Friday, July 17, 2009
Shell changes his mind on district 2 scholarships
Having previously promised to create five $1,000 annual scholarships for district 2 students should he be elected, council candidate Ryan Shell, upon deciding to change from running in district 2 to running at-large, now says he will only give one scholarship to a district 2 student.
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To be clear, I will still award five scholarships in total - one for each district. This change is in line with the council position I am seeking. My goal is to someday be in a position to offer far more than $5,000 for the program, but this is a starting point.
ReplyDeleteRyan
Understood Ryan. I like you as a candidate, just think things through before you speak on them. I wasn't impressed with the closed-mindedness on the landfill issue, but, generally, I like you as a candidate. You may have posted on your site, I haven't recently checked, but what made you change to at-large? I was looking forward to having such an accessible representative here in district 2.
ReplyDelete--brandonB
I always thought he really wanted to be at-large, but thought he had a better chance in D2.
ReplyDeleteI guess when Nettie filed that was the straw that broke the camel's back for ryan.
It will be interesting to watch and see if his campaigning tactics and issues will change from when he was running in D2.
Anon 1,
ReplyDeleteThis might offer a bit more info:http://bit.ly/3hD0d2. While I'm not officially a D2 candidate I'm still very focussed on the district... it's where I live. Thanks for keeping an open mind even though we may not agree on 100% of the issues.
Anon 2,
I made my decision before I knew Nettie was going to run - and I told her my plans earlier in the week. She and I work together a lot and think her passion is admirable. Tactics shouldn't change a whole lot, but I'm sure something will be tweaked along the way. And again, I live in D2 and the issues that were important to me won't just disappear.
Thanks for both of your comments. If you'd like to stay up to date with the campaign feel free to "join the campaign" at voteshell.com and you'll get email updates.
Ryan
And Roch, the headline isn't quite right - a bit deceiving.
ReplyDelete"And Roch, the headline isn't quite right - a bit deceiving."
ReplyDeleteIs it inaccurate?
JW - you know what I'm getting at. It makes it sound as if I have backed out on the concept. Not the case at all. It is what it is.
ReplyDeleteRyan
It's not about what you're "getting at." It's about what you say and do. You have, in fact, changed your mind and refiled at-large. As a result of that change, your scholarship offer has changed.
ReplyDeleteThe headline is accurate. You've changed your mind. If I announce that I'm going to donate $500 to a candidate, then decide that I'm actually only going to donate $100 to that candidate and $400 to other candidates, I've changed my mind. I may not be backing out of the concept of making donations, but I've changed my mind -- just ask the candidate who thought he was going to get $500.
ReplyDeleteGreat point.
ReplyDeleteryan has stated that he changed his mind earlier this week about filing for at-large. On Thursday the 9th, he sent out the press release about the five scholarships for D2.
The scholarship idea always rubbed me the wrong way. It was like buying votes, but he put it out there. Now a community that thought they would have five scholarships if he was elected is only going to get one.
What the hell happened over the weekend for him to do a 360 and shortchange D2?
Anon,
ReplyDeleteIn no way am I trying to shortchange D2. It is still very much a focus, but I felt the At-Large race was where I needed to be.
I do wish that, for a moment, folks could step back and realize that this was a big decision for me. Hate me for making a tough decision if you must.
I've repeatedly said that if a time comes where I can offer more scholarships I'd be more than happy to do so.
Roch, thanks for the opportunity to comment on your site.
Ryan
"Hate me for making a tough decision if you must."
ReplyDeleteI don't hate you for making a tough decision. I question and maybe even distrust your decision making process. You made an about face. You've been asked why. You haven't responded, nor do you need to, but understand some people might wonder about your commitment given the way in which you've conducted your campaign thus far.
"Hate me for making a tough decision if you must. "
ReplyDeleteSomebody needs to develop a little thicker skin, if he's going to stay in politics...I mean, you get a few tough emails on your site about it, and shut the thread down...c'mon Ryan, the campaign is just getting started and you're already getting upset at criticism...
Nobody has suggested they hate you Ryan (now you're just being silly), but when we change your mind like this, you had to know it was going to be an issue. Roch is right on about the scholarships - you should have waited to announce this if you were even considering running at large. Either way, it was an avoidable mistake - and your skin better thicken quickly...
Committment is to be the youngest member on city council.
ReplyDeleteHow to do this?
1. Campaign in a noncompetitive district that is predominantly black. Get them trash cans, offer scholarships and bus benches. Have clean up days so that the people can see that you are truly interested in their community.
2. Oh, oh, now I have a real competitor. Still no worries. I will continue sending out press releasees stating what I'm going to do.
3. Oh no, not Nettie!!!!!! Let me get the hell out of dodge and run at-large.
4. I put trash cans in a blighted black neighborhood and offered scholarships, I hope they remember that come election time and tell other black people.
5. Off year election, low turnout, and white vote split 11 different ways, but want about the BLACK vote?
6. Eventhough I'm taking away four scholarships, I did get them some trash cans.
7. Low voter turnout, but young ryan got enough of the black vote to get him on council.
For someone who want to get a seat on council no matter what, it is a masterful strategy. The interesting part is will he be able to pull it off?
Wonder if that was the plan all alone. Call me a cynic, but darn it, he just might be able to do it.