Wishy-to-the-washy
Quick question ... know what Tom Chasteen stands for? Anyone? Any clue where he comes down on the issues? Some suggestions?
Because it appears, yet again, the mayor candidate has attempted to hedge his bets, this time with the issue of redistricting. On a night in which the Athens-Clarke County Commission voted to condemn the proposed redistricting of its State Senate seat, Chasteen was the lone commissioner to vote against doing so.
Now, sure, prior to the vote, he called the whole thing partisan politics at its best. But when it came time to vote, he said he voted to oppose the condemnation because he felt it would strain the relationship between the state government and the local government. That, quite frankly, is a rather absurd justification considering how relations aren't exactly peachy between the Georgia General Assembly and Athens-Clarke County (see lack of funding in 2006 budget for University of Georgia, proposed redistricting, etc. and etc.). To suggest this vote would strain the relationship is to ridiculous.
What we're seeing develop here is Chasteen further distance himself from the political reality in Athens-Clarke County and make a shameless ploy to position himself as the candidate for the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce ... though, even they still don't know what to think of Chasteen.
Hopefully someone out there - someone - will speak out about this. Might get them some traction with some voters in this town.
Because it appears, yet again, the mayor candidate has attempted to hedge his bets, this time with the issue of redistricting. On a night in which the Athens-Clarke County Commission voted to condemn the proposed redistricting of its State Senate seat, Chasteen was the lone commissioner to vote against doing so.
Now, sure, prior to the vote, he called the whole thing partisan politics at its best. But when it came time to vote, he said he voted to oppose the condemnation because he felt it would strain the relationship between the state government and the local government. That, quite frankly, is a rather absurd justification considering how relations aren't exactly peachy between the Georgia General Assembly and Athens-Clarke County (see lack of funding in 2006 budget for University of Georgia, proposed redistricting, etc. and etc.). To suggest this vote would strain the relationship is to ridiculous.
What we're seeing develop here is Chasteen further distance himself from the political reality in Athens-Clarke County and make a shameless ploy to position himself as the candidate for the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce ... though, even they still don't know what to think of Chasteen.
Hopefully someone out there - someone - will speak out about this. Might get them some traction with some voters in this town.
posted by Jmac at 8:16 AM
10 Comments:
Well, if the guy was willing to put his neck out there and cast the lone dissenting vote, then it stands to reason that he is either suicidal or actually believes his vote was the right one. The idea that such a vote shows that he actually has no principles at all doesn't seem to be a fair interpretation of his actions. You want him to "stand" for something, and he cast the lone vote on his side. Is that not taking a stand? And the fact that relations are already strained between ACC and Atlanta hardly proves that he shouldn't be worried about straining them more. Perhaps he is trying to engage in the gentle art of diplomacy, with all the deference and bowing and shuffling and whistling and dancing that that often requires.
But I certainly don't know.
Signed,
Xon Hostetter, Chasteen's base
Well this doesn't surprise me at all. Chasteen is an old hand at playing both ends against the middle, and then throwing his hands up like "I'm just being the best commissioneer I can be". lol right.
He obviously missed the over 1200 signatures of local folks on the petition against this redistricting, and is hedging his bets to become the lone member of the Commission to gain the approval and or support of the Chamber leadership.
Bad move, Heidi will throw this in his face all over town for months.
And yes, she's running, I really expect an announcement in April, though, and not until.
aquariusrizing
Xon, the problem with your theory, which is a perfectly reasonable one, is that Chasteen has consistently done this since announcing his candidacy for mayor last year. It doesn't have to be even controversial issues, but he always manages to come down in a fashion where you don't exactly know what he believes.
Everything from the LPDS struggle to the multi-use pathways along Old Hull Road to three-laning Prince Avenue ... I really can't tell you what Chasteen's positions are on those issues because he's managed deftly avoid letting you know how he feels ... all the while actually casting a vote either for or against these issues. In an unusual way, it's something to be admired.
I'd be more willing to agree with you and say, no matter my disagreements with him, that Chasteen 'took a stand' by dissenting ... but he really didn't. During his time for comments, he talked about how this was partisan politics by Republicans and they're trying to divide our community for their gain ... yadda, yadda, yadda. And then, after doing so, he votes against condeming the action because he doesn't want to hurt their feelings.
Is he for it? Or is he against it?
But Corleone, for your rationale to work, it would have to be that Athens-Clarke County was taking some proactive stance and pleading with the rest of the state, which is more conservative, to look at us and help us. That wasn't the case. A State Senator from Madison County decided he wanted to make his county whole again (a legitimate request, mind you), and in doing so he foolishly has set out to carve up a community he doesn't live in for his party's own political gain.
Will the Republican leadership in Atlanta listen? Of course not. Does this current crop of Republican leaders listen to anything aside from good things that reaffirm their own personal beliefs? No.
And while I completely agree with you about the need to actually win elections to get what you want - if you recall, this is a line I've harped on for a while - I'd also like to point out what else can Athens-Clarke County do? What else can they win? They've got an all-Democratic commission, a Democratic mayor and two Democrats representing them in the State House. Heck, they've got a Republican as their State Senator right now, and someone from Madison County is trying to change the rules and boundaries here.
You don't see Rep. Keith Heard going down to Macon and trying to re-draw the lines to benefit Democrats, do you? That would be wrong, wouldn't it? And completely unfair for the people living in that community.
So what you're on the verge of having here is a majority Democratic community in Athens-Clarke County not having any say over how its own political boundaries are gone and not having anyone in the office who represents the majority ideological wishes of its own community.
You've already belittled Athens-Clarke County's clout ... how, then, is the community supposed to keep its current districts when it wins all the elections it can and still loses out?
Hmm. Yes. There is clearly no better way to run for mayor of a town than by essentially admitting you do not give a shit what most of its citizens think.
I don't disagree with you one bit on that Corleone, and I do think that if Democrats run a smart campaign with a good candidate, they can win those seats. It'll be difficult, no doubt, seeing how those are entrenched conservative voters in those areas.
But entrenched progressive voters in Athens-Clarke County have cast ballots for Brian Kemp the past two years - myself being one of them ... at least one time - so it is feasible. So don't think I won't advocate a 'suit up, game on' approach if, and when, this thing goes through.
I still think there is something fundamentally wrong when you do, indeed, win your elections and you still have folks come into your backyard and tinker with your districts.
Regarding the "Stop acting like victims" and "You've got to win" lines, frankly, I'm a little sick of them.
Like we didn't hear Republicans bitch on and on for eight years about Clinton.
I guess this is just another example of something being okay as long as Republicans are responsible for it.
Also, yes, Democrats lost the presidential election; does that mean that the Bush administration should not be held accountable for anything they do?
I, for one, am delighted that Tom showed what a true, blue Republican-Chamber-butt kisser he really is. He's a goner and we'll all be better off for it if, and that's a big, big "if" we actually get a viable candidate for District 9.
I'll take Ed Vaughn over Alvin Sheats and I'll take almost anybody over Tom but, my god! Isn't there any serious candidate available for that seat?!
Is Andy Rusk in District 9? I wish he were. He might actually win that seat.
I wouldn't rule Ed Vaughn out this early.
Democrats and Republicans are cut from the same cloth. Career politicians and the parties they claim are solely interested in power. What is beneficial for the country is of less concern than whether or not their party of choice is in power.
If you are not in power, you bitch and moan and pout about how the other party is oppressive (or a slave-owning plantation, if you'd rather), and the party in charge dances and laughs and enjoys the spoils of the middle-class tax burden while milking every political advantage they have.
It's a freakin' cycle that is rife with revisionists' history. In reality, the two parties are so close on most issues, that they must invent things to disagree upon. When they do disagree, one party ends up being hypocritical because they were previously in support of the side they now oppose. It's all ridiculous, really.
Why should we have career politicians? I think there should be term limits on all races. We should constantly be pumping new ideas and encourage more to serve in public office. What's that you say? Not enough qualified candidates? You mean that the candidates we have now are supremely-qualified? What makes a person qualified to stand for nothing, vote along party lines, and make public speeches that have no message? I can do all of those things. I would even do it without the standard pretentiousness.
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