Debate counterpoint?

[pbwalker]

I have a good friend running for a city council seat outside of TX. He's only lived in the city for a year or so, but it a super sharp guy and knows his stuff. He knows I'm a political nerd, and pinged me regarding one talking point he feels he's losing ground on. It's valid, but he's looking for a good way to address it.

It's the fact that he's essentially a new resident.

How can one counter that point? It's valid and one I'd bring up too if I was running against him. I honestly have no idea how one could counter this aside from going off of existing accomplishments and how you would leverage these successes to benefit the city.

Any thoughts?

[OldCannon]

Well, being a new resident running for office isn't much different from opening a new business. You see a need in your community and take steps to fill it where others won't (or where others are poorly serving their community). While the roots may not be as deep, the commitment, and the will to take a risk, is.

On the other hand, if he talks with a Chicago or New Yorker accent, God help him.

[The Annoyed Man]

I have a good friend running for a city council seat outside of TX. He's only lived in the city for a year or so, but it a super sharp guy and knows his stuff. He knows I'm a political nerd, and pinged me regarding one talking point he feels he's losing ground on. It's valid, but he's looking for a good way to address it.

It's the fact that he's essentially a new resident.

How can one counter that point? It's valid and one I'd bring up too if I was running against him. I honestly have no idea how one could counter this aside from going off of existing accomplishments and how you would leverage these successes to benefit the city.

Any thoughts?

The Answer: "It's irrelevant. Nobody else is running who is addressing the issues properly, and they need to be addressed. Unless somebody else wants to step up and do it, it's a dirty job but it has to be done. My worthy opponent has lived here all his life, and he's done a terrible job. It doesn't take a long time resident to see that. You want him to continue doing a terrible job? I don't. I may not have lived here as long some, but I have to live here too just like the rest of you. That's why I'm running."

[RoyGBiv]

There are other council members with plenty of "local" knowledge. Any such local knowledge he needs will be well represented by those other council members. As a newcomer, he brings a fresh perspective, not biased by "the way it's always been done around here".

In public service, as in business, the new guy's perspective is quite valuable.

[MolonLabe]

It's the fact that he's essentially a new resident.
How can one counter that point? It's valid and one I'd bring up too if I was running against him. I honestly have no idea how one could counter this aside from going off of existing accomplishments and how you would leverage these successes to benefit the city.
Any thoughts?

Did he move there because he finds the values and politics of his new hometown to be lining up with his own and simply wants to help improve things? If so, he can bring the message of how he chose to live there and wants to serve the community by improving the very things that the local citizen's would like to see happen, to preserve their morals and traditions....the ones that made him want to be part of the community in the first place.
Or is he one of those out of staters that roll into town and want to turn everything into a more "growth and change" type of place? Then I hope they eat him alive.

[fickman]

If reform is needed, being new is an advantage.

He's got a fresh perspective.

He'll bring his knowledge and experience of things that benefited other communities and help to bolster this one.

He can ask questions about the status quo and look for new, more efficient, and better ways of doing things.

He's bringing energy, excitement, and passion.

He could've moved anywhere, and after all of his time and research, he CHOSE to live in this community. . . because of x, y, and z which make it so great. Now he wants to be a part, pitch in and serve it - using his experience and talent to keep it great or make it greater.

He's been in other communities and learned from what he saw and experience there. He knows the traps that they fell into and the creative ideas he saw them embrace.

[glockstero]

Need more info. What brought him to the area? Where is he from? Career democrat carpetbagger politician Nick Lampson keeps moving to areas he thinks he can win rather than running for office becasue a sense of community. People see right through it.

[RPB]

A house full of people may live in a house for years and years and not notice that cobweb in the corner than needs cleaning, or that squeaky door hinge, fresh eyes and ears are valuable, like proofreaders are to newspapers/magazines.
Fresh eyes are valuable

Lookin' through new eyes
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