One of the best paragraphs on KC politics I've ever read

Tony Botello over at tonyskansascity.com wrote a piece about the mayor running afoul of the very powerful firefighters union. AKA Taxpayers Anonymous Correction: Taxpayers Unlimited. Here's the money quote: People who don't know much about Kansas City politics might not understand that this town isn't ruled by Democracy per se, instead local government is mostly elected by a series of special interest groups and voting blocs led by people who do the thinking for their constituents in much the same way that Oprah and Fox News do the vast majority of the mental heavy lifting when it comes to their massive audiences. [Source] That pretty much nails it. There's no such thing as the citizen activist making it to City Hall for the good of the people anymore. You have to "pay your dues" by navigating the insular club of Jackson County Dems. Fail to lock up the unions and their considerable financial clout and you're done. You have to get the Citizens Association, it helps to line up the Womens Political Caucus and don't forget the Four Freedoms Democratic Club. These were lessons I learned the hard way. I foolishly thought that a grass roots effort, coupled with a sound internet strategy could overcome the six figure budgets and multiple snail mail pieces that bombard people's mailboxes. I was wrong of course. Very, very wrong! The sad state of affairs is this is how our local government is made. I will grudgingly concede the possibility that maybe I lost simply because I wasn't the best candidate for the job. Even if that was the case, it makes me wonder. If all things were equal. If an in-district city council race was limited to a budget of $10,000 and a maximum of two mailings, what would the makeup of our city council look like? Would it be vastly different? Would it be filled with fresh-faced newcomers who have yet to be jaded by the Jackson County political machine? It does make you wonder... Will the cycle ever be broken? Oh, and by the way. The answer to yesterday's trivia question? The Sears Automotive Center. Thanks for playing.