Washington, DC
September 21, 2007

The Spirt of Trenton

Mayors came to our Trenton Fall Leadership meeting last week with a new kind of energy focusing on political action towards Congress and the Democratic and Republican candidates now running for President.

Conference President Doug Palmer convened our top officers for strategic goals and decisions for the Presidential campaign, the longest in American history. We unveiled our recommendations to all the mayors assembled. There was lively discussion — all positive. Mayors seemed more determined than ever to put themselves on the line and demand our voices be heard for a national conversation about the real issues our constituencies face each day.

We were charged and I have begun to implement a presence/event in four states: Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Even before I went to Trenton I had made preliminary calls in behalf of President Palmer. Since returning from Trenton, more calls and I am pleased to report I am getting favorable responses. Some say this is a tall order. Some say, “Why?” Mayors Palmer, Diaz, Nickels and I say “Why not?”

So I am moving forward on a new course in the history of our organization. Our officers believe as I do that the national issues of’08 are more lined up with the Conference of Mayors’ issues of ‘08 than ever before in a Presidential sweepstakes.

In Iowa, I am underway with Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, in Nevada I am working with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. In Charleston, Mayor Joe Riley sends his support. And we have allies on a number of issues in New Hampshire. We will go forward with a new energy boosted by the spirt of Trenton last week. We go forward with a great leader, Doug Palmer, who continues to bring us all together for consensus and collective energy that advances our 10-Point Plan into the national dialogue for political action.

In addition to the activity we will have in the four primary states, we are charged to set up private meetings with both Democratic and Republican mayors to discuss our 10-Point Plan and to, as some mayors say, “get to know one another” type meetings. The concept is to have no press, no pre announcement and we will meet the candidates anywhere at their convenience. Mayors will help us to set up these meetings and I will have staff assigned to each effort.

President Bush’s polls have him under 30 percent sliding toward 25. The Congress rating is even worse – now standing at 11 percent sliding to 9 percent. The President is threatening to veto a very popular Children’s Health Insurance bill that, if passed, would receive thanks at Thanksgiving tables across our country at Thanksgiving time. Congress can’t get its act together to pass the energy bill containing our $2 billion energy and environmental block grant program providing grants to states, counties and cities. Governors, county officials and mayors, upon receiving these block grants, would engage thousands and trumpet the praises of Congress for helping jumpstart climate protection efforts across the nation.

It’s all so strange when you sit where I sit working for mayors who every day reach out to all Republicans and Democrats and Independents to get things done in their metro areas for their cities and their citizens.

In light of the all time low poll ratings for the White House and Congress in our history you would think that both of our Executive and Legislative branches would, for once, focus and get something done. There’s never enough money of the money we sent to Washington left to return it back to our people and, in this instance, return it to our families to make sure their children are insured. There seems to be a fuzzy, murky consensus that the Iraq War should continue from both Congress and The White House. We are spending $12 million an hour for the great liberating Iraq War. But we just can’t seem to get off our high horses to reach a consensus on the energy bill and we just can’t seem to find the money to provide adequate health insurance for our children.

But $12 million an hour is sent to Iraq and again, we just can’t seem to find it for our children.

First ever! Bill Clinton! Mike Bloomberg! Agile and mobile President Palmer/Part II, Mr. Climate Change - Mayor Greg Nickels, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and the Green Miami Machine! And so much more. Join 100 mayors coming to Seattle November 1 and 2. Signatories of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement now total 675, and its building (we will soon have 25 percent of the nation’s population represented by mayors signed on) So come to Seattle November 1 and 2. It’s the place you want to be as mayors across this nation lead our efforts towards climate protection. Call Carol Edwards in our Meetings Department (202-861-6747) now to register.