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September 29, 2006
BrooklynSpeaks, But Did They Think First?
OnNYTurf analyzes the BrooklynSpeaks.net web site and tries to figure out the group's strategy:
Overall it is inescapable to conclude that the BrooklynSpeaks effort seems to be taking a go-it-alone tack. But it is odd that they have chosen this road this late in the game; and in days since the site launch they have not said anything to bring themselves closer to the existing opposition. So why choose this path? What is the possible strategic advantage?
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My first observation on this is that, if the MAS/BS felt it could not win on fighting eminent domain and the very process by which this farce started, it certainly could have fought just the scale aspect without so publicly breaking itself off from the existing opposition. Since they have not replied to my emails for comment, I will have to continue to imagine their response. One possible response might be that they wanted to do the public letter righting campaign, which they are hosting on their site, to buttress their clout. And to do that they needed public principles. But let's consider this. What does the public letter writing campaign achieve? It lets public officials know that people think the project is too large. Well, duh, this is not news. Even Marty Markowitz and David Yassky read the writing on the wall a long time ago about public opposition to the scale of this project. So the MAS/BS did not need a new display of public opposition to scale to buttress whatever negotiating power they perceive they have. Why else then? I can't think of one. It is hard to imagine another reason why they have gone public with this division. I can not see any reason for it. I can not see that there is anything strategically to be gained, only confusion to be sown among people still learning about the project (and there are, crazy as that may sound to you reader), and a free card now for Bruce Rather to play.
Posted by lumi at September 29, 2006 8:08 AM