Op-ed by Peter Children of Mason City –
You can’t build a reputation overnight, it takes years to lay the foundations that will define you as you travel life’s path. Traits and nuances that were totally of your own making will cover you like a second skin as you move through the years. In the words of Omar Khayyam, the 11th century philosopher who wrote the Rubaivat: “I myself am both heaven and hell.” In those few words he was able to sum up everyone who ever lived… including you, supervisor.
The perceptions that define Supervisor Jay Urdhal in our community were not fabricated, on the contrary, they were honed and implemented by himself after years of leaching off others… many of whom had far less means then he. As an aftermath to the infamous luncheon that took place at Mason City’s premier dining spot, Chop, between Todd $ Blodgett, Urdhal and Phil Dougherty… it has since been reported that only Dougherty has since sent a check to his benefactor, in the amount of $20.00 to cover his share. To Urdhal this would be considered an inconceivable act, counterpoint to his very existence… unthinkable.
Six full terms and starting the seventh without one single accomplishment that he could identify or point to as existing solely due to his effort. To all who disagree, point it out, tell me what it is and where it is… does anyone know? The mere fact that this man could be re-elected time and time again speaks volumes about our community, and it’s not something to be proud of.
As much as this article is about a parasite, it is also a lesson to this city and county as to the consequences of not voting. As much as Urdahl has gerrymandered the map, he still would have lost if more people had taken the time to vote. Urdhal is not unique in himself… there are clones of him in every city across the country. Will he stop this practice? No, because he can’t… there are no pills or treatments that offer a cure to what he suffers from. He will be this way until he one day goes into the ground, and even then he will try and get someone else to pay……. He could transfer any assets he may have, become indigent, then the county would pay…now ask yourself…….why would that be any different than it is now?
Peter Children
51 thoughts on “Op-ed: Private Thoughts Made Public (by Peter Children)”
Nobody ever did nothing to stop Blodgett when he misrepresented us down in Does Moines, and nobody does nothing now. He keeps buying the elections of these two, and people just keep on ignoring it. Might say we have got what we deserve?
Sorry, Des Moines. My bad.
Problem is, a lot of people LIKE what they got. We all know the middle class doesn’t have a strong enough voice yet. But we’re getting there. Baby Boomers, unite!!!
@ Just… our problem is we middle class keeps getting squeezed, not enough realizes we are being played for fools. Gary Blodgett and his rich Republitards keep buying Urdahls way back in, now doc went and helped Dougherty so Phil owes him to. Ok now how can you beat that.
Don’t like your Supervisor then go knocking on doors, donate money, make telephone calls, rally your friends and maybe even some of your perceived enemies and change it.
The last time I checked the candidate with most votes wins.
dont you mean the most MONEY
Ya right citizenship do you even know what your talking about. Urdahl has got better than 20 grand in his account thanks to Gary Blodgett his rightwing nutbag Sugar Daddy. Doc’s nazi son Todd the crackhead buys Jay all these free fancy lunches, who knows what else? The junkie Republitard introduce him to all these One Percent people that would of never gave Urdahl the time of day other wise. If things gets sticky for Jay and Phil why old Doc just pulls out his checkbook, Gary just buy’s a fresh new batch of even more letters go out in the mail to register Republitards tells them vote for his lackey’s. I helped Mike Dunn and Joe Lapoint when they run against Gary Blodgett, he plays for keeps. It is democracy for the few, that is just how old doc wants it.
I am dissappointed with all the personal attacks against anyone’s family. going after jay’s deceased family members, really? Seems to me a few weeks ago someone took a pot shot at Matt’s family and that was going to far. Double Standard and biased. Let’s stick to the issues folks. Debate the facts, keep the families out of it.
hey Joe maybe you can pay the fines we got from when Urdahl did our taxes plus the interest. Maybe you can spend a couple weeks go around town and make it right with all the businesses got ripped off by Rodney and Mike Urdahl. When somebody cheats on their taxes, we all end up having to pay don’t we. You must of not been a victim of the sleazey Urdahls were you. Until you have had it done to you then you got no idea. Better shut up on this, you don’t know what this family of greedy liars put lots of us thru.
Put me down for some of that, my late husband did some work on a truck Rodney Urdahl bought for his dead beat son Mike. Check bounced. He seen Rodney, never got paid a nickel. Tried to go after Mike Urdahl but he filed bankrupt, just like his old man done. This was about 20 years ago. Since the Blodgets are giving all this money to Jay and Phil do you think I can maybe get them to give me some, I sure can use it now.
So let’s make sure that we have this correct. If someone’s dead family members have cheated you out of money, it’s ok to go after them, other than that dead family members are off limits. Is that what you want us to believe?
It’s not about relative, we gave JFK credit for not being his old man (bootlegger). Kay is not perfect, but keep family out of it. Matt, speak up. This was your soap box a few weeks ago. Changed your mind now? Remember when your family was targeted. It’s wrong every day, every way, lets stick to the facts ladies
Jay is a career politician. Always has been. Would love to see his voting record as a county supervisor on important stuff shared here to everyone could see the actual facts.
@ Hacker. Jay loves bragging on how he has got in good with rich people that have important contacts. He sucks up to his sugar daddy Gary Blodgett and doc’s rich azz hole buddys. Then old doc gets his one % friends give Jay the big bucks. Would not of surprised me if Gary’s Nazi son was slipping money under the table to Jay and Phil, when this lunch happened. It don’t matter if it is drug dealers or crooked politicians, Republitards pays them off.
Jay Urdahl is probably the cheapest person in M.C. or Cerro Gordo County. He makes big bucks at his regular job and then big bucks at his supervisor job. Why do people keep electing him? His father was a crook and died owing many many persons and business in M.C. Jay would “pinch a penny ’til it hollered”. I’ll bet he never has a penny on him at any time. He is a moocher and a leach.
@ Senior Native. You are right. Urdahl’s dad Rodney was convicted of tax fraud about 30 years ago, couldn’t even vote for his own son because of it. Felony. Old man Urdahl and Jay’s brother cheated lots of folks around MC, that’s why Mike Urdahl still don’t come back here much. Too many people he stiffed are still around. Jay latches on to any body he figures can help him, specially if they have lots of money. Just a damn shame Gary Blodgett has more money then brains because he buy’s elections for Jay.
@North Adams-I’m sorry to sat that I have heard the same things about Urdahl and his family. None of it good, but he keeps getting elected. We need term limits.
We lived down the street from Rodney and Veronica, Jay’s folks, for 20 years. They were not nice. Rodney did our taxes until he got nailed by the IRS for cheating on his taxes. I believe he went to prison for a while, then come home and died. Veronica Jay’s mom, was crazy as a loon and mean as the dickens. Urdahls loved money more than anything, just like their greedy son. I have always admired Dr. and Mrs. Blodgett, they have done lots of good things for Mason. Why Gary associates with Jay Urdahl is a crazy puzzle. I think maybe their drug addict son is the reason.
I’m glad some of you are catching on that Bookmeyer and his rodents are not the ones actually running this city, its the Bridgett’s!
(Blodgett’s)
Something is fishy here. Urdahl is an hourly UPS part-timer, a Teamster, and a Democrat that had Obama signs in his yard. Gary Blodgett is about as conservative as any Republican can be and still serve in public office. So why has Dr. Blodgett bankrolled all of Jay’s races, lined up his rich, right wing GOP friends to write big checks to Urdahl’s campaigns, and paid to mail letters to every Republican in Phil’s district to make sure Dougherty’s Republican opponent lost?
There is one thing that escapes me. None of us have yet to see any solid proof that Todd Blodgett was involved in this what so ever! All we have is speculation and hearsay!!
Those who work at Chop tend to work with their eyes open
Then let these “open eyed” workers at Chop bring forth concrete proof that Todd Blodgett was involved. That is if they can.
You want PROOF? That’s crazy talk on this site. All most of the posters spew is gossip, innuendo,speculation,2nd and 3rd hand information and slanted “TRUTH”.
Proof already provided. The waitress who served them made a statement on the comment thread of the original story. It is still up, name she posted under is Michelle.
Unverified user on a blog? Sounds rock solid.
Jay’s votes aren’t all that Gary Blodgett has bought over the years. He bought his own election. How else can a far rightwingnutcase get elected to represent Mason City? Gary also bought two of his children their jobs in the White House, and made huge donations to the national Republicans in Washington DC. Bush rewarded him with his position out there. But since not enough people care, this fascist nutcase runs our supervisors. Nice work, idiots.
@ Laker… who are you calling idiots? It’s not like you’re the only one that is onto Urdah’s greed, and Blodgett’s control over this corrupt political hack. Step off your high horse, will you?
If Urdahl runs again maybe Blodgett will get his druggie kid to organize his fellow addicts for the re-election. They can call it Junkies for Jay.
This comment should be removed. Totally unnecessary without merit!!!
Urdahl is scum Blodgett is dumb too waste money on him, them two deserves each other.
Hard to believe the Blodgett’s would blow their hard-earned cash on a can-grubbing mental case like Jay Urdahl. The man needs to be in a straight jacket, not calling the shots at the courthouse.
Wrong only shots urdahl calls at the court house is what he tells his rubber stamp Phil to do. Jay does what ever old doc tells him to. Blodgett knows this, thats why he spent all that money last fall to flood the County with mail he sent out to every register republican, said vote for Phil. Chris Watts would of beat Dougherty if it would of not been for those Blodgett letters, Gary made sure his phony D’s stays in.
Maybe somebody can tell me why Dr. Blodgett gives a wit about Jay Urdahl???? Don’t this old Republitard have better things to do with his time then give all that money to the two idiots over at the Courthouse. And line up even more money for the nincapoops from his fellow high rollers??? People need to know about this.
@ real Democrat: never have liked Urdahl, won’t ever vote for the crook. Don’t know the Blodgetts, but heard they’re extreme right-wingers. But are you saying Dr. B’s adult son needs to get his dad’s approval to buy Urdahl lunch?
Must be nice to have a sugar daddy that buys your votes and pad’s what you make loading UPS trucks part time. Gary Blodgett needs to move to Florida or some place where he won’t make working people pay for his lackeys.
Let me start this off by saying I’m not a big JU fan.Unfortunately what Peter describes is the definition of the ultimate politician. 7 terms,no REAL skeletons, a good primary job, nice wife and kids and respect from other leaders. What has he done? What has any elected official done lately that is SPECIAL other than spend taxpayers money. Max, Don and Jeff will have the Streetscape legacy hung around their necks. In this day and age it’s not what you done it’s what you have NOT done.Jay is pretty darn good at not doing anything.
@Reggie-as I recall and I do, Don and Jeff were the two that voted against the whorehouse and the streetscape. Max was against it before he was for it but was the swing vote when he turned into a turncoat and changed his mind. If you are going to hang that crap on anyone hang it on Bang, Tornquist and Hickey with the Chamber as the big pusher with of course Marinos in the background. But, they are all city council people and I know of no one on the council that has been elected for as many terms as the supervisors. Not comparing apples to apples here.
Max lost the coin flip. Don and Jeff only voted against it because they knew Max was going to vote for it and it was going to pass. Those 3 were in total agreement.
@Reggie-Bull Crap-I know Don and Jeff personally and I was involved very deeply In the issue when this all went down. Don and Jeff were not good buddy’s with Max.
LVS, you know the saying” Politics make strange bedfellows”. This was a prime example but also the micro enterprise vote boycott. Don and Jeff did dislike Max at one time but when Leonard was defeated they were outnumbered 3 to 2 and needed Max.
@ Reggie – your right, Jay is darn good at doing nothing. Nothing at all. That is why Gary Blodgett gives him big bucks to stay right where he is at. Then old Doc raises him even more every time from his fellow One Percenters. Let’s his Nazi son buy Jay these free fancy meals ect. Jay don’t give a rat’s about nobody but Jay. Except for maybe his rightwing nut benefactor old Doc that put him in there and keeps him there.
Someone voted for the clown and it wasn’t me. Term limits are the only way to keep people like this from buying the election.
I will second this idea! Two term limit, period.
While I can’t get my skirt in an uproar over a $20.00 bowl of soup at Chop’s, I can over the fact that the media lies to the voters, the politicians lie to the voters, and the voters have lost control of their government. (AT EVERY LEVEL)
Your 11th century philosopher Omar Kayyham defined the problem clearly, “I myself am both heaven and hell.”
I no longer consider it apathy. I believe the country is depressed and without hope because the people have no control, even in the voting booth. What you vote on isn’t even true, so what is the point.
Your philosopher Omar Kayyham promoted the problem. “I myself am both heaven and hell.”
When man gets over the notion they are “god”, they will stop lying and coveting.
FYI: coveting is the desire for unjust acquisition of another’s goods. Urdahl just desired that bowl of free soup!
Matt and Peter. I am interested the follow up story from the ombudsman. What were the results? People would really like to know what you found out.
That’s a good point. They hyped up the fact that the ombudsmen was contacted, but then you don’t hear a thing about it on this site. What’s the deal?
From the op-ed:
Six full terms and starting the seventh without one single accomplishment that he could identify or point to as existing solely due to his effort.
On the other hand, what has Mr. Urdahl done that is bad?
Just saying.
He accepted wages for what? In some circles it’s called indrict theft.
Jokes, all of em.