Setting traps

There are some times when no response is the best response. A short while ago Phil GiaQuinta called for the firing of BMV director Silverman. Last week Kevin Howell had a letter to the editor calling his opponent's comments a knee-jerk reaction that didn't address the issue.

Kevin missed the point of Phil's comments. People in the 80th are unhappy with Silverman's decision to move the Southgate branch out of their area. He was playing on the voter's emotions for support.

It also backed Kevin Howell into a corner on the issue. It created a trap in which he couldn't win. He could have either a) given no response and let GiaQuinta have the emotions response from voters. or b) respond in defense of Silverman and catch the potential wrath of the emotions that put voters in Giaquinta' corner. Howell should have went with choice a instead of choice b.

It would have been a different situation had Phil actually been an incumbent who was in a position to make things actually happen on the issue. But as the seat is open no response would have been better than responding against the emotional tide of the voter.