Is this Rancho Cordova City Councilmember visionary or delusional - JFK or Morgenthau?
Speaking of Morgenthau, Truman reportedly said he was a "block head, nut" who "didn't know shit from apple butter."
A visionary politician can do extraordinary things.Think of President John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge to American society, science, and technology to put a person on the moon and safely return them to Earth by the end of the decade. Had JKF not made that challenge, which he sadly did not live to see, would we have made that tremendous technological leap in just eight years, one month, and six days?
Probably not.
Likewise, for every visionary idea, there are politicians and policymakers whose vision is delusional. An obscure example came from U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr. in the final days of WWII.
Although Morgenthau was instrumental in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal, he conjured an idea now considered delusional and dangerous. The so-called Morgenthau Plan would have de-industrialized post-Nazi Germany into an agrarian economy.
Instead of the Morgenthau Plan, President Harry Truman implemented the Marshall Plan. That plan led to a stable and prosperous post-WWII Western Europe.
After FDR's death, Morgenthau resigned from the Truman administration. Speaking of Morgenthau, Truman reportedly said he was a "block head, nut" who "didn't know shit from apple butter."
More recently, President Donald Trump floated the idea to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and develop the area into a tourist resort. Many have characterized the idea as delusional and dangerous.
This discussion of visionary or delusional brings us to a Rancho Cordova City Council member. During their most recent meeting, Councilmember Garrett Gatewood had attention-grabbing proposals.
As you can see in the video posted below, Gatewood has grand ideas for the city of Rancho Cordova. The ideas conveyed during the April 7 meeting include the following:
- Forming a new school district for Rancho Cordova (0:10 on video)
- Recruit a professional sports team (1:09)
- Wrest control of Mather Airport from Sacramento County (1:29)
- Wants to retain money sent to Sacramento County for homelessness programs (3:16)
Mr. Gatewood's ideas could be bold and visionary depending on your perspective or just plain delusional. On the delusional side is the recruitment of a professional sports team. The Sacramento area, including Elk Grove, is littered with failed attempts to recruit professional sports teams of significance to the region.
Does Rancho Cordova really want to battle Sacramento County to control Mather Airport? It will be interesting to see if Mr. Gatewood's ideas come to fruition in the coming years or if they are delusions of another self-important politician.
Will Mr. Gatewood be a JFK or a Morgenthau?
