Media announcements are telling people not to bring bags to tomorrow’s visit and to limit their personal belongings. I wonder if this was a lesson learned from Former President Bill Clinton’s visit? When I was in line at the Grand Wayne Center, there was a woman with a huge, and I do mean huge, bag filled with stuff. In fact, the FWPD stopped to look inside. She appeared to be a teacher of some kind and stood in line grading papers. Other than this and all the visible policemen, security was unnoticeable. The media is also saying no signs or banners for tomorrow’s visit – yet I think there was a gathering tonight to make signs at the Obama HQ. What would the point in that be?
I wasn’t able to attend the Hillary Clinton event – they never stated when they were giving out tickets, or bracelets as the case was, so who knew? Fate provided that those lucky few who happened by in the morning were able to get in.  Â
With every visit, the candidate or Former President has patted us on the back saying finally for the first time in 40 years, Indiana’s vote counts.  They visit limited seating venues (I realize there has to be some limits on the size and amount of people allowed in the door for a visit) and don’t release details about how to obtain “tickets” or “bracelets” until the last minute - if at all. When you think about the expense of security for the visits vs the amount of people (and by people, I mean average citizens – not all the politicos included) and you really begin to get frustrated. Especially when our City faces possible cuts in services to bring the budget in line with revenue lost from the recent Tax Reforms. It’s a pretty expensive and unfair way to reach a few of us in person subsidized by the whole through our tax dollars.
I won’t be at Obama’s visit tomorrow – I like a lot of people in Fort Wayne – had to work all day and didn’t have access to a computer until I arrived at home from work.   It would be easy to write this off as the ramblings of someone disappointed at not being able to attend the events – and to an extent, it’s perhaps true.  But let me just say that I had some of these misgivings standing in line waiting for Former President Clinton as well. If we mean so much, then back that up with actions, not just lip service! I guess that’s politics and what we’ve been missing for 40-odd years.
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