Nixon Attempting to "Save His Bacon" with Ferguson Commission

FERGUSON, Mo. - Nov. 18, 2014 - PRLog -- A black minister and a white businessman were tapped by Governor Jay Nixon on Tuesday to lead an independent commission charged with making recommendations on how to deal with issues raised by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown and the protests that ensued.

"They are tough, they are smart and they are empowered," Nixon said of the 16-member panel. "They are also independent." One thing he forgot in his description, which needs to be noted. Not one person actually lives in Ferguson.

The Governor chose more of the obvious candidates. Naturally there has to be a share of black ministers, because in the eyes of politicians, nothing gets constituents talking in the "black" community, like the local, influential black preacher.

He also selected businessman Richard McClure, who chairs the St. Louis Regional Board of Teach for America as one of the Co-Chairs. Nixon said when he promised to name the panel last month that the panel is charged with          "tapping into expertise needed to address those concerns and to make specific recommendations for making the St. Louis region a stronger, fairer place for everyone to live."

This Commission is truly charge with getting him re-elected, and they probably don't even realize it.

Representation on boards and commissions are an important avenue to help create effective and equitable laws and policies. Citizen involvement contributes not only to the success of their government, but to their overall quality of life as well. Just as I felt when this commission was announced in such a grand political fashion.

Mind you, when the announcement was made by the Governor, neither the Mayor of Ferguson, James Knowels, nor any of the city council members were standing next to him. Hence, reducing the Mayor's credibility during such a volitile situation.

We always what citizens to get involved, but when there is a real opportunity, we somehow eliminate them from the process. Actual citizens of Ferguson participating on these commissions will work. Their involvement  and consultation in a broad range of issues, such as education, the environment and natural resources, social services, economic development, and transportation could prove to be very vital.

This Board appointed by the Governor, intends to shape policy for the City of Ferguson without actual "Fergusonians" being involved. It seems to me that this may be part of the reason the city is in the state that it is in now. People making decisions for the actual citizens, without the actual citizens voice being recognized.

In selecting members, the Governor strives to create geographic, gender, and ethnic diversity representation on the board, but let us keep it real. The majority of these people has a great deal of political captital attached to them, and Jay Nixon knows that. If this commission is truly about Ferguson, how about an origanal idea. Try including people who actually live in Ferguson.

Jay Nixon is still clearly about remaining politically correct, and while Mayor Knowels, has been busy, taking shot after shot during this whole dilema, Nixon has shown his usual "leadership by opportunity" method of operation. Simply put, James Knowles is trying to save a town, and Jay Nixon, for lack of a better phrase, is trying to save his legacy. which ironically has a strange resemblance to saving his ass.