The idea that Dennis Kucinich deserves a painting hanging in City Hall to
honor his term of service is LUDICROUS! Under his leadership (or lack thereof)
Cleveland was the first major city to default since the Depression. He made our
city a laughing-stock - an image we are still trying to overcome. This guy was
rated as one of the WORST MAYORS IN HISTORY by book entitled "The American
Mayors". This book rated 720 mayors from 1820 to 1993 and Dennis ended up NUMBER
7 on the WORST list (click here
to read the article).
Dennis has been involved in politics in Cleveland for over 30 years and he has
virtually NOTHING to show for it. He's great at reacting to crises but does
nothing to avoid them in the first place. LTV, the Cleveland Schools, Deaconess
and St. Michaels hospitals threatening to close. What was he doing to prevent
these problems? He's been mayor, state senator, state rep, congressman,
councilman, clerk of courts. If there's anyone to blame for our regions problems
- it's DENNIS. He's been in a position of power all along and has done virtually
NOTHING to stop the decline of our city!
And we want to spend 40 grand to honor him. . . Only in Cleveland . . .
Letter to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (July 27, 2002)
As a former member of the Communications Workers of America, I am outraged that any union official would waste precious time and resources by campaigning for a $40,000 portrait of a politician ("Can kielbasa raise image of 'boy mayor'?" July 23). This is a classic example of how out of touch and selfish our union officials have become.
John Ryan should be mobilizing union forces against two-tier wage systems and other rapacious acts that corporations have forced on our work force. Why doesn't Ryan fight to unionize retail department stores and other businesses that are constantly exploiting workers in our area?
Ryan is like so many other big union leaders: He has been away from the grueling 40-hour-a-week job where workers sit at a computer terminal and have their every movement monitored down to the minute they go to the bathroom.
Ryan's concern for a $40,000 portrait is an abomination and he should be pilloried by good, hard-working union workers everywhere.
Judd S. Newman
South Euclid