editor's note

Walking Through Minefields

At Ingram's we have been known to take the occasional stroll through the minefields of public opinion. Our job is to unearth an explosive story before it blows up in some innocent's face and hope that it doesn't blow up in ours.

Among the most volatile fields of concern in Kansas City is the one that runs up and down State Line. Our challenge was to report honestly on the sensitive issue of interstate competition without aggravating the tensions that exist. In this, I think we have succeeded.

What we have discovered is that there is a value to both competition and cooperation between parties. That the Kansas City area has managed to do both with some degree of civility is a testament to the generally good character of the bi-state business community. It is also a tribute to the powers of that "unseen hand" known as the profit motive that somehow guides the decision making process.

In some ways, the line between the states resembles the "aisle" between the political parties - also discussed in this issue. Sometimes the Economic Development professionals work against their foes on the other side of the line. Sometimes they embrace the spirit of bi-partisanship. The balance is never easy to strike.

There is one area of resemblance that we think problematic. Many ED professionals depend on the victory of their party to retain their positions. The sudden departure of an ED team or ED leadership can destroy competitive momentum and undo much good work. There are many significant ED successes that Missouri and Kansas alike have enjoyed in recent years, and it appears that development conditions are very strong.

It would be a refreshing chance of pace if an incoming administration were to evaluate the accomplishments of an ED department on its own merits. The administration could then retain or dismiss staffers based on the quality of their work, not on the nature of their politics. The implementation of ED efforts on a state level may be better served through a private corporation than through political process, but why complain . . . life is good. It would be welcome too if the campaigns were rooted in real information, openly discussed. Were this the case, the winning party would usually be the one that deserved to win, the party that best shepherded the state's resources and honored its traditions.

Don't hold your breath. Political ad campaigns, like those for most any commercial product, are aimed at those folks who don't easily make up their mind, the ones most likely to be scared or bribed or cajoled by shiny promises. The only sane way to change this dynamic is to educate the voter, and that does not seem imminent in a country whose students think the Bill of Rights is something a waitress hands you at the end of a meal.

Onwards and upwards. We'll continue to do our best to shed light on things, and we depend on you to tell us where that light should shine. In the meantime, we'll watch where we walk.

Joe Sweeney

Editor-In-Chief & Publisher