On the Issues that Matter: Installment II | Eastern North Carolina Now

    I am a big concept guy, but I well understand that elected leaders are also charged with oversight. I do not feel that either of these dual responsibilities of thought are mutually exclusive for me, and some of my fellow commissioners; however, for my many, well, most of fellow county commissioners, it may be an unattainable practice to marry the large ideas of an elected official with the menial details of management. At least that is what I have well experienced in my nearly 18 years as a Beaufort County Commissioner.

    If there were more Beaufort County Commissioners who could grasp these simple dual precepts, or at least respect, and follow those of us who can, Beaufort County would not be in the fine mess it finds itself in now. Be that as it may, Beaufort County's government is very similar to many other governments that represent people, who, like you and me, have independent issues that they care about. The best governing approach to solving these issues is to find a commonality among the electorate's politicians.

    That elusive commonality, here in Beaufort County, has been most fleeting in practice. You see, as I mentioned in my last Stan's Issues post, Beaufort County has long had its politicians managed by a phantom government, a committee of sorts, which requires that their managed politicians represent their interests as if their interests were the interests of the majority of Beaufort County's citizens.

    As someone who is fairly intuitive as to the whim of the public, for nearly two decades now, I don't even know what the majority of the citizens of our county want, but I do have an understanding of what they need, and I vote accordingly. One can only estimate how convoluted the judgement of these managed county commissioners becomes when strongly influenced tangentially by this proverbial 'power behind the throne' of this commissioner majority - these former 'Gang of Five', now a functioning 'Gang of Four'.

    These managed commissioners in the majority generally do not listen to Stan Deatherage or Hood Richardson, until they get themselves in trouble, which is often. Maybe a new election now, and then again in two years, will be the proper tonic to get some new commissioners, who are smart enough to think for themselves. Maybe then, there will be some new commissioners on our board that will understand a more logical pursuit of policy and management, who will have the political strength of mind and purpose of principle to work with others of a like mind.

    I intend to be there when that happens. With your help, I will be.

    This post was first published in standeatherage.com - Stan Deatherage's personal site.