonymous said...

That poll means very little. You and your pals, the two Michaels, are probably responsible for 99% of the votes.

Even if it were accurate, you should never assume that those who oppose the recall, as I do, will vote for you when you run for re-election.

Anonymous said...

The poll show a significant division in the do or don’t of the recall.

For one thing it is stirring up the bureaucracies of the good-ole-boys to where the failed bond issue may have been a prelude to rebellion against a city government gone wild. It seems they have brought in the professionals in order to convert the voters back to the stupor they are trying to free themselves from. Many of the advanced foreign governments require the election be open until 50% of the registered voters cast their vote. It is time we form a democracy where the majority rules.

It seems the mayor went on a shopping spree, under advice of the professionals, having changed again our system of government to the mayor and his cabinet. I am unaware that the charter allows this change. When the city workers that took a wage decrease now are under supervision of a department head, with salary increases equal to their 10 years of increases, it should be assured that recalling councilors questioning such good-ole-boy tactics, are not on the right track and they love to hear the whistle blow.

There is one thing for sure. The poll on channel 8 is causing some paid advisors to loose sleep. Keep it up. You guys are doing a hell of a good job for a poor boy campaign against those who are receiving money from the city coffers.

The legislators have appointed a committee to look at the charters of the two big cities. How far behind the smoke screens will the state look into the city governments of O.C. and Tulsa?

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Mr Medlock. I may not agree with you on much, but recalls are completely anti-democratic. And for that reason alone, many who wouldn't normally approve of your politics, will vote against this recall.

Anonymous said...

I think the KRMG poll is much more accurate:

Should Chris Medlock & Jim Mautino be recalled from the office of city councilor?
Yes 51%
No 49%

Anonymous said...

KRMG probably gets their results from the same place the Tulsa World does:

"Tulsa World on Oklahoma Vote Totals: We Have No Idea"

http://www.faulkingtruth.com/Articles/Commentary/1022.html

[BEWARE: Includes quotes and links from/to THE Tulsa World]

Anonymous said...

Let's all keep in mind......
The Tulsa World and KRMG both have their hands in the City Coffers!
So, we would expect their polls to be slanted.
None of these polls can be considered reliable. But, it does give us something to do, doesn't it?
Never fear, Councilors Medlock and Mautino have MANY PALS, along with the two Michaels!

Chris Medlock said...

The KRMG poll was less scientific than the KTUL poll. How? KTUL doesn't let the same IPaddress vote but one time each 24 hours. On KRMG's my niece voted at least 500 times.

During the first 24 of the KRMG poll, the "No" on recall was winning roughly 65% to 40%. Then the forces began trying to push the vote as much as they could, until it finally setteled into the inevitable deadheat.

As I said, none of it matters in the long run. Just posted it as an interesting thermometer.

Note I didn't mention that of all of the TV stations in town, KTUL's stance is the most PRO-recall...if there is such a postion. As such, one would assume their demography would be more prone to supporting recall.

Once again, just a conversational piece.

Anonymous said...

Councilor Medlock, in the last election, you got quite a bit of support from ORU students. Hasn't Richard Roberts now jumped on the recall bandwagon? What effect, if any, do you think that will have on the recall effort?

Chris Medlock said...

To my knowledge, Richard Roberts has taken no stand with regard to recall (certainly no public stand). It is likely that the recall election, should it occur, would happen during the Summer when most of the ORU students have gone home, so it may be a moot point.

However, in my last conversation with Dr. Roberts, his primary interest in city government was centered on Fred Creek and the GO Bond election in April.

The only thing that I've heard about his positions outside of the bond issue is his desire for the city to heal. Surely a divisive recall effort doesn't accomplish that. He's also asked for greater support of Mayor LaFortune. The mayor has publicly stated his opposition to the recall effort, so it would surprise me if Dr. Roberts took a different approach (at least in the current environment).

I believe that after we begin to make our case in an organized manner and forum, the vast majority reasonable citizens who don't have a direct benefit from recalling us, will come to oppose recall.

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm rather vindictive because I'm of the opinion that the GO Bond should be held "hostage." In other words citizens should nix any funding, etc... until the recall shenanigans are dropped once and for all and the city charter changed to prevent this type of lame thing from happening again. Yes, I realize that the GO Bond addresses much needed infrastructure, but as a voting citizen of Tulsa, I'm concerned about the blatant attack on our elected representatives by questionable outside influences. Someone told me once that the only thing these people understand is money. Maybe it's time to put that theory to test. Just maybe it's time to "flex" the power or being an ordinary citizen and cut off the money flow via our vote. One thing for sure, if the protection of a homeowners protest isn't visable on the ballet, I'll definately vote NO in April and I will try to sway my friends, family and neighbors to do the same every chance I get.

Anonymous said...

If the GO (General Obligation) Bond does not pass, in April.....those to blame are the "questionable outside influences" and our Mayor! That blame CANNOT be placed on Councilor Medlock and Mautino's shoulders!!

The supporters of the recall have set such a stage of "distrust" in our city that it is hard to vote in favor of any more money for ANYTHING! The citizens expect and deserve the moneys already there to be spent WISELY and on APPROPRIATE PRIORITIES!

Our infrastructure has been badly neglected for a LONG TIME and all at once we have "surplus moneys" to spend on escalated salaries for more administrators?? Go figure that one!

Anonymous said...

Being a watcher, property owner and taxpayer for many years in the political arena of the City of Tulsa and watching the money spent on the “Fields of Dreams” by the “Good-ole-Boys" that has cost the taxpayer millions of dollars that should have gone to infrastructure; I am unaware of how a sentence in the charter can be construed to open the doors for recall when only acknowledging it is available and it becomes silent on the reason. “They voted NO and ask questions” surely does not fulfill the criteria intended in a republic form of government.

The appointing and establishing a mayoral cabinet, with executive powers, again sidesteps the very intent of district representation of a council form of government. Future councils meeting can be conducted in the matter of minutes, as no discussion would be allowed. Only roll call where the councilor would only have to answer “yes to the all the mayor and his cabinets decrees.”

The original cry of Tulsa citizens on the North side of town was they had no representation, being of a race minority. It is reverting back as the mayor can appoint persons with executive authority to determine where the future infrastructure is directed.

Some unbiased judge, outside of this area should look into this recall.

I am a democrat of long standing and am very opposed to this flawed attempt to recall these councilors performing the duty they were elected to do.

Citizens of Tulsa, it is the awakening hour.

Anonymous said...

Yes, the Mayor is setting the stage for himself to "manipulate" the council further, by what he and his "cabinet members" declare!

As the previous post mentioned....
"the mayor can appoint persons with executive authority to determine where the future infrastructure is directed"....so, watch the long overdue services be provided to the councilors that will support the Mayor and his commrades. It is a shame to utilize these items as the "pawns" in this game of corrupt politics.
These are items, like water and sewer services, that should be the basic core of any legitimate city government and our tax dollars are to be prioritized for!

Come on Mr. Bill (LaFortune)...get your act together!

Can't we just be FAIR and WORK FOR A QUALLITY OF LIFE that OUR CITIZENS DESERVE and HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR ALL ALONG?!!

Anonymous said...

Seems this recall petition is bringing out the city fathers that don’t believe they are subject to the amended charter. There is so much squabbling of recreating the little kingdoms that like the downtown mall and etc., think the councilors should be seen and not heard. It is interesting that Article III Section 1.4 of the amended, amended city charter reads as such “THE MAYOR SHALL BE THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF THE CITY AND SHALL:”........ ( a new chief administrative officer?)

Now wouldn’t that lead any person with an eighth grade education to believe if the mayor is not qualified or believes he needs someone more qualified, then he should be on the recall list also?

Of course the treasure of the ouster complainants believes he is above the ordinances on filling in the Mingo floodways, where millions have been spent to open it up. He is going to create 200 more jobs but he will flood 200 more homes.

Even the World is printing tax information showing our sales taxes are eroding as we supplement the suburban area’s with low cost water. The budget cannot be sustained on selling water which is going to increase the citizens that remain, taxes.

They are still looking for a city that build a multi-million dollar arena and the end results show an increase in its overall economy.

We need councilors who will ask questions and speak up. The ones that should be recalled are not on the recall list.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, the city councilors that warrant recall are:

1) Bill Christiansen, for conflict of interest at Riverside Airport. He should voluntarily resign, IF he had any integrity!

2) Randy Sullivan, for living out of his district and probable conflict of interest with north water lines (just to name two legitimate reasons).

3) Tom Baker, for being a "non-citizen friendly" councilor and not supporting his constituents!
Thinks he is above the citizens!
HEAR, HEAR, do we understand he actually plans to RUN FOR OUR NEXT MAYOR?!

Each of these councilors, as well as the mayor's elite group have been allowed to live by a different standard than the average tax-paying citizens.

Let's all keep demanding accountability!

Anonymous said...

Look's like KTUL or someone is manipulating the poll on ktul.com , yes is winning now

As far as the GO Bond...Sometimes you have to fall to rise again..

Anonymous said...

I hate to blow this party out of the water, but I just thought I would throw this in here just how easy it is to manipulate these polls:
http://tinyurl.com/44pd5
Please read the entire thread, and you will soon see the uselessness of online polling.

regards
meeciteewurkor