Hey Challengers: Be the change.

I posted at Bram's blog some additional reactions of the first mayor candidate debate that was hosted by KDKA TV and is now on the web site there.

As for big box development, Franco Dok Harris said he was against it - then okay with it too.

Kevin Acklin wants to take half of the URA assets and turn the focus to neighborhoods.

Luke Ravenstahl's reply was that the URA already did focus on neighborhoods and small businesess. With the URA question, Luke won that inning.

Challengers needed to score big -- and that could have happened by striving to liquidate the entire URA and turning all of its assets into debt reduction, or more police, or whatever.

The challengers were not really so different.

Likewise, if asked, would you, (as mayor) accept another invite to host a future G-20. All 3 said yes. No difference.

Of course I would NOT choose to host a G-20 so as to have these world bankers meet in secret while our city became a ghost town. I'd offer them a closed wing of the airport at the very best.

The aim and a central purpose of government is to protect freedom. With the G-20, many freedoms were lost. That's progress in the wrong direction.

I'm looking for bold constrasts among the candidates in a debate. Perhaps that will be more evident in the second and third meeting.