There are any number of ways to wreck how we talk about local government. Bringing the totalizing nature of political demagogues into the conversation is a great way to do precisely that.
The people we elect to run the government don’t. Only a tiny few of them know who does. The parties are shiny objects deployed by those with real power to keep the rest of us busy and distracted.
Wanna know who really runs the government? The county administrator / city manager runs your government, sets the budget, sets the priorities... and whomever that person listens to runs your county.
Holdovers of the old Byrd Machine in Virginia. Doesn't take much magic to find out who really runs your local government.
The people we elect to run the government don’t. Only a tiny few of them know who does. The parties are shiny objects deployed by those with real power to keep the rest of us busy and distracted.
Wanna know who really runs the government? The county administrator / city manager runs your government, sets the budget, sets the priorities... and whomever that person listens to runs your county.
Holdovers of the old Byrd Machine in Virginia. Doesn't take much magic to find out who really runs your local government.