A Sartorial Question
by Pete WannEditors Note: There’s no way to post this without it seeming partisan, but it’s an interesting question, so I thought I’d throw it out to our readers.
This picture is of State Senator Kim Brimer at the recent “Celebration of Freedom Parade” in Crowley.
(Photo courtesy George Wada)
The shirt he’s wearing has the logo of Odyssey One Source (an HR services outsourcing firm based in Euless).
Now, assuming that a politician’s sole motivation for appearing in a parade is to wave the flag and get some name recognition, was the decision to wear this shirt (of all the MANY, MANY shirts I’m sure he owns) a good one? I hope to goodness it was unintentional, but if it wasn’t, what does this say about his feelings toward “the working guy/gal”?
I suppose I should find it refreshing that a politician nowadays would NOT obsess over every little bit of their public image, but in this case, and particularly in this location (Crowley, a pretty blue-collar town), I must admit that I’m flabbergasted that neither Brimer nor anyone in his entourage would question this choice of apparel.
But enough about me — What do you think?
Tags: crowley, election '08, freedom, Kim Brimer, parades, Politics
23 Comments, Comments or Pings
John Peter Smith
I did a quick look over Odyssey’s website. If you’re thinking that they send American jobs to India I think you’re jumping to the wrong conclusion. I believe what they do is take over managing the payroll/taxes/forms etc. for small and medium sized businesses. The idea is to free the business owner from the headaches and volumes of paperwork that come with having employees and free him up to concentrate on the business. In most cases these outsourcing firms use their size to offer the employees better benefits than their own employer could off as well. There’s nothing anti-blue-collar or anti-worker about it. Lot’s of companies “outsource” their accounting to CPAs there’s nothing wrong with “outsourcing” your HR to someone as well.
Personally I wouldn’t wear anybody’s logo during a campaign. However, I do agree with you that it is kind of refreshing to find a politician that apparently doesn’t obsess over every little bit of their public image,
Jul 17th, 2008
Jonathan
Hence the creation of the word “offshoring” as distinct from “outsourcing”. If you look at their careers page you see that most of their offices are in Texas, and none appear to be in Mumbai.
http://www.odysseyonesource.com/AboutUs/Careers.html
Jul 17th, 2008
Chewy
I think you’d be shocked at the number of small and medium sized businesses that outsource their accounting and personnel items to third party companies. Paychex and Administaff are two big ones as well. Many people don’t actually work for the name of the company on the door. They technically employees of the outsourcing firm.
It’s actually a really good deal as it allows the business owner to focus on running the business rather than dealing with all of the red tape that’s involved with accounting and HR issues. It gives small companies the same economies of scale that big businesses enjoy when it comes to standardized services such as this.
Much to do about nothing which quite honestly I’m beginning to see more and more of on this site. That’s fine if that’s what y’all want to do but I used to think this was a blog about all the great things in Fort Worth. Let the comments ferret out the discussion and I wish y’all would take a more objective approach to what is being posted.
Your site so do what you want but I find myself coming to it less and less each day. Obviously you have the stats that indicate if I’m in the norm or minority.
Jul 17th, 2008
peteg
Hey bro, having worked for and hired the services off a few outsourcing outfits, not sure if I follow your insinuation. I’ve gotten more than a few paychecks from an outsourcing firm. The company I worked for most recently, everything was outsourced, from the payroll to the warehousing. There was a core team that in effect, managed the 3rd party vendors. I mean it is unwise of him to sport any sort of corp logo during a campaign. Like the other commentors have suggested, is this a semantics issue?
Jul 17th, 2008
Chewy
I read the post with an implication that because he’s supporting an outsourcing firm he may or may not care about the working gal or guy in a blue collar town such as Crowley. If there’s no implication, why post that? Why not just ask if it’s a good idea for a politician to wear a logo that migh indicate support of any business and leave it at that?
I hate that politics has become a dissection of every move someone makes or doesn’t make. It should be about the issues and not what someone is wearing.
I’ll be voting for Wendy FYI so I have no bias for Brimer.
Jul 17th, 2008
peteg
@ Chewy–the Hey Bro insinuation business was directed at Pete-Dub
Jul 17th, 2008
fwtacoma
Following Chewy’s tangent, I really enjoy the original direction of the site, when there were a wide variety of Fort Worth issues covered. I whispered in a panther’e ear about the style of Fort Worth in an attempt to start a discourse about that.
As Chewy said, its your site to do whatever you want with, but the culture, life, and attitude that was originally discussed in detail was great. It was nice to have an alternative to the FW Weekly. Now I’m starting to feel like the information is just as biased, but from a different group of writers.
I have been a reader of the site since its inception but I’m starting to waste work time at FortWorthology, Food and Fort Worth and FortWorthHoleInTheWall more often.
Jul 17th, 2008
cozette
I don’t know about the shirt, but he looks remarkably like Rush Limbaugh. He looks pissed to. Maybe he just reached into his pocket and realized he didn’t bring any synthetic heroin with him.
Jul 17th, 2008
deejdaisy
FWTacoma - I’m with you all the way.
On the picture, I believe that a politician should be careful in considering what they wear but I also don’t consider a parade in Crowley to be a huge deal. I think this helps us remember that politicians get free shirts just like the rest of us and even though we might not have run in the Cowtown we’ll sport the shirt if it fits right.
Jul 17th, 2008
Will
Didn’t notice the shirt because I was too disturbed by the cigar that is hanging out of his mouth.
Jul 17th, 2008
John C.
I’m certainly no fan of Brimer and his petty antics, but I have to agree with the other comments posted … The logo on his golf shirt? Seriously? (Especially when the logo refers to a company that does something as innocuous as consolidating back-office functions so small businesses can focus on the bigger picture.) It’s as silly as the Obama flag lapel pin flap — partisan nitpicking indicative of nothing.
And to call that thing jammed between his lips a “cigar” is to do stogies everywhere an injustice … I’m a big fan of “waste not, want not,” but it might be time to toss that soggy nub and break out a new one. Just saying.
Jul 18th, 2008
Pete Wann
Well, my goal was to start a discussion, and that’s certainly happened, but I have to say it went in a direction I didn’t expect.
With regards to the outsourcing/offshoring distinction — I’m glad that y’all know the difference. I doubt “Average Joe” does. Ask a random person on the production line at the GM plan in Arlington about “outsourcing,” and I highly doubt they’re going to say something like: “There’s nothing anti-blue-collar or anti-worker about it. Lot’s of companies “outsource” their accounting to CPAs there’s nothing wrong with “outsourcing” your HR to someone as well.” as our esteemed colleague JPS did.
My point — and I did have one — is that politicians need to take into consideration EVERYONE’S perspective when they make decisions like this. All of you may know and be cool with the difference between outsourcing and offshoring, but that doesn’t mean that EVERYONE is.
Jul 18th, 2008
brandon
Maybe you’re right. Maybe the “Averave Joe” doesn’t know the difference. Maybe he’s ignorant or mis-informed. So your point is that politicians need to take into consideration misinformed/ignorant peoples’ wrong perspectives?
It’s pretty pathetic to play to that, as the original “story” does. You should hold yourself to a higher standard.
Jul 18th, 2008
John C.
Pete,
You said: “My point — and I did have one — is that politicians need to take into consideration EVERYONE’S perspective when they make decisions like this.”
Not to speak for anyone else, but I believe this was Chewy’s exact point when he said: “I hate that politics has become a dissection of every move someone makes or doesn’t make. It should be about the issues and not what someone is wearing.”
How can you possibly take EVERYONE’S perspective into account — especially when you’re doing nothing more than getting dressed? That was the only “decision” Brimer made, it appears.
Besides, I think you’d be surprised by what the “Average Joe” knows … All it takes to understand the difference is for Joe to look at his pay stub that says ADP on it instead of Company X — that’s how I first learned about such outsourcing many years ago, and I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone more average than me (at least that’s what my dad used to tell me).
John
Jul 18th, 2008
Pete Wann
@Brandon — Politicians capitalize on the ignorant and misinformed perceptions of the electorate ALL THE TIME (gas tax holiday, anyone?). Why shouldn’t they consider the same thing when they’re making decisions like this?
I suppose it is pathetic that I can’t seem to get my point across on this, maybe this will state it more plainly –
What politician who actually gives a shit about keeping their seat in office or pretending to represent all of the people in their district wears a shirt with a corporate logo on it? (Don’t get all nitpicky about Nike swooshes or whatever, you know what I mean.)
While Kim Brimer was “deciding” to get dressed, he chose that shirt, showing a lack of forethought about how it might look to anyone, let alone ultra-liberal biased bloggers like I apparently am.
The Pollyanna days of campaigning on the issues and winning based on merit are long gone, people. If the issues were important, then why do BOTH parties focus so much on fundraising? Here’s why — money (and the ads and trinkets and chotckes it buys), not the issues, WINS ELECTIONS.
Am I too cynical? Probably. But those of you who are dismissing it as “It’s just a free shirt he got somewhere, no harm, no foul” are being WAY too naive. Sure, I’m sure that politicians get free polo shirts from companies just like I get them from vendors who want me to buy their products, but SHOULD they? And beyond that, SHOULD they wear said shirt, which isn’t given out of the kindness of a company’s heart, it’s given in an attempt to influence or at least engender good will (just like when XYZ vendor gives me a free shirt when I’m considering their SAN or network switches)?
Jul 18th, 2008
Jacko
Since it was a parade, do you think people were reading his shirt or waving and moving on to the next caravan of cars or high school band? They’re just blue collar average joes that don’t comprehend much…can they even read?
And I’m confused, is this different from the Obama flag pin issue or is this the same thing?
Jul 18th, 2008
John C.
If this is true: “What politician who actually gives a shit about keeping their seat in office or pretending to represent all of the people in their district wears a shirt with a corporate logo on it?”
Then so is this: “What politician who actually gives a shit about pretending to represent all of the people in their country doesn’t wear an American flag pin on their lapel?”
As an ardent Obama supporter, however, something tells me you wouldn’t agree.
Ridiculous, both.
Jul 18th, 2008
Pete Wann
Bullshit, John. The two are not even close to equal.
Refusing to give in to the false politics of nationalism (do you wear a flag lapel pin, John? If not, does that mean you hate America, or just that you don’t need a shiny pin to prove your love of country?) is totally different from WEARING A FREAKIN’ CORPORATE LOGO during a campaign appearance.
Nice try, though.
Jul 18th, 2008
John C.
You’re contradicting yourself, Pete … “My point — and I did have one — is that politicians need to take into consideration EVERYONE’S perspective when they make decisions like this.”
Why does your standard only apply one way?
Lots of folks want Obama to display his patriotism in an outward manner. These people fall under your EVERYONE statement above. However, because you deem them to be wrong, and you are personally convinced of his patriotism, it’s cool that Obama doesn’t have to take their opinions into consideration. Awesome.
Just because you loudly proclaim the comparison to be “not even close to equal” doesn’t make it so. We’re talking about clothing and their affects on the perceptions of the ignorant masses, are we not? What is a pin if not clothing or an adornment? Because, as you pointed out, it’s certainly not a valid proof of one’s love for their country …
And, whether or not I wear a flag pin or a logo shirt is immaterial — I’m not a politician, and I’m not running for office. So, as you said, nice try.
Jul 18th, 2008
Jonathan
Let’s try not to drift too far.
Pete W, I think you need to step down on this one. You can’t be worried about a possible mis-interpretation of the word ‘outsource’ by a ‘blue-collar worker’ while simultaneously expect the same to be informed enough to notice and recognize an obscure corporate services outsourcing firm. You’re either playing the ignorance card (which is mean in the first place) or not. You can’t have it both ways. Besides, the whole idea is to NOT be super sensitive to these kids of things.
Let’s all just drop this one and move on.
Jul 18th, 2008