Comments on: Mayor’s Race in Birmingham Shaping Up

By: Fossil

Fossil — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:08:42 +0000

Birmingham present mayor have been dragging his feet on civil / racial issues.
It is time for a real leader (Patrick Cooper).
The candidate(s) council members have created waste of tax payers money!!!! poor decision making on task force that lead to dead ends. Research each candidate and vote for a Brighter / Safer Birmingham.

By: Royce

Royce — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 22:25:04 +0000

I’m a young voter and Partick Cooper has my vote thus far. Mainly because he is a fresh face. But we’ll see. I agree with Jillian Bell that we should hear all of the canidates out. But honestly, we’ve been listening to most of the canidates ideas for years with litte fruit.
I’ve grown up watching Birmingham politics and it always seems to trudge along, with feet dragging and hair pulling.
Most of the canidates have been in the Birmingham political system for so incredibly long. I think most of them have lost any sense of objectivity and I believe it has an effect on their public duties. There should be some law passed to that allows a mayor to serve no more than 2 terms. Same should go for the city council. If we don’t keep the water moving, it’ll stagnate and grow nasty. Bring on some change!

By: LP

LP — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 05:14:50 +0000

IMAGINE………………
The city of Birmingham holds a political race that is not focused on the color of the candidate’s skin……
They don’t care if this person struggled while growing up or had what some have called a “black silver spoon”….
They don’t see male or female, but a person with a passion…..
The candidates aren’t labeled “the black communities black candidate”, the white communities white candidate”, “the black communities white candidate”, the white communities black candidate”………(GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!)
A community not afraid of change……….
A city that’s been plagued by prejudice long enough……black & white……decides it’s time to elect a candidate that sees past this and wants a city that comes together, white & black, to create a GREAT city!!!!!!!

IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can we as a city focus on a candidate that………….
Doesn’t just care about the title of MAYOR, but really cares about the actual JOB of MAYOR……..
Wants to improve our school systems which would improve the city’s FUTURE…….
Has used the means available to them to educate themselves so that we can actually have intelligent decisions made..
Cares about all the people in the city, BLACK & WHITE, not just one race or the other……….
Is showing their work ethic in how they carry out their campaign………..
Does not resort to spreading lies/ putting down other candidates/ and take the focus off their own inabilities…..
Wants to drastically lower the Birmingham City crime rate…….
Wants to encourage growth for the city so we can have more jobs……
The list goes on…………………………

Let me encourage you to research and know the candidates you are voting for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE……..

And after doing so, my conclusion is that even though he may not be the only candidate for the job…….

HE IS THE BEST CANADITE FOR MAYOR OF BIRMINGHAM!!!!!!!!

Patrick Cooper has my vote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Jillian Bell

Jillian Bell — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:08:34 +0000

also, here are some of the upcoming forums…

September 24, 6:00 pm – Smithfield Community
Forum
First Congregational
Christian Church
1024 Center Street N.

September 24, 6:30 pm – Crestwood Neighborhoods (North and South) Forum
Old Comer School
1220 50th Street South

September 27, 6:00 pm – Western Area
Community Forum
Fair Park Arena

September 28, 10:00 am – Retired Educators
Forum
Ryan Steakhouse
( on Crestwood Blvd)

By: Jillian Bell

Jillian Bell — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:03:24 +0000

Hi,
This is Jillian Bell and yes, my dad is William Bell. My response is for Jessica more than for anyone else. First off, thanks for leaving a positive message on here. It gets to be pretty catty sometimes, which is sad. You’d think “grown ups” would behave better. I digress. I, myself, am 25 and have friends that also don’t take votig seriously and am glad that you do and are getting out there to find out about the political candidates that are going to shape the future of our city for us and our kids someday; even if you don’t want to vote for Bell (who I would vote for even if he weren’t my dad.)
My dad actually has the same sentiment about young voters in the city as Patrick Cooper, I’m sure. I don’t currently live in Birmingham, but was home visiting for the summer and helping my dad out with his campaign as much as I could; and one of the things I hosted was a meet and greet at the wine loft where myself and my cousin, Michael got people in our age group out to hear what my dad had to say and for him to hear our concerns as young people who have left the city, are thinking of leaving the city, and or who want to stay but need to get more from the city (Birmingham) than we currnetly do. We even got some people registered to vote, which was awesome.
If you can, you should really get out to hear all of the candidates (who attend them) at the forums around town; not only that, but take your friends too! Just to have an educated point to base your vote on. Not just because you heard one candidate and he souded good. Hear them all. Carol, Bernard, Larry, Patrick, my dad, and Valerie… Listen, compare, then make your decision.
As for me, I truly believe in my heart that William Bell is the best candidate for the job of Birmingham City’s mayor. He has the vision and the know-how to get things done in this city and a love and passion for it like no other. He is talented in so many ways and could do so many other things, yet he continues to have this drive to be in it. I’ve grown up witnessing it all my life and even at times being jealous of it, and now I really admire him for it and wish him all the best…

By: Jerome

Jerome — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:22:02 +0000

Cooper offers leadership, vision and success outside of politics. He is like Obama, He could be another Maynard Jackson and inspire black businesses.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 05:41:28 +0000

Ok, patrick is a great guy who has a great plan. i am a young voter. my mom taught me to really read between the lines in people. i have met patrick in many events. i have had the chance to really sit one on one with him a few times. like i said i am young and i have spoken to him about the education in kids. i went to hoover schools all my life so i kinda had the privilege of good education. however now that i have graduated high school and i meet people in the “real” world i kinda am thankful for hoover. if patrick has plans for better education (which he does) then he def has my votes. i am 19 i have 20 tattoos and i have alot of friends that how do i put it dont take voting serious. i actually asked patrick how he looked at people like us he said that he only wishes people would take more time to actually vote and pay attention to the people running. most candidates look down on tattooed people which are mostly the younger crowd. i say this with facts:) anwho i am rambaling VOTE COOPER FOR MAYOR and you wont be sorry

By: Little Sis

Little Sis — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:40:15 +0000

Cooper will be hurt because of Abbot’s entry. I can’t figure out why Abbot is running — she can’t win, and she’s smart enough to know she can’t win.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:55:50 +0000

So what if he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth? He would be the first intelligent mayor Birmingham has had in quite a while. I could not care less how much money he has had or currently has.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:03:38 +0000

I was mainly making fun of the “Patrick Cooper dug ditches and worked construction.” I actually went to his homepage and his crime plan is a real plan. His “every can go to school for free without raising taxes” could be explained a little better.

Maybe I went a little too far by saying “What plan?” but I was mainly laughing at “He used to dig ditches and work construction.” Again, like I said before, I realize that candidates have to tell voters who they are as much as what they will do. I just thought it was funny.

So far he’s got my vote if I suddenly move to Birmingham.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:33:43 +0000

If Frank Matthews (blackdog) is against Cooper, thats a good reason to be for him.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:33:17 +0000

Dan,

Cooper outlined several specific ideas. It’s a 30 second ad, not a State of the Union. I don’t really care who Bham elects as mayor and I doubt it will be Cooper, but don’t attack him for lacking substance when he offered a good deal of specific information.

By: blackdog

blackdog — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:16:03 +0000

patrick cooper, did not ever use a shovel, he was born with black silver spoon in his mounth

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:22:31 +0000

Sadly, in Birmingham, the political will to get ANYTHING done is an issue, and will be until, a anonymous says, they get someone in the office not tied to the past leadership.

Seems to geehaw with what APCO’s CEO said in last year’s speech to the chamber of commerce about B’ham lagging behind Jackson, Nashville, Charlotte, etc.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:49:39 +0000

What real ideas? That we can build a Birmingham we want… is that really an idea?

I’m not opposed to Patrick Cooper. I don’t know anything about him and I don’t even live in Birmingham. I was just making an observation. Candidates spend a lot of time defining themselves before they get to issues. I just hope his issue isn’t that we can “build a Birmingham we want” because that’s not an issue or a plan. It’s an abstract thought that means nothing.