Gregg Behr nicks Ronald Reagan, saying it is morning in Pgh. The story we tell -- it is time to morn

Pop City, flush after an fine wine and cheese party at the North Side's New Hazlet Theater two nights ago, is talking whine and cheese like few others.

Pop City - Gregg Behr: The Stories We Tell OurselvesRemember when President Reagan declared it to be morning in America? Well, it's morning in Pittsburgh.

Gregg is a well heeled foundation type.

I morn for a few reasons.

America's political system depends upon debate and competition. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's mayor has no time for debate. He fills his schedule with quickies in the community that is hardly an opening statement and uses the chief of police, director of parks, staffers and public works supervisors as pawns.

The mayor, like the boss of the political party of the Dems, have a lot of work to do. It is morning alright. They need to wake up. They need to do the right things at the right time.

We are just a month before election day and I want 30 debates, not three -- or NONE.

Morning in the city could come in January 2008 after Luke Ravenstahl departs Grant Street.

Morning could come after Pittsburgh's voters elect people from outside the Democratic party for Mayor, Controller, and with three different districts in city council.

Pittsburgh is hell with the lid off -- because we have a lot of smoke. We have people who want to be cloaked by smoke. We have people who want to breeze in and sail out of meetings without accountability and go forward, depending upon the way the wind blows.

The myth lives on because the political players of this town are not trustworthy.

It is demoralizing to have NO DEBATES. Ours is a placed marked by economic downtrun, dislocation and discouragement because our political landscape carries the same traits. The political elite want it that way. By design, they aim to fool and sustain their folly.

From people & vips

Pittsburgh is roboburgh as too many of the voters act like robots and only pull the party line. Pittsburgh is "green" in its buildings and bricks and hardware -- but not software nor politics nor actions against corporate welfare, a central green party plank. Pittsburgh's knowledge town works if you look at the ivory tower, the flood of studies and analysis, and the sterile operating rooms. Too bad they can't perform some type of magical organ transplants for our culture of community engagement.

Pittsburgh citizens lack the knowledge of where our city stands in terms of its finances. The people are not told. The tools for self monitoring are absent. The story is not being told because those in power want to inject self-doubt to everyday citizens -- keeping the power and upper hand for themselves.

The stories that we tell ourselves do frame who we are and where we are going. Sadly, guys like Michael Lamb and Bruce Kraus want to be controller and on council, yet they do NOT want to say anything or do anything. So, we are not going to go anywhere. They want to get the job. They want to coast. They want to have dislocation.

I don't think all of us need to be those 'great communicators.' But, the leaders need to be that way in times of crisis.