Buckner!

No Marge, it's called an anti-Democrat movement, and it's the kind of pruging that's good for body and soul.

I don't see your current elections for Council as anti-incumbent (incumbents Cindy Wilson and Ron Wilson won, you know, and if Gracie Floyd had been up for re-election this time, she would have won, too) or anti-Democrat (they have their own slate of candidates.) I see it as a referendum on Joey Preston, and based on the vote earlier this week for a complete forensic audit, I'd say JP has lost regardless of how the Waldrep-MacKay runoff turns out.

Sorry, folks. It seems that a lot of voters this year want their elected officials and hired hands to do more than just pay lip service to the concept of openness and honesty in local government. Joey Preston may well survive, but he is certainly going to have to change his attitude toward the people he serves.

Here's something open--the door. There are several other parties out there. Choose one and take your leave. If the Republican party dies by the exit of "you and your ILK" then you'll be around to reconstruct the ashes in your own vision. If not, you'll save yourself further torture--unless you like that kind of thing.

Whoa, SSHM. Timeout here.

Are you saying you're disappointed because you just found out conservative principles can't be BOUGHT, or are you disappointed that you've found out YOU can't afford 'em?

Clarify, please.

Nice, Andrew, very nice, coming from someone who doesn't hesitate to throw in with a bunch of Islamist, America hating, anti-military liberal freaks who don't have a clue about how the American economy works.

Now, do we want to discuss local issues, or do we want to lie about each other? I'll play any game you want to play, Andrew, but let me remind you that I do have more experience.

Now, back to SSHM. I haven't said I support either Bob Waldrep or Cindy Wilson, and it wouldn't matter if I did. I don't vote over there. My comment had nothing to do with a specific candidate, in fact. It was just a response to your comment about withholding contributions to a party with whom you disagree. And I say you have every right to do so.

But the implication there is, if YOU give them money, that guarantees they will vote YOUR way when issues come up. Bought and paid for, see? I give money to candidates that I think will vote my way most of the time (Republicans) or a candidate who favors my position on a CRITICAL ISSUE (as in Joe Lieberman, who votes with the liberals 90 percent of the time but has been steadfast in his support of the War on Terror.)

And now, back to Andrew. Your comment indicates that you think anybody who does support Cindy Wilson or Bob Waldrep is a "racist, bigoted, anti-intellectual, 6th-graded educated good ol' boy." Congratulations, my sarcastic, arrogant, thinks-he-s-always-right little idiot friend. You've just insulted 60 percent of the people in CWs district and more than half the people in Anderson County.

And you wonder why you aren't taken seriously?

And, SSHM, I'm pro-growth and pro-development for both Anderson and Pickens counties - the entire Upstate and state in fact.

What I am tired of - and I referenced this in my rant the night of last week's primary - is the mindset that seems to be pervasive on BOTH sides of the political aisle that certain people shouldn't be allowed to participate in the American politcal system. Those on the left want to drive all things religious out of the public forum, while those on the right are constantly trying to silence critics of anything conservative.

I think everybody has a right to an opinion, everybody has a right to vote, and everybody has a right to participate in the process without being demeaned by the other side. We should discuss the issues, debate the solutions, and make informed choices. Instead, we have people like Anderw Hammett, who seems to be intelligent, but immediately went right to the gutter in response to my post.

Both sides need to get out of that gutter and stop the namecalling. BOTH SIDES. Do you two understand, or shall I type slowly? (And, SSHM, in fairness to you, you usually DON'T stoop to Hammet's lows, although you're quite capable of doing so.)

That the Anderson County political process has become something of a joke is a function of the fact that so many people who participate vocally in that process are jokes. THE IDEA IS TO REACH A CONSENSUS that will allow you to get something accomplished, not to piss off the opponents to the point they wouldn't work for you even if you DO occasionally have a good idea.