W K Gordon

The really tragic thing about Laura Miller's "Stepfordization" is that it will discourage optimism for any real improvement in the quality of life of ordinary Dallas residents.

She received something of a mandate from the electorate based upon her campaign "promises" as chronicled on DallasArena.com.

She won her elections convincingly despite the efforts of the old boy establishment that has done such damage to the city over the past few decades.

She seemed tough and eager; she seemed honest in her concerns and goals.

All she had to do was stay true to her promises, and she would have established an enviable legacy for herself and perhaps even turned around the direction of city hall. Instead, it took only a few months for her to "change sides."

Were her (real) supporters simply duped by a conniving politician?

Did we overestimate her strength of character?

Did we simply choose a champion who was defective, or was it unrealistic to think anyone could stand up to the seductive power of the Dallas establishment?

Is there no hope for a Dallas government that prioritizes infrastructure, security and quality of life?

Now that this current dream has been dashed, how long will it take to build enough outrage to try to turn things around again? Will it be too late by then, or is it already too late?

There are two ways to attract the "business" that the "Dallas Leadership" courts so frantically:

1) Bribe them with tax abatements, the promise of free financing with tax money, and big ticket projects for the select few to exploit, or

2) Simply maintain a safe city with decent infrastructure and quality of life (those pesky "little things like parks, police, potholes) -- a place where people actually want to live, work, and invest. Hang in there (and pray for a miracle).

And if all fails, move to Fort Worth.