Kai's way
Frederick News Post columnWednesday, August 23, 2006
By Joe Volz
Kai Hagen, a neophyte Democratic candidate for county commissioner, has managed to collect $27,000 in campaign funds by doing it the old fashioned way.
He's getting contributions from average people. You know, those civic-minded voters who do not stand to make big profits if their candidate gets elected.
The special interest folks, mainly developers, aren't going to vote for Kai, a smart growther, anyhow, but it is refreshing to see a candidate who doesn't depend on their campaign cash like Commissioner Mike Cady (R) does. Mike's list of campaign contributors reads like a who's who of builders.
You wonder why Mike, whose slogan is "Cady Can," needs all that cash anyhow. He is well known. You would think all he would have to do is put up a few signs like Lennie Thompson does. Lennie's slogan is: "If the developers win, you lose."
So, it is understandable why Lennie doesn't get any campaign cash from the construction crowd. His dear old dad chips in handsomely, though.
Kai's family has shown its family loyalty by contributing $2,000 to the Hagen campaign but there is nothing wrong with that. You like to help the kinfolk.
And Lennie is so well known that he could run a campaign with just dad's dough. But Kai, who has never been elected to anything, needs to get his name out. So we will see if he is able to get elected without big special interest cash. The test will be if he wins or not.
Most politicians turn to that late great football coach, Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, for philosophical advice. Vince once said, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."
Kai says, "I am extremely grateful to the more than 200 people from all over the county who have already contributed to our campaign. People are really motivated to do what it takes to make sure this election brings a meaningful change."
Kai is really working his heart out going to meetings and rallies and, of course, he is a fanatic about attending board of county commissioners meetings. He has been doing that for years. Somebody ought to pay him for inflicting such cruel and unusual punishment on himself. Anyone who has tuned into the county station, Channel 19, knows that the gang at Winchester Hall hardly puts on a very dramatic show -- except when Mike Cady does something sensational.
Maybe, Kai has caught the verbosity disease that punctuates some of those county meetings. Kai never says something in 10 words when 100 will do. He is aware that he is a bit long-winded and is working on that. Maybe he ought to sign up for Toastmasters International meetings. He could easily fit them into his schedule because those folks meet in Frederick at 7 a.m. That's right -- 7 a.m.
Speaking about campaigning, I hate to be a spoilsport but all those signs around town, particularly on U.S. 15, are a bit overwhelming. There is a stretch of highway down around Motter Avenue where it seems like every politician in town -- and dozens of them are running this year -- has put up a sign. It's a wonder we don't have even more traffic accidents on U.S. 15 than usual as motorists slow down to admire the festival of colors.
But the real estate folks still outnumber the candidates for sheer volume of signage. As it gets harder to sell houses, we may see even more signs from them.
WHY I'M VOTING FOR KAI!
Jim and Teresa Gallion
Walkersville
As Kai Hagen showed us around his own little piece of Frederick County it was clear how important the environment is to him. He pointed out where the trilliums pop up in the spring and we watched a beaver who didn’t know he was being watched. We’re lucky to have someone like Kai running for County Commissioner. He is thoughtful and intelligent. He has worked in the county system and understands how government can succeed. Kai wants the best for...
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