The polarizing and negatively oriented marketing that lobbying firms tend towards recently is undermining American society. They celebrate divisiveness, when Americans need to be brought together. The conflict and distractions assure that shenanigans politicians engage in on behalf of those who give them money, don't get noticed as much... And in the wake of marketing campaigns, Americans are left thinking they have enemies within their own community, and are encouraged to blame it on the "other guy," whom they also need to completely shut out.
No one ever solved anything by lack of communication.
Wonderfully stated, Priscilla. Thank you for your letter! People need to not be bound by ideology and realize that corruption comes in all stripes, it's not partisan. Some things are not a matter of left and right but right and wrong, and we cannot continue to allow unelected sociopaths to control the county by proxy.
Thank you, this was a very on target editorial. Things will not change until voters start voting for people that will enact change that benefits the people instead of insanely voting party lines. The worst decision our courts ever made was to recognize corporations basically as a person and allowing them free reign on political spending to corrupt even more our already corrupt political system. There is nothing more frightening to a politician than an enlightened electorate.
There is only one party that is actively supporting an insurrectionist and very likely a criminal. THIS is the greatest threat to our continuing efforts to maintain a democracy. He has already openly stated very clearly how he will end our democratic efforts. Stop with the both sidism!
Thank you Commissioner Schaefer. I would like to hear from Representative Robinson and Senator Boyd if they feel you misrepresented or overlooked anything in your Guest Editorial.
Everyone buying a home in Florida should check the property's Evacuation Zone code. Florida has a very helpful and easy-to-use website to do just this, Know Your Zone. It will identify the Evacuation Code which is an indicator of the likelihood of experiencing storm surge in that location. It differs from the Flood Zone code.
https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=aa18a2d8737c4d66bb6434a09e17203a
Thanks for printing this here. It's too bad you couldn't include some of the other graphics, the monopoly game cards especially. I hope people understand now what we are looking at with the so-called "most conservative board ever" in Manatee County: graft run amok, deep into the staff who are either bought or just afraid of retribution. We are being run by people we did not elect to office, for their benefit and at a huge discount.
You can see it here, the 200k that Beruff and friends plopped into KVO's campaign is NOTHING compared to the amount of money they have saved in impact fees alone. Great return on investment, right? Just buy your politicians! Even when you add in what they pay Pedicini to be the handler, it's a phenomenal investment, buying a county on the cheap. The county pays for the stooges (Bishop, de Pol, Knapp, Green, etc.) as well as the politicians' salaries, and you get MM of dollars in saved fees on the cheap. What could be wrong?
It's just socialism for the rich, and the real costs - in taxes to pay to expand roads, utilities and other services - are pushed off onto everyone else. If you claim to hate socialism, you ought to hate this crap and vote these creeps out instead of being duped because of the scary S word and Marxism, and George Soros and all that other crap.
Don't worry, it will be a closed bid with NDC just like the City of Bradenton. Funds, no problem we will just steal it from the 15 Million promised to Veterans. Amanda Ballard is disingenuous in this mission.... As always, Follow the money, or at the very least see where they misappropriate it from.
I say no, because those announcing as third party candidates do not put forward solid broad ideas and plans to move this country forward in an equitable manner - benefiting all its citizens. Most of those "third way candidates" are "niche" runners... their platforms would serve very narrow causes or ideas; and they've put forward ideas and policies that are anathema to American ideals and democracy.
Those seeking a "savior" from a third party or outsider are naive, scared; because - very few of those "outsiders" have ideas acceptable to "thinking" citizens. Only when citizens are ignorant, scared for their self-interests, and easily stampeded would they seek a third party leader who would most likely be a "home grown" version of Mussolini or Hitler!
Hey Islanders! So much for local rule! You are done, finished... the state & county have put a target on you. Get ready for incorperation... want it or not! Make good sense, or not! I say, jump your state representatives - without a proven planning on the effects of this on all Island residents, and a proven necessity to go forward on such a plan... does it make "good sense" is a fair question to ask! The impact on Island living will be enormous, plus its future direction will be taken out of the hands of local residents... a reality! The people of Lakewood Ranch could decide the fate of the Beaches! Do you want that?
Yet another example of how completely unqualified our CORRUPT commissioners are for the job. Seems like the sort of thing that should have been thought about BEFORE Beruff enacted his scorched earth raping of the landscape!! Of course, it’s hard to do right by the citizens and the environment when you’re just a bunch of puppets doing the bidding of your greedy developer bosses.
Let’s talk about the impact fees. The current study that was supposed to come before that board was somehow derailed by the majority of the developer back board. The current study would have bought into alignment and correct impact fees needed to sustain infrastructure for the development. Currently we are only getting about 40¢ for every dollar needed to build that infrastructure.
Clearly the developers are not paying their fair share. Who do you think picks up the difference …. the regular hard-working taxpayers while the fat cat developers are laughing all the way to the bank on the hard working backs of the rest of the citizens in Manatee county. By far this is the worst leadership of the BOCC I have ever seen in the last couple of decades. With the exception of George will rest of the board are controlled by developers with the staff drinking the cool-aid. It is so obvious that the current board are nothing more than puppets for the developers.
"In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only as a final resort when the alternative options of deception, threat and bribery have all been exhausted."
Michael Musto
Mitch, I have much respect for you and your reporting, yet I must disagree with your opinion that Biden has not accomplished anything. There has been more productive and significant legislation since FDR under Biden. His accomplishments include programs that are rebuilding infrastructure across America, bringing jobs and manufacturing back to the US, low unemployment, quick pandemic recovery, expanded benefits and services for military that have been exposed to toxic substances....and much more. I'm disappointed you are buying into the false narratives. Ruth Lawler
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