I think we could use a little more of that, actually.

This leaves us with Kasim Reed. Honestly, I was very concerned with him as a candidate before. My concerned lied in the fact that he seemed to be a Johnny come lately and that is definitely not the type of mayor Atlanta needs to get out of this morass. But as I paid attention more and more, he seemed to have a grasp of the issues and he has run a heck-of-a campaign. I mean 40 points in three months, that is impressive. I like his proposals and I think he has the right understanding of what lies ahead.

I want him to committ to greater ethics reform, to avoid Lamar Willis and Ceasar Mitchell incidents. I also want him to committ to a more open procurement process in the city. Blacks are not the only ones that have benefited from contracts. so please don’t take my comments as race-baiting. I remember the days when William Hartsfield’s wife had a “real” no-bid contract at the airport and King and Spaulding handled all of the city’s legal work.

This is just my two cents for the day. Maybe i’ll post again later. I’m not going to begin to suggest on this thread who people should vote for, because that is still an American right that is private but I will say please be smart about your vote.

Has it really come to that in the birthplace of MLK? This is a travesty.

Where are the King Family and Joseph Lowery.

BREAKING: Reed Fought Workers for Corporations as Attorney –

http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/news/0546.html

the bottom line is, Norwood and Reed are in a horse race and I think Reed is better positioned to take his voters to the polls. It’s all about turnout and having the right GOTV team is critical to this process.

Reed had a small army out on general election day and I’m not sure Norwood has the resources or know-how around her to make it happen.

And though you need not be an attorney to understand what I am saying, the general public often has trouble distinguishing between a lawyer’s professional obligations and their personal value systems. If Mary Norwood represented only organized crime clientele, that fact ALONE would raise no issue to me about Ms. Norwood’s character. And that’s my issue, the fact that he may have represented Crackerbarrel in this case STANDING ALONE does not call into question this man’s values. His entire body of work as an attorney is what matters, and as I’m sure such an evaluation will uncover, his work on behalf of a host of corporations throughout this City will reveal the diverse set of responsibilities that any labor and employment attorney will have to do over the course of their career. They also defend against frivolous suits from employees as well. Every suit a plaintiff brings isn’t credible. Might come as a shock, but they’re not. You have an issue with that as well?

As to your question, maybe she’s the best in her firm in defending against RICO claims. Maybe she was a former prosecutor of said crimes. You see the point here? Why an attorney has chosen to take up a particular case is a function of a host of considerations of which your shallow logic fails to take into consideration.

Put another way, there’s rarely a one-to-one relationship between one’s chosen practice area and their value system. Do you know any corporate attorneys? Have this conversation with them and gauge their response. It’s not their job to personally opine on their client’s guilt or liability or share their client’s values. Their job is to represent them to the best of their ability.

As an attorney, I represent a host of clients. Often, I do not agree with them, but professionally, I must advocate zealously on their behalf within the confines of the law. That’s what’s required of an attorney. Unless you can dance in Mr. Reed’s head and you have a working knowledge of his entire body of work as an attorney, you’re doing little more than attempting to raise questions about Senator Reed’s character based a narrow conception of the role of the lawyer and what labor and employment attorneys do. You don’t have to be an attorney to understand that, but as you’ve shown time and again, your lack of understanding as to what attorney are obligated to do under the law (per Georgia’s Code of Professional Responsibility for attorneys) distorts your view of Mr. Reed’s professional experiences.

Now, back to the larger questions of which candidate has shown themselves as a public servant to be the most effective advocate on the City’s behalf? If you keep the conversation substantive, it’s not a difficult choice. I, too, have my own qualms with some of Senator Reed’s personal attributes (and Ms. Norwood’s), but I vote on the basis of one’s substance (viability of one’ s campaign platform, debate performance, etc.) and previous record of accomplishment, and Senator Reed’s legislative record and accomplished legal career (you think you become a partner at Holland and Knight by being a lightweight? Not in the least!) is noteworthy.

If it were Nan Orrock or Cathy Woolard running against Mary Norwood I would say the same thing. She’s been a decent Councilwoman (about as good as they come on constituent concerns), but the issues facing the City require more than constituent services. They require a full grasp of the problem (not buying “I couldn’t get the accurate data” line as the CFO himself has called Mary out on this), a coherent vision for the City (despite drastic cuts in the City workforce, Mary’s is going to “find” the money for more police and fire and restore pay increments all without raising any taxes, fines or fees? You don’t have to raise property taxes to generate revenue, but where are Mary’s revenue solutions? A regional equalization tax? Come on, dude) and an ability to instill confidence in the electorate in one’s ability to lead (compare the records of these two and let me know what you think). On those three fronts, Senator Reed (despite my personal qualms) is the best candidate.

It’s up to the Norwood camp to make the case as to why she hasn’t done more with the limited power she has had, and what she will do with the leverage she will have if she becomes mayor.

Those are questions that should be addressed for sure.

Thank you in advance.

Even though I didn’t sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night, I don’t have a fundamental misunderstanding of what labor and employment attoneys do. I may not know every nuance, but if part of their duty isn’t representing corporations alleged to have violated employment law, please correct me.

And you have yet to make a compelling argument as to how a person chooses to make a living should be dismissed as a distraction, and not figured in as part of his value system. If Norwood was an attorney, and 99% of her business was defending organized crime figures, can you honestly say it would have no bearing on what you consider Norwood’s values are?

If you want to document his pro bono work, fine. If you want to document his legislative work fine. They are part of the package. As is where Reed made the conscious, deliberate choice to ply his trade. Not a distraction; part of the package. And what it says about Reed’s values a a personal is worthy of consideration, as well as the other aspects of his record.