2010 Mayoral Campaign Commentary - Tyler Allen

In my life, I have found myself in the company of a wide, strange variety of people. I have been known to hang around and make friends with estranged family members, dregs of society, anarchists, millionaires, hill people, those known as the "elite", horsemen, trade unionists, hippies, lawyers, business owners, gun nuts, losers, winners and sometimes...politicians and political candidates. This past fall, just as the foliage was getting golden, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tyler Allen, Democratic candidate for Metro Mayor. All of the traditional rules I have for meeting with candidates were pitched out the window because of Allen's honesty and his extraordinary ability to make you feel as though you have known him forever. Rarely have I met a person running for such a high profile office that was so personable, humble and brimming with excitement for not only the future of Louisville's businesses or economy, but also for the well-being of it's citizens. It was just the two of us. No attorneys or campaign staff were present, and at no time did his eyes dart around the room while we spoke or do that little look over the shoulder weirdness or check his watch or show any fear whatsoever. But make no mistake...he isn't naive. He is just that damned good.

He asked me questions. Questions that were specific to Southwest Louisville, and he asked lot of them. That tells me he wants to understand what makes us tick. He wants to know what we, as a part of Greater Metro Louisville, expect from our mayor and our council. Tyler Allen is listening.

He hasn't raised a load of money and isn't running a huge, Washington D.C. style campaign like some of his opponents. What he does have are ideas, and the are Good Ones that require your immediate attention. I am telling you this because it is my sincere hope that each and every one of you will spend some time browsing his website and getting to know Tyler and his positions. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask him.

Tyler Allen is a serious candidate and is spectacularly qualified. I hope he earns your consideration.  He would make a wonderful mayor.

www.tyler4mayor.com

Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler

- Lock your doors, run and hide, bring in the brass monkey: The National Weather Service in Louisville has issued a winter storm warning for tonight. We are expected to get 4-6 inches of snow. That means anywhere between NO MEASURABLE SNOW to 15 inches of filthy wet slush that will cripple all ground and air transportation for 4 days. Stock up on good booze, gas up your generators and add some cable channels to your lineup. Or maybe warm up the car and go for a drive. This could be the big one.

- In what turned out to be an unusually exciting game, my New Orleans Saints hog-tied and whipped the Hoosier-fied Colts 31-17 last night in the Super Bowl. Yeah, I said Super Bowl. Not the "Big Game" or "Bowl that is Super". The biggest complaint I heard about the game is that the commercials weren't that good.  The coup de grâce was the 4th quarter interception of a pass by the Colts' Payton Manning that was returned for a touchdown, resulting in the final score. Fans in Indianapolis went home and straight to bed after that play.