As the campaign of Carmel’s incumbent mayor Jim Brainard begins a last-minute all-out media blitz in an increasingly desperate attempt to gain support, it is resorting to all manner of means in order to promote their candidate. The problem is that, in their zeal to do so, the tone and methods used are turning Carmel voters away, rather than attracting them to him.
Dan McFeely
Dan McFeely has become a polarizing figure and a lightning rod where city communications and public engagement are concerned. Officially a highly-paid contractor to the City of Carmel’s Community Relations and Economic Development Department through his Dan McFeely Communications consultancy, the former reporter for the Indianapolis Star has been a zealous promoter of Carmel’s pro-development, pro-business strategies since first joining with the city.
H
e has also extended his efforts to promote Jim Brainard and Brainard-aligned council incumbents in the current primary election campaign. He was added as a moderator of the once-popular Carmel Social Media (Carmel Page) page on Facebook and worked with the administrators of that page and the affiliated Carmel Chatter Facebook group to moderate all posts to that page and remove any that challenge or criticize Brainard, other incumbents or any of the propaganda talking point proffered there. Those that dare challenge or criticize are blocked and purged from Carmel Social Media (Carmel Page) and Carmel Chatter, creating a forum that has become almost exclusively a platform for promotion of the Brainard slate of candidates to the exclusion of any other information on events or things about Carmel. When paired with a series of pro-Brainard op-ed pieces in local publications, questions have been raised by citizens if public funds are being spent inappropriately for promotion of a political candidate over promotion of the city itself.
It should be pointed out and affirmed that the administrators and moderators of any forum – social media or otherwise – are free to determine the scope of their forum and the audience. What is an issue is the tone of McFeely’s postings in response to anyone that raises a challenge or criticism – a tone that often appears with the logic and grammatical usage of a fifth grader hurrying his writing as not to be late for recess. The posts are condescending and dismissive of anyone that disagrees with him, rather than a respectful and reasoned give and take discussion.
Denise Gilbey (a/k/a Denise Gilbey Moe)
D
enise Gilbey has been something of an ingenue in Indianapolis-area conservative political circles for several years, serving on local boards and working for various political campaigns. Her practice and pattern are to cozy up to certain high-profile Republican elected officials in an effort to gain personal relevance by association. More recently, she has taken on management of social media for the Hamilton County Republican Party and certain individual candidates for office.
In the weeks leading up to candidates filing for the May 7th primary, Ms. Gilbey began what can be best described as a guerilla-style propaganda campaign to pave the way for promotion of Jim Brainard and pro-Brainard incumbents – at-large incumbent Ron Carter in particular. She began floating talking points on local social media sites in what can best be described as a releasing of test balloons to see what would gain her candidates (and her) the most favorable responses from commenters.
When challenged on the veracity of any talking point, however, she will often retreat into an angry and unrestrained lash-out response, rather than a respectful give and take discussion. Her typical stock response is to claim she is “a volunteer, a full-time working single mom that volunteers countless hours of time and talent”. She then goes on the label challengers and critics and “keyboard commados” and worse.
To be clear, Denise Gilbey is listed on campaign finance reports as a paid campaign consultant for the reelection campaign of the Brainard-aligned at-large council incumbent Carter. As such, her claims of volunteering her time and talent take a credibility hit where promotion of Carter, Jim Brainard and rest of the pro-Brainard slate are concerned.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with Denise Gilbey or anyone else fervently supporting the candidate(s) of their choice. But in a great city like Carmel, seemly decorum will always get more engagement than belittling those one is trying to win over.
Mailers, Mailers Mailers
One of the principal arguments used for years by Jim Brainard in promoting construction of roundabouts is how they cut down on pollutants otherwise emitted by vehicles idling in-queue at traffic lights and signs.
However, the environmental impact of each mass-mailing of a single glossy full-color postal card to Carmel’s more than 33,000 households is estimated to exceed the annual environmental impact of a lighted intersection when production of the paper and inks, printing of the mail piece and transportation via fossil fuel-powered vehicles between printer, mass-mailer and to the post office are factored in – not to mention delivery of the mail piece to each Carmel household. By latest count, at least five such mail pieces have been sent by the mayor’s campaign itself, plus an additional one on his behalf from Carmel’s local public safety unions and another promoting pro-Brainard incumbent councilors seeking re-election. This does not count other mailings by Brainard’s campaign or on his behalf between now and next Tuesday.
The result so far has been to negate any potential environmental benefit from seven multi-million-dollar roundabouts (and counting). So much for Jim Brainard promoting himself as a steward of sustainability and environmental conservation.
Set aside the propaganda. Ask the hard questions of all candidates. Then — most importantly — cast an informed vote on May 7th.
Brought to you by our friends at Essayists of Carmel, Indiana
