ex-oficio's blog

  I went to a political function today as I have done for well over 40 years during election time, to support a couple of friends and to learn about candidates I didn't know.As usual when you take out the candidates supporter's there wasn't a huge crowd of voters but still it was a sizeable crowd. Having been in all aspects of the political arena I have become much like a lot of people, un-enthused and very skeptical. Most of the candidates lived up to my pesumistic expectations, which are a little too negative and ugly to go into here.

  However there was a bright spot and a sign that all is not so bad with one candidate whom I have never met before.I left there with an up beat feeling and kept thinking what a wonderful place this would be if every one running had the ideology and genuine sincerity this young man has. He stood out in a crowd of 10 or 12 candidates like a light bulb in a coal mine.

 Prior to the early 90's and the new home rule by the people, the BCC would have  never considered  a decision like the one teus refusing to honor the will of  the people. We have unwittingly gave all our power away for good sounding phraises like " home rule " and "remove the politics ". Here we sit with a gov. totaly out of controll and a mew chairman post with only one candidate. We certainly did take out the politics. I urge every voter to make an effort to find and sign the petition even if you are going to vote against it.  We still need some candidates in a

 This tactic has worked for the past 20 years  buy the developement industry. through out Fl.

 Here in Clay Co. it has and still is very successful in focusing the public attention While big developement interest try to circumvent any limitations on growth. This is a run to try to heaad off Home town democracy intiatibe by the citizens. Sadly with the media supporting it it may work.

 This topic  and dicussion in the blog  may go a long way in showing where we are headed in this country. I think a majority of people over 50 are conservative and the persentage drops steadily with age. What I find scary is the growing belief that government is the only answer to everything and yet it is a failure at almost everything it does. I and many conservatives like me feel that our education system is a complete failure and the lack of knowledge about where we came from and the price our anscestors paind for us to have what we have in this countryis the major cause of our decline. I think the beginning of the decline was with the Carter presudency, but many go back to FDR. I am watching a house being built. One crew is predominately Mexican ( LEGAL ) and the other sub's are local typical " American " crew. The mexican workers start at first day lite and quit when too dark to work, with one break for lunch. The other crews show up between 8 and 9 and leave berween 3 and 4 with several breakes in between. This has been a real eye opener for me.

Many of the blogs and responses to them touch on growth and therefore property rights. Zoning decicsions and other land use issues are the most difficult and important  decision made by an elected governmental official. That is why large land owners ie, developers invest most of the money that goes into a campaign.

 I truly believe most people believe in an idividuals property rights as long as it doesn't degrade some one else's property. Occaisionally there is a difference in what is perceived as the common good vs. what's best for a property owner. Many such decisions are nothing more than a judgement call or a matter of personal prefference. Like in other area's of the law, right doesn't always win.

In reading all the blogs, especially about politics and government, I can't help but wonder if this represents the thinking of Clay voters. First let me make it VERY CLEAR, the blogs are impresive and the blogers all appear sincere.

  It appears many think Comm. Bradley is impresive and doesn't need opposition. I agree he stands out in the crowd but it isn't a very impressive crowd. Many think Rutledge is novel in his "town meetings". Com. Jett held them his whole 12 years in office. All of them were poorly attended I see many comments from bloggers that seem to contradict other comments they have made. The other end of that spectrum is a few bloggers have no use for any body in gov. While that may be the easiest way it is probably the safest approach, I wonder what this election will do to actually change anything. The only way I can see a real change would be if 2 or 3 people with very limited finances were able to beat people like Bradley and Rutlege. I figure theese candidates with no money have at least 2 chances of winning  Slim and None, but I sure would like to see some candidates and would actually work to help them win

  In reading my blog on growth and the many responses I am not sure my points were clear,  Especially my points about the beltway which drew largest response. I think all the hoopla and dog and pony shows  over the past few years about FDOT right a way was smoke and mirrors to ware the public out on an issue and distract them from what is really going on. First of all it has been stated many times that FDOT can NOT accept donated right a way under Fl law.  I think there is one of two things going to happen. We will have an independent transportation authority appointed, which will join a group of other authorities around the state, who pool their tolls to build roads for major growth. Or,, it will be built by private investors ( most likely foreign ) and paid by tolls, by passing any government input or control.

 Many recent Blogs have been about growth and the large Reinnhold developement in particular. The longest running discussion has probably been the " beltway " We need that to make this developement viable. We are told it will bring economic developement and jobs with no long comute. The economic developement will be the building industry and most jobs will be temporary. The road is a necessity to move theese new people in and out without facing our current grid lock. We have a new school under construction miles from anything, which is a huge marketing incentive. Now, a new school needs water. We are now paying for a new water line out of our utility rates. This is no ordinary water line either. This pipe is bigger than any I have seen in Clay Co. in my 36 years here. The Plant feeding it is certainly going to have to be expanded and we can't expect Meyers to front that cost. You and I will handle that too'  Are Impact fees really all that bad?

I can't imagine how someone would think you can write a "code" or "law and legislate morality and ethics. The decision between right and wrong should be a basic human skill. If we are electing people who don't know right from wrong a code of ethics or any other "Rule" isn't going to effect them We already have many laws dealing with this led by the statute dealing with MALFEASENCE and MISFEASENCE. if theese statues were enforced the results of our recent  cases would have been different. All we need is a State Attorney who will do their job

I had begun to think it was a little early, but then realized , I'm just getting old. Lot's of talk here about BCC etc. and not a word about the sheriff. I have received some e-mails from a candidate who is running Beesler. He states he wants to reurn to the past " proffessionalism of the office.

I found that somewhat amusing . Supposedly , there is a lot of un-rest with-in the dept. I am not sure what all this means, but I haven't heard a lot of negative on the street. Just curious what fellow bloggers think?