Lincolnite

“Even mediocre ideas can help move the discussion forward.”

Really?  Beutler’s home-buying stimulus ‘idea’ had everyone calling him an idiot.  I can’t imagine the outrage had that been a Council Republican. I can understand Svoboda’s reservations.  Sure, the “I have a plan but I’m not telling anyone what it is” is dumb, so Svobs shouldn’t even say anything until he’s ready to disclose.

That wasn’t a mediocre idea. That was a bad idea. 😊

Seriously, though, in a brainstorming situation, even iffy ideas have their place. Ideas that are recognized as mediocre (or bad) have the effect of encouraging others to either (a) improve upon them, or (b) come up with something better. They are motivational in the sense that nobody wants that idea to be the one that wins.

Take Beutler’s $1,000 cash giveaway proposal. I say handing out a grand to people who already have money is a questionable way to spur local economic development. So maybe I alter the proposal by turning the cash into “Lincoln dollars” that can only be redeemed at locally-owned businesses. Or I turn the money into grants for small business owners. Or maybe I just say, “That’s a dead end; what about this…” Sometimes with enough revision and collaborative discussion, even a toad of an idea can turn into a prince.

he he

I still don’t get trying to divide this business community into “locally-owned businesses” vs., what appears to seem to me to mean, “the bad guys.” Bork’s photo summed it up nicely (although I doubt that was the intent).

If I go buy a new set of tires, and I go to WallyWorld instead of T.O. Haas, for example, I am still spending my money here and the sales tax still goes into the coffers here. Further, employees that get paychecks will get paid here and spend a lot of their pay here. It’s not like every ounce of that money goes immediately to Bentonville, Arkansas.

And many companies that are not owned locally contribute a great deal of money into this city, and the charities here, and so on. Look at the Journal Star today and see that HyVee raised $29,000 (or some number, it doesn’t matter) for LPS. I don’t really shop there, but HyVee has invested millions and millions of dollars into Lincoln in the last 10 years in new buildings, and more employees. Are you saying they are less deserving of our money simply because they are based in Des Moines? Should Russ Raybould get it all since he’s based here?

I love this blog and it’s a must-stop for me, but sometimes the anti-business stuff I read on here just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Call me a capitalist pig, and I encourage people to spend their dollars in Lincoln and not elsewhere, but the home base of the entity doesn’t make or break how these things affect the economy.

You left out the part about how Svoboda said he won’t share them because Mayor Beutler got to change his mind too (even though Mayor Beutler changed his mind after sharing the ideas).

This is also the same Svoboda who complained not long ago about how Mayor Beutler doesn’t share his ideas with the city council enough.

You’re right, the reaction to Beutler’s stimulus idea was harsh. But now even Council Republicans are trying to figure out a way to fund it

That’s petty on his part. Two wrongs don’t make a right. People will soon think electing Beutler over Svoboda was definitely the right idea, and he risks alienating people before he runs for council again.

Wow, Fletch. I think that’s about as wrong as you possibly could have gotten me. “Anti-business”? Calling Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee “the bad guys”? Who, me?

Hey Mr. W - that wasn’t exactly aimed solely at you or your post. There just often seems to be a theme that mom ‘n pop places are all the bee’s knees, and anything “chain” or “franchise” or whatever is bad. I just don’t think those classifications are right.

There are many, many, many businesses right here in Lincoln that are franchised locations, which means they carry a national name but are still owned by the local guy. I think sometimes they get swept up in generalizations when we are praising the Oso Burrito’s of the world and booing the Chipotle’s and Qdoba’s of the world.

I’m glad we have both, and I am just one that doesn’t think they are inherently bad. I like chain restaurants. I know that puts me in the Lincolnite blog minority, for example.

Maybe I misread your interpretation of the idea of money being spent at “locally owned” businesses.

For the record, Mr. W., I think you’re the bee’s knees. LOL

I’m fairly confident in saying that’s one compliment I’ve never received before 😉

Boy, between you calling me the bee’s knees, and a guy I work with proposing to me because I solved a little javascript problem, this has been a heckuva day!

part of the charm of Lincolnite is its focus on local stuffis.

I know there aint no fisticufs betweens yall, just saying I love the local angle.  I might become construed as a leaning of sorts, but it pretty fair around these parts.

Not every reply needs to have a political jab inserted, nor every post.

We all Lincolnites first darn nabitt.