corruption/conflict of interest

Sueshore, don't worry about BMBV. He's going to get carpal tunnel syndrome when we discuss eminent domain actions versus retaining wall owners.

:floor: :floor: :floor:

mf, were you here when we rallied to get the traffic signals? We have done some good things (many of the people on the board here participated)--there is still much to be done, and IMO the Economic Development effort here in Walton Co is a joke.

I have some experience in this field and know so many opportunities are just simply not explored....

A thorough investigation of local government would most likely reveal a lot.....

like i said, i'm new here, which is part of why i wanted a forum to get a sense of history as well as current information.
i agree with your assessment of our economic development efforts.
there is currently only one person on staff which reflects a lack of commitment on the part of the county. i believe T.I.P.S. who were hired by the state to consult each county recommended a full department which i recall as being 3 people minimum - but don't count on my memory!- let's just say it wasn't ONE person.

kurt, if you think we should move this discussion to the environment forum, that's cool. but is there some way of indicating that we're hijacking the forum so the kindhearted environmentalist souls don't have a heart attack? :roll:

I know some people (BMBV) don't think I can construct a complete sentence, but I agree with the above. Thank you and be well.

Dear Sueshore,
Your posting methods may actually be more effective than mine. When E.F. Hutton.... I mean, Sueshore (finally) speaks, people listen.😀 Oh yea, I saw where you ladies were dissn' me in the lounge - talking behind my back and all....actually made me smile!;-)

Look, we probably have more in common than not. We both spend too much time on Kurt's computer. We both love South Walton. We both dislike dishonest politicians.

But we do seem to differ in one respect, as Bob pointed out: my fingers probably do hurt more than yours lately.:lol:

Peace.

I don't discourage discussion of anything here, but rather encourage it, as long as it's done with decency and respect. So far, some political issues have been covered pretty well here and I am proud of that.

I am a little wary of a political forum because I've seen them elsewhere degenerate into ugliness from left and right.

As long as decency and respect is maintained, perhaps the enviro forum can be modified to include political, social, and environmental issues - what do y'all think?

It's your ball. We just get to play with it.

During the height of the retaining wall stuff, it did give me a chance to ponder my inner soul when I wasn't posting in defense of my position and dodging all the knives being thrown at me. I don't know how many nay-sayers were enlightened by all the discussion, but I feel some, at least, understood the total picture better than if nobody challenged the status-quo.

If anything, I distinctly remember one member here that actually complimented me on my research efforts (regarding retaining walls) and for the fact we properly installed ours. And that was all I was really trying to get across. Others finally admitted they would have probably done the same thing in my situation.

Some activists, in their over-zealousness, tend to lump similar but different things in the same group. It's easier to see things as the same than trying to disect...basically the ecological equivalent of stereotyping.

Was the above worth all the confrontation and many hours / days / weeks worth of messaging? Probably not. The outcome of our wall will not change based on perceptions on this board alone.

Let me make one thing very clear..."wrong doing" does not always exist just in the political arena. Misguided activists can do just as much harm.

But this thread is about corruption and politics. And that's where mf is coming from.

As far as I can see, there's nothing stopping anyone from posting local political stuff in either forum. They'll get read either way for the most part. The real question is, "Do they have an impact?".

I believe a political forum will be generated when there's enough traffic to support it. Kurt's savvy enough to know when, since he will be the one that has to migrate all the floating posts into the new category.

On a another board I'm on, the political forum is a child forum under the "Open Forum", the equivilent of 'The Lounge'. You could guess what a trainwreck that could end up being here. The irony would be too awesome if the political board became a child board under environmental.

I agree with what's been said so far as to the general apathy of the populace. If a political board could help effect a change, then I'm all for it. But, everyone would need to behave themselves.

Guidlines form the other board:

CIVILITY
This is a discussion panel, and not the end of the world.
Make and support your points, and don't diss the debater, but attack or support the subject, not the person.
Make sure that you can back your points, because these guys are sharp!

Good post John R. I think I would have to refrain from posting in the political forum because I can get pretty heated when it comes to that. Coming from a family, both immediate and distant, which is/was directly involved in politics, it tends to get a little personal for me.

I think the potentially harmful thing which could come from having a political forum is that most of us are not seeing the entire picture and I think that it may be a little slanted. However, if there could be a few strong knowledgable souls to give balance, it could be a really good forum. Though it would never happen, I would like to be able to ask Commissioners questions on this forum and have them publicly respond. 🙂funn:I know, but can't a guy dream?)

If you really want a forum, start posting, and the forum will eventually come if the demand and civility are there. As so much of the politricks in this area are environmentally connected, you won't see much dissing from the environmentally aware peeps. If fact, they are the ones who will probably jump right in, because the infrastructure, or lack of, in this community directly affects the environment.

Dealing with local politics all day every day, and belonging to another list that deals with Walton County politics, I come here to get AWAY from politics. :blush:

mf, if you have the domain names & means to start and the time to manage such a forum, I'd say go for it. I certainly have no bearing on what Kurt would or would not do on these forums, but political forums can get extremely nasty. :creepy:

Dealing with local politics all day every day, and belonging to another list that deals with Walton County politics, I come here to get AWAY from politics. :blush:

mf, if you have the domain names & means to start and the time to manage such a forum, I'd say go for it. I certainly have no bearing on what Kurt would or would not do on these forums, but political forums can get extremely nasty. :creepy:

At least they wouldn't be so one sided as the "seawall" issue.;-)

I don't discourage discussion of anything here, but rather encourage it, as long as it's done with decency and respect. So far, some political issues have been covered pretty well here and I am proud of that.

I am a little wary of a political forum because I've seen them elsewhere degenerate into ugliness from left and right.

As long as decency and respect is maintained, perhaps the enviro forum can be modified to include political, social, and environmental issues - what do y'all think?

If you are really concerned about ?ugliness? and heated debate wouldn't it be best to have the controversial topic in one location so it is easier to manage?

Frankly I think the problems primarily are a reflection of the temperament of the poster and not the topic.

If one comes to sowal to escape from stress they can go to the lounge and skip the forums where many well meaning posters are really trying to communicate.

The nonsensical babble is more appropriate in the lounge and is often just annoying static in an otherwise sometimes serious and interesting dialogue in the forums.

If you are really concerned about ?ugliness? and heated debate wouldn't it be best to have the controversial topic in one location so it is easier to manage?

Frankly I think the problems primarily are a reflection of the temperament of the poster and not the topic.

If one comes to sowal to escape from stress they can go to the lounge and skip the forums where many well meaning posters are really trying to communicate.

The nonsensical babble is more appropriate in the lounge and is often just annoying static in an otherwise sometimes serious and interesting dialogue in the forums.

Challenging nonsensical ideas masquerading as serious debate is the most relevant dialouge that goes on here. Who will be the thought police to decide what is kosher? You???....me????? You've got Nancy Pelosi as your avatar! Me?? I voted for Bush. We're both out of it.

Well,....ah reckon, that the non-voters have the edge anyway, as they constitute the vast majority. What....with todays shenanigans, a voter's strike might not be such a bad idea after all.
November's just dandy to stay in that holler anyway...and keep the still running smoothly.