The Obnoxious “Mr.P.”

I spent just over an hour at the Market Basket rally in Tewksbury, yesterday. I walked away scratching my head.

If you’ve seen some of the pictures, you’ll know that a very large crowd had congregated around a makeshift stage. The crowd was dense, up front, and scattered out along the fringes. Most certainly, the amount of support coming from customers is gathering steam. If the MB workers are forced back into the stores, the current Board of Directors will unlikely find a return to ‘normal.’ This is the most important take away from this post.

That said, in terms of controlling the narrative, the over-arching message that framed the content of the various speakers to take the stage; this was the most SCHIZOPHRENIC rally I have ever witnessed. (By ‘schizophrenic’ I mean ‘split personality.’ That usage may be a bit dated.)

When the speaking program began, a ‘Master of Ceremonies’ kicked things off. The MC identified himself. I heard him refer to himself as “Mr. P.” Others, later, told me that person is Steve Paulenka; who is a MB executive that is loyal to ATD. It’s not especially important who the MC was to get the gist of this post. The operative words are ‘obnoxious’ and ‘schizophrenic.’

Rally’s are intended to unify a group. The point is to create a common thought, a message, that those gathered can carry away with them. Yesterday, what seemed to be the message being cultivated was “I’m the customer. You can’t fire me. I quit!” The point of such a theme is to pivot from the message that of employee loyalty to ATD to customer loyalty to both ATD and MB employees. This makes perfect sense. If customers boycott the stores, then there is very few options available to the current BOD.

Unfortunately, the personality of the rally’s MC trampled all over the energy being cultivated. Let me explain.

Some of His Friends & ALL of His Enemies

Any popularly elected politician knows the mixed bag associated to providing an endorsement. And, believe you me, when the City Council votes; they will be providing a GRAND endorsement! In the realm of local politics, we have two elected politicians up for the City Manager position: State Rep. Kevin Murphy & former City Councilor George Ramirez.

Which of these guys has more enemies?

Maybe we should call the Councilors ourselves and express how we feel about these candidates. Some of you know these two guys very, VERY well. Yes, do call your favorite Councilors, as opposed to whispering your opinion to me.

If you do that, then the Councilors can pull out their political abacus, and do the math for themselves.

10 rows? Damn abacus is missing a Ward!

Would You Offer Your Throat to the Wolf with the Red Roses?

In the run up to 6p.m. Monday, I'm going to scramble out various counters to the spin swirling in Lowell.

meme noun \ˈmēm\
: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture

The notion that the Council dare not refuse Rep. Murphy's advances, for fear that his wrath will create a barrier between Lowell and the funding levels we desire from Beacon Hill. Further, to defy Murphy, is to defy the station of the Rep's office. Doing so, could infuriate the other members of the delegation, compounding Lowell's fiscal woes.

Let's not refuse to notice the subtext of 'political extortion,' but, moving along ...

This meme, and complicit parallel "logic," depicts Lowell as this:

Self reliance? Pfft.. Gimmie! Gimmie more!

It seems to me that Lowell has done rather well in harvesting bacon from Boston in the last 7 years, with many giving credit, solely, to the delegation.

This happened despite the buzz that the phone lines between Lowell City Hall and Bacon...uh....Beacon Hill were apparently severed. So, now we are supposed to believe that because there will be a State Rep in the corner office there will suddenly be more $$ coming into the city from the state?

Has the delegation been holding back?

Can anyone track the funding channels for the Ameresco Project and the Solar Panels? (I am opening myself to embarrasment here, as I don't know the funding sources.)

It seems to me, what bent the delegations nose out of joint was that Lynch didn't rely on them as the courier. Or worse, he got funding despite their follies on Beacon Hill.

Nangle gave it all away in 2007.

The Ring in Lowell's Nose(Link)

"That's the problem. There is no communication coming out of the city manager's office at all. Bernie is doing what he does best, circumvent everybody. He did it in Chelmsford, and he's doing it now," Nangle said.
-snip

Lynch added that regardless of who was invited where, "I'm sure (Nangle will) continue to do his job on the part of the city and I'll continue to do mine."

I got the sense that Bernie's ego may have made it hard to 'glory share.' A habit that our delegation does by reflex. Certainly, in the early part of his tenure, Lynch was observant to note the Council's partnership in the betterment unfolding. But, then Rodney Elliot opted to wage war and, Lynch pulled back in self defense.

It took two election cycles to stack the Council against Lynch's refusal to play by #lowellrules. But, now the deed is done.

###

I couldn't take it any longer

Lord I was crazed

And when the feeling came upon me

Like a tidal wave

I started swearing to my god and on my mother's grave

That I would love you to the end of time

I swore that I would love you to the end of time!

So now I'm praying for the end of time

To hurry up and arrive

'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you

I don't think that I can really survive

I'll never break my promise or forget my vow

But God only knows what I can do right now

I'm praying for the end of time

It's all that I can do

Praying for the end of time,

So I can end my time with you!!