should the new council worry about joey preston

       Fred Foster has earned his right to speak out here or anywhere he chooses, 1-Opinion. If I were going to tell somebody to "shut his yap" here, it most certainly wouldn't be him.
       For those who haven't seen it yet, here's Foster's guest editorial in today's AIM:

Council looks backward, not forward
Fred Foster
Sunday, January 25, 2009
       While watching the cable replay of last Tuesday’s Anderson County Council meeting, I was astounded that five white people played power games with Anderson County Administrator Michael Cunningham. They voted to essentially hijack his employment contract and leave him hanging in a no-win situation. If he says “yes” he gives up his contract rights. If he says “no” he looks like he wants to defy the council majority. It seems to me to be a double standard. They want Mr. Cunningham to be “at-will” while council members enjoy what amounts to a two-year contract because voters do not have the right to a recall vote. I thought it was the worst night for human rights and fairness in Anderson’s history. At best, it was the death of statesmanship in local politics.
       Adding to the insult of the demand to withdraw his contract, they put Mr. Cunningham on the spot by asking him to respond to their dictate in front of a stunned auditorium of citizens. All the while, they stared down upon him from their lofty positions. It was reminiscent of a long-ago plantation owner scolding a servant from the front porch. I really felt for this good, honest and kind man. It appears to me that the new council majority is a vindictive, mean-spirited bunch. Rather than move forward, the council seems stuck in get-even politics, choosing to look backward in a destructive fashion. Is it right to punish Mr. Cunningham for the perceived acts of others? I say, no!
       Mr. Cunningham has only a few days to make a very important decision. It will be a difficult choice because he has a family to support and 10 years of outstanding service to Anderson County at risk. Whatever his decision, he deserves the support of caring citizens. Hopefully, more residents will speak out about council’s miscarriage of authority and abuse of this public servant and good man.
        It appears to me that Councilman Bob Waldrep is the architect of this shameful maneuver. If so, he should be ashamed of himself, as should the other affirmative-voting council members. Sadly, Mr. Waldrep was once a statesman-like local politician who now seems to have lost his way. However, Mr. Waldrep is only one person; the council majority is few, compared to many fair-minded citizens. Therefore, more of us who do not agree with the council majority need to speak out against such injustice. If we don’t, we should be ashamed of ourselves.
       Anderson County is better than this. We need to do all we can to ensure that our county employees are not subjected to this intimidation and despicable abuse of power. Please contact your council representative and let him or her know you do not condone this throw-back mentality. There is truth to the adage that “Evil prevails when good people stand by and do nothing.”
        Fred Foster is the retired publisher of the Independent-Mail and a longtime observer of Upstate politics.

-jdtippett

Fred Foster is a has been race baiter.  Not impressed with this at all.  Just because someone opposes a black man doesn't mean he is racist. 

I wish we could get over this.  Foster is just showing his ignorance.

        Yankeefann, I made no statement regarding whether I agree with Fred Foster or not on this issue. I will, though. I mostly agree with his assessment of a "vindictive, mean-spirited group" that has taken over in Anderson County, although I think the racial aspect of it is just an undercurrent and not the main impetus driving them.
         The point was that (1-Opinon said Foster should just "shut his yap." Pretty arrogant for somebody hiding behind a screen name to say that about a man who has been a visible and far from anonymous member of the community for decades, wouldn't you agree? 

Yeah Siamese twins. That is funny. I think SSHM and Preston make better siamese twins, joined in spirit! Unless he is making it up, I find no other explanation for someone knowing every answer to every move to every thing Preston did. In reading all of his posts here, at AIM and on Hankey's he seems to think he has the answer to everything Preston ever said, did, thought or wanted to do, say or think. 

Defends Ron Wilson. promoted Penny Tax, excuses Gracie Floyd, wants no investigation of any Preston, defends Preston's contract, Preston's actions, Preston's buyout and on and on. Has the defense, the legal justification the explanation of anything and everything thrown his way concerning Preston. Cares enough about it, he has time to post 1700 odd posts in seven months on this site and hundreds more on the other two sites to defend every word spoken against Preston.

Ipso chango facto Presto!

Foster has the right to speak his mind.  I put that quote in there to show what i was talking about.  You have the same right.  I think he should be ashamed to make this a racial issue.  It's not.

Is there a mean spirit in Anderson County politics?  Absolutely, but it goes both ways.  You must have seen the mean spiritedness of the former administrator.  He was the master of it. 

I haven't seen anyone on council show an ounce of racial bias.  I have been to almost every meeting for many years!  What I do see is a council that wants to start over.  Rid itself of the former administration. 

I think Preston and the other councilmen knew they were going to divide this county by appointing Cunningham.  They decided (Fred Foster included) to make is a racial divide.  They should be ashamed.

Cares enough about it, he has time to post 1700 odd posts in seven months on this site and hundreds more on the other two sites. Ipso chango facto Presto!   to do it.

-cromagnon

I actually posted on the old Cocklebur long before you ever came along. That post count carried over to the new Cocklebur, now ATZ. Tell ya what ... I'll believe what you have to say (and actually listen to what you have to say) when you can demonstrate to me how to win a political campaign as a Republican in District 2.

Don't worry. I won't hold my breath. The parade of losers that have tried obviously don't know what they are doing, either.

- SSHM

You have given him an impossible task.  District 6, however (R. Wilson) has seen his last victory. 

Say,  have you also noticed how the thumbs-down brigade seems to follow these one/two bloggers?  Say, did you notice that their posts seem to be the ONLY ones getting any acknowledgement in the affirmative, while posters whom submit actual information, easily validified and usually submitted with links or other information to coroborate the post get axed?  Say, have you noticed the traffic during their time on-line?
Say, have you noticed we pointed this out two months ago?  Say, have you noticed we ain't nearly as stupid as they think we are??
Say, I wonder if anyone else here has dual identities??[image]

-wyatt1sc

Here we go again.  I don't know if you are as stupid as I think you are you. How would we test that?  <G>

This shouldn't come as a surprise to you given your previously stated superior knowledge of computers and how they work but you can have multiple browsers open and log in as different people on each of them. Now that you know that why not download a few so you can give more thumbs down. JJ&M  Once again you are wrong my transplant friend but you do keep me laughing. 

I hope you weren't the one posting about the need for the AIM to use spell check. 

Sure cut off all the money Gracie is giving to all these organizations that get out the vote for her. Investigate where the money, which by county ordinance and our own finance department rules can supposedly only be given to REGISTERED 501 (c)(3) organizations. She said she financially supports about 13 (or was it 18) "non-profits" in her district. With the number of votes cast in her district that would be about all it would take to make the difference.

Oh and I don't care if you believe what I say. What matters is what the investigation will show.

Here we go again.  I don't know if you are as stupid as I think you are you. How would we test that?

-1-opinion

The simple test would be ask who you voted for in District 2 elections!

This shouldn't come as a surprise to you given your previously stated superior knowledge of computers and how they work but you can have multiple browsers open and log in as different people on each of them. Now that you know that why not download a few so you can give more thumbs down.

No fear my friend, the MODS are getting a handle on who's using alter egos already.  Fun thing about DSL and wireless, I can use a-l-l-l-l-l  our computers simultaneously.  Just like RINO did

 
I hope you weren't the one posting about the need for the AIM to use spell check. 

Nah, wasn't me. I asked Non=Sequit to do that task.

       Fred Foster has earned his right to speak out here or anywhere he chooses, 1-Opinion. If I were going to tell somebody to "shut his yap" here, it most certainly wouldn't be him.       For those who haven't seen it yet, here's Foster's guest editorial in today's AIM:.

-jdtippett

JD
Foster certainly does have the right to say whatever he wants in his old paper. I also had the right to stop reading it when his first sentence tried to make County Council actions a racial issue. Why else would he make it a point in the opening sentence to say: "While watching the cable replay of last Tuesday’s Anderson County Council meeting, I was astounded that five white people played power games with Anderson County Administrator Michael Cunningham."
Foster may have been great. He may have paid his dues. But in my opinion that is rabble rousing racial BS designed to focus attention elsewhere. This county has enough problems with extremist on the left and right without everything turned into a race issue. Just as everything in this county is not a JRP issue.
And to point out the obvious... The County Council (whether white, black, red, brown, etc) has the power over the Administrator.

       I don't disagree with you, Ron. The basic point was that a member on ATZ was suggesting that Fred Foster should be told just to shut up. That's was my objection. We've suggested here that some members tone it down rather than inciting a riot over racial issues, but to date we haven't told anybody to shut up about it.
       I will offer a counterpoint, though: Is it any more outrageous for one side to use as a political weapon trumped-up allegations of racism than it is for the other side to use trumped up charges of corruption for the same purpose?
       Both approaches, after all, are designed to inflame anger and dissent in an effort to "divide and conquer." Who gets to decide what's cheap politics and what's fair debate? And why do so many here seem so afraid of this debate? Are we so racially divided and racially paranoid in the 21st Century that we can't even discuss the reality that racism ON ALL SIDES remains the 500-pound gorilla in the middle of the room?
       We've spent more than a half a century trying to become a diverse, inclusive, color-blind society, yet the U.S. Census Bureau continues to count us, categorize us, marginalize us and divide us, while politicians in both parties continue to attempt to pit us against one another for political gain, election after election after election. WE are far less divided than THEY would like for us to believe we are, but they won't let us just work things out amongst ourselves.
       Smoke that over and get back to me.

You have given him an impossible task.  District 6, however (R. Wilson) has seen his last victory.

-yankeefann

I just spewed soda ... one moment while I clean it up.

Ok.

Let me provide a C-L-U-E to you and others who think that Ron is "done." There is this little thing called Greenpointe, and no, it's not some environmental group. Ron is doing something that Freemantle and the other neo-Tillmanists can't and won't do (we'll step over the don't know how to part): Constituent Service. Yes, thats right - Ron is listening to his voters and is attempting to stop the landfill from being dropped in one of the fastest-growing portions of the county.

If you smell something fishy, let me spell it out.

The neo-Tillmanists are hard at work, making sure Ron has to "take one" by having the landfill placed in his backyard. The reason: Payback and a concerted effort to slow growth. If anything, what the neo-Tillmanists have done is provide Ron with enough political fodder to ensure he NEVER has to lose his seat. All he has to do is fight the landfill and point out the neo-Tillmanists on council and how they seek to destroy Powdersville via placement of a dump and ... voila ... perma-member of Council from District 6.

Better-still (or worse still, depending on where you stand) is the fact that Ron can leverage his new-found political capital to direct his constituents to help unseat the neo-Tillmanists who sought to put the landfill in Powdersville.

My advise to the neo-Tillmanists on council: Get behind Ron and the Planning Department and fight Greenpointe. Failure to do so will likely result in a loss at the polls in 2010.

- SSHM

JDTippett,

I hate to address something to someone who is a sideline Sallie, but since you seem intent on tryng to direct all conversation and what people are allowed/not allowed to post about Anderson County, I guess I have no choice. You seem pretty seem intent on defending against, "the other side" who "use trumped up charges of corruption" when you don't know if they are trumped up or not. YOU don't KNOW anything about anything. If people don't choose to share it with you, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist or doesn't mean it isn't true or anything else, except that YOU are untrustworthy for them to tell you. GET IT!

After the investigation by county council is completed, you can come back and run your little motor all you want. WHEN THE FACTS ARE IN! Until then, if I want to have an opinion there is corruption (based on what I know and believe) and that is what I want to say then fine. At least I live here, pay taxes here and vote here. If you wanna suck up to somebody to win favor or wannabe a part of the insider group in Anderson County then you are making fine points whoopdeedo. Just don't do it at the expense of a legitimate voice. Don't sit and tell me what I can and cannot say (that falls within the confines of decency as laid out by the FCC) because you don't like it.

You said in an earlier post you wanted to be able to "give an opinion" (with your free speech ticket) about things even though you have not one thing to do with Anderson County. It is one thing to have an opinion it is another to try and run every conversation and decide who should be able to say what and what is fair about what. YOU DO NOT LIVE HERE! YOU DO NOT PAY TAXES HERE! YOU DO NOT EVEN VOTE HERE! So why don't you keep your involvement and opinon within the bounds of those facts. You seem to have hard time separating your responsibilities as a moderator and your self assigned master of every matter.

I see nothing trumped up about 2X no-bid contracts being given out, it's been reported in the paper. I see nothing trumped up about credit card charges and general ledger account transfers broken into smaller increments to avoid detection. I see nothing trumped up about contributions given to non-profits that are not qualified, registered 501(c)(3). I see nothing trumped up about alot of what has been said. It is all fact.  Just because you are looking to make points with your nose up someones nether points don't you dare sit acallme a liar or tellme I have trumped up anything because you aren't in the loop.

Don't sit and tell me what I can and cannot say (that falls within the confines of decency as laid out by the FCC) because you don't like it.

-cromagnon

Yawn . . .

You are complaining to a MODERATOR on a PRIVATE FORUM about your right to express your opinion? Did you forget your meds this morning? It is a privilege, not a right to post here. Quote and rant about the Constitution all you want ... all you do is serve to further point out your general ignorance.

Must be nice living in a bubble where you are always right, eh?

- SSHM

Yeah and you always pull that out of your hiney to justify your fakeness. If you can't handle the truth make up some reason you don't have to. I hope you are involved in this corruption SSHM and that you get your due. Karma will pay it's visit to you for all the damage you have done and are trying to do to Anderson County.

And what business is it of yours if I address the moderator about anything. Is that your responsiblity to chime in and respond to everything I say. You stalk people around these websites, use abusive language, flame spam and do every other thing people get booted for but no one says anything to you. Seem to make it your responsibility to answer every post about Preston. If you aren't Preston or Ron Wilson, you are a fraud in your representations as their is no way anyone, other than the principles, could possibly know what you claim to know about them.

 ipso facto Presto!

Hey Croweman, be honest. What you don't like about JD's comments has nothing to do with the fact that he doesn't live here or pay taxes here. It's because his opinion does not conincide with yours.
And until there is proof of corruption, they are all just allegations.

I want to join with some of the others in saying that I was shocked at Foster's race-baiting column.  The validity of Cunningham's contract is an ethical and legal issue, not one about race.

What you know or what you consider to be allegations are based on your personal knowledge. What I say is based on my personal knowledge. If asked I will be glad to back up anything I say to anyone looking for true answers and not just playing a game of wordsmithing and this bully game by moderators and their followers.

Whether I like Tippett's opinion has nothing to do with it. Do you see me blast anyone else on here in the same way? Many others have expressed similar opinions. Do I lay into them for their opinion? NO that is because I will give and get just like anyone else.

You have a unique situation in Tippett. Tippett was somehow chosen to be a moderator/admin. He thinks because he has the power of the admin that he should be able to tell people what they can and can't say. If you couple that with the fact he uses that on people that he disagrees with then we have an abuse of his PRIVILEGE as an admin. It isn't llike that is his job, he isn't paid for it.

What qualifies as proof for me doesn't mean it has to meet your approval. As far as I am concerned, there is ample proof of corruption in Anderson County. Who are you to say there isn't? For Tippett to say it is trumped up is attacking the voice. If he isn't going to allow free speech stop talking about it and pretending you are. Hypocrisy has many names.