Submitted by Richard Peachey. During the mayoralty debate last night Bruce Banman called Henry Braun a “maverick.”
Definition of “maverick“:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/maverick
maverick
[mav-er-ik, mav-rik]
noun
1.
Southwestern U.S. an unbranded calf, cow, or steer, especially an unbranded calf that is separated from its mother.
2.
a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates:
a modern-dance maverick.
Synonyms: nonconformist, individualist; free thinker; loner, lone wolf.
a person pursuing rebellious, even potentially disruptive, policies or ideas:
You can’t muzzle a maverick.
Synonyms: rebel, cowboy; loose cannon.
So actually, “maverick” would seem to be a highly suitable term for a cattle rancher (!) who thinks independently from his colleagues.
Henry Braun is a diligent investigative researcher. He is known for doing his homework. While not a “rebel” or “loose cannon” in any bad sense — he is a well-established businessman of long experience — he is certainly an individual who does his own reading, and his own thinking, and comes to his own conclusions. If on occasion he is a “nonconformist” (not a “team player”) it is for good, well-thought-out reasons.
Bruce Badmouth accused Henry Braun of voting against jobs, and of voting against needed transport for students. Henry capably responded that he voted the way he did due to the unavailability of adequate financial information for the projects under discussion.
Bruce Badmayor, who last night was wearing a flashy yellow “power tie,” would evidently prefer to have sheepish unanimity on city council.
But that’s the kind of approach that gave us Plan A — remember?
Henry Braun some time ago wrote an excellent column warning of the dangers of Groupthink, and he has been doing his best to live out what he said in that column:
http://www.henrybraun.ca/blog/?post_id=36&title=the-importance-of-independent-thinking-and-principle-based-decision-making
On November 15, Henry Braun will definitely get my vote.
Kathy Mcnabb Says:
This is very negative journalism.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Today-Media/447088788677534?ref=tn_tnmn
Helen Hughes Says:
It’s unfortunate that Mr Peachey resorts to name-calling when referring to our current mayor, it lowers the tone of what would otherwise be quite a well argued point.
I’m not a fan of Mayor Banman, but given the recent article from Vince Dimanno about the change of heart he and Mike Archer supposedly had regarding personal attacks, maybe Mike should have acted like the editor he is meant to be and required Mr Peachey to show a little more respect.
From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Today-Media/447088788677534?ref=tn_tnmn
Hey, folks. Lighten up. Were you personally at the mayoralty debate? If so, you would have noticed that the Banman braggadocio was coming on very strong. My chosen Fotheringham-style nicknames for Bruce are actually quite restrained, and are apt descriptors of his approach.
Sometimes you do have to be negative to be accurate. But if you want a “kinder, gentler” writeup on the debate, see Mike Archer’s hilarious column, “Mayoralty Debate Turns Lively.”