Wade, not Blust should be challenged

Published November 24, 2015

by Doug Clark, Off the Record, Greensboro News-Record, November 23, 2015.

If you're going to run for a public office, you should answer this question to yourself and to voters:

Do I want to be a representative of the people, or a ruler over the people?

John Blust demonstrated the correct answer this year on the most significant local issue he faced: the Greensboro city council redistricting bill.

Blust studied the proposed changes introduced by Sen. Trudy Wade and listened to his constituents' reaction. He determined that the people were overwhelmingly against it and said he would oppose the bill unless it allowed a referendum to give the people the final say over how they should govern themselves at the city level.

Wade heard the same response from the public but used the power of the legislature to overrule their objections. So did Sen. Phil Berger and every other Republican member of the state Senate. They acted as rulers, not representatives.

Most Republicans in the House, including John Faircloth, likewise acted as rulers.

Jon Hardister initially took the same position as Blust but wilted under pressure, voting to impose HB 263 onto Greensboro before switching his position again on a final vote.

Democrats representing Greensboro — Gladys Robinson, Pricey Harrison, Ralph Johnson and Cecil Brockman — voted to support the will of the people they serve.

So, now there are rumors that Tony Wilkins, the only Republican member of the City Council, will run against Blust in the March primary. The idea is that Blust is unpopular among GOP legislative leaders.

I haven't spoken with Wilkins about this, but I doubt he wants to challenge Blust.

Blust has impeccable conservative credentials. He's consistent in applying them, unlike the majority of Republicans in the legislature whose primary governing principle is preserving and building power. It is not "conservative" to apply state power over local government nor to rule rather than represent.

Anyone who would challenge Blust would have to argue that he was wrong to listen to the people rather than to join with the ruling majority in Raleigh. How is that a winning election issue?

On other matters where Blust has run afoul of legislative leaders — fighting for democratic procedures within the legislature —opposing him would be another mistake.

Blust fought Democratic leaders and Republican leaders for the same faults — rushed votes, lack of transparency, hidden provisions, overriding the wishes of rank-and-file members, entrenched leadership, etc.

Who is going to make a case against Blust's integrity on these kinds of issues? Only someone who intends to became a tool of legislative leaders. We have too many legislators like that already.

I don't think Wilkins would do that or will do that.

Someone may run against Blust. But if someone wants to run to be a true representative of the people, rather than a ruler over them, he or she should run against Sen. Wade instead.

http://www.greensboro.com/blogs/clark_off_the_record/wade-not-blust-should-be-challenged/article_cf5c847a-91e8-11e5-a5a3-173901b2ff83.html