Question 14: Why Shouldn't The Membership Vote For You?

Randy Petersen · Nov 8, 06, 4:45 am

This question submitted by chexfan:
First of all I would like to thank you for your decision to help FlyerTalk in running for a seat on the TalkBoard. It's easy to say why people should vote for you, but let's turn the tables... why shouldn't the FT membership vote for you?

Dovster · Nov 8, 06, 5:08 am

They should not vote for me if:

** They want someone who will always tell Randy what he knows Randy wants to hear.

** Conversely, they should not vote for me if they want somebody who will always rebel and look for chances to oppose Randy.

** They want someone who feels that TalkBoard should restrict itself to creating forums and not get involved in other issues which could improve FlyerTalk.

** They should not vote for me if they want FlyerTalk to remain where it is.

** They should not vote for me if they feel that "copious" proof should be required for a new forum's approval, instead of the best judgement of TalkBoard members.

bhatnasx · Nov 8, 06, 5:33 am

They shouldn't vote for me if they believe someone else would be a better candidate.

That's it.

I've got no skeletons in my closet and I will do my best to represent the members.

**Jenbel** · Nov 8, 06, 6:59 am

They shouldn't vote for me if they want to see TB become a place which rules rather than serves - where the control of TB is increased beyond its current remit. I'm afraid I have no delusions of grandeur – just a strong desire to try and help make something which works well, work a little better.

People should also not vote for me if they’re expecting a puppet member who’s easily led or convinced by others – I am too strong willed and secure in my own opinions to be easily swayed by others unless they can make strong, compelling and sound arguments.

Don’t vote for me if you’re expecting a one-trick or one issue pony – I don’t confine myself to just one forum or one thread, I gad about the boards quite freely which is why I feel I know them well enough to properly sit on TB, and there is much more of interest to me than how the boards are moderated

Oh and finally, don't vote for me if you want FT to be a sheep-free zone. But quite frankly, who would want that?!

RichMSN · Nov 8, 06, 7:40 am

I will try to answer this as a question, rather than one where I say that you shouldn't vote for me if you don't support my campaign goals and promises.

You shouldn't vote for me if:

-- You think I need to post/follow all of FT to be effective on the board. I participate in about seven forums regularly. I know this will likely hurt me when it comes time to vote, but I use MyFlyertalk and have only subscribed to the forums I really like. When I have more time I hope to check out more forums, but that hasn't happened yet. I will say two of the boards I follow are TB Topics and ORP (when it's not hiding), and that's mainly because I have always had a keen interest in the direction of FlyerTalk.

-- You think I need 20,000 posts to be a good TB member. I don't think this is the case, even though I do think TB candidates should need a certain number of posts in order to be viable candidates.

-- You hold anything I post in OMNI against me. Depending on the topic, I could be described as an OMNICon or an OMNIlib. In fact, I'm neither, and I participate in the political forums mainly for fun.

-- You think hosting a DO or doing things in person with FTers is crucial to my success as a candidate. It's something I would like to do in the future, but I just haven't found the right opportunity yet. (Besides, who'd come to a MSN DO?) I have a fairly recent addition to my family and am quite busy with work travel and with the sports officiating I do in my community when I'm not traveling.

-- You think TB should take over the world. Wait, I would probably try to accomplish that, mainly for my own personal gain.

empedocles · Nov 8, 06, 8:47 am

If you are looking for someone who steals candy from babies, don't vote for me. I don't do that. Actually, I suspect you will not find anyone who does that among the current crop of TalkBoard candidates, as when last I checked C. Montgomery Burns isn't running.

If you want a TalkBoard member who doesn't stay bought, don't vote for me. Although I will warn you, gentle reader, that I prefer my bags of cash to contain nothing larger than $20 bills. It is too hard to find a store that will make change for those pesky $50s, $100s, $500s, and $1,000s.

On a more serious note, many people might see a position on TalkBoard as a position of power or influence. In such a case, let us examine my viewpoint on power.
I've been using this quote for years:

Leadership is not about personal privilege or power.
The duty of the leader is to serve the needs of those who are led.
-Jan Erteszek

I cannot recall where I found this, but I have been using it since my undergraduate days. I also have no idea if the late Jan Erteszek actually said it, but that is to whom it was attributed.

I firmly believe in this quote. Leadership is about empowering one's subordinates to do their very best. In the case of political leadership, it is about listening to one's constituency and acting in their best interests. That, dear readers, is what I intend to do on TalkBoard; act in the best interests of the FlyerTalk community. I'm not in it for the perks (as if there are any...

). In other words, if you are looking for a power monger, do not vote for me.

jason8612 · Nov 8, 06, 9:30 am

You shouldn’t vote for me if:
- You need someone with years and years as a member. I joined a year ago, but quickly grew into the community.
- A DO host. As RichMSN stated also, I have looked into hosting a DO event, but just don’t have the time right now. Maybe one day.
- They need a rebel
- They don’t want their ideas heard.

kokonutz · Nov 8, 06, 12:42 pm

Dont vote for me if you truly believe that fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, because it is the only way I know how.

Here are some of my "negatives" that voters should seriously consider:

- I have been an agitator all my life. I cant help it, I have to call things like I see them and when something doesnt seem right to me I simply cant keep my fat trap shut about it. This makes me insufferable much of the time.

- I dont take FT as seriously as a lot of people seem to. IJAFIBB. Do I care about it? Obviously. At the end of the day, does it REALLY matter? Not really.

- I care more about having fun than I do about points and miles...both here and in real life.

- I've been suspended at least a couple of times for posting curse words and rants against overly-picky moderators. I've also had tons of posts either edited or deleted by moderators and supermoderators, including my announcement that I was running for TB which was amended or deleted like 5 or 6 times!

I also deviously used a first letter code to post rants about moderation which was finally discovered by a very clever moderator.

- I think chexfan is dead sexy. If that is not a character flaw then I dont know what one is.

empedocles · Nov 8, 06, 12:46 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kokonutz

- I think chexfan is dead sexy. If that is not a character flaw then I dont know what one is.

I see you just lost chex's vote...

kokonutz · Nov 8, 06, 12:59 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by empedocles

I see you just lost chex's vote...

Yeah, but it is going to take me a looooooong time to alienate all of Flyertalk doing it one member at a time. I need to go back to alienating large groups of folks....

hfly · Nov 8, 06, 3:01 pm

You shouldn't vote for me if you want someone who foo foos around and is not direct and to the point. In otherwords I do not put up with idiocy and bs.

**wharvey** · Nov 8, 06, 3:29 pm

Dont vote for me if:

You want someone who will not take the position seriously.

You want someone who does not regulary participate in TB discussions.

You want someone who has violated the TOS.

You want someone who does not take decisions in the best interest of the community.

You want to give me a break...

opus17 · Nov 8, 06, 4:18 pm

You shouldn't vote for me, because, as a candidate I have too much baggage.

Much of which is going right in the overhead bin. Over your seat.

Radioman · Nov 8, 06, 5:05 pm

Hi,

I will let the membership decide by my actions within this debate/discussion and other FlyerTalk postings as to why they should not vote for me.

Apart from that I would be here all night listing my faults

. Better still I will give you my wifes email address and she can list them.

Regards
John

**Spiff** · Nov 8, 06, 5:28 pm

Members should not vote for me if they disagree with the positions I've listed in my bio.

They should also not vote for me if they think that TalkBoard members can bring peace to the Middle East, diffuse the situation in North Korea, or understand Delta's logic for not pre-assigning exit row seats to elite members on international 777 flights.