This is a forum for you to express yourself about the state of politics in Campbell County. We are running this site in conjunction with Campbell County Sports.com. Here is our first guest article.
The Pat on Politics: Elect the head of schools.
Ok folks this is my first ever official political column for the web.
Recently it the issue of either electing or appointing the head of schools has come up.
I say we should elect them and give the power back to the people. Right now ten people have the power to decide who runs our county schools. Granted they are folks we elected, but anybody who has followed politics know that just because we elected them does not mean they listen to the will of the people.
When Dr. Judy Blevins decided to leave as director of schools a search was conducted and applications sent in. Though we had folks from here that know about our schools, care about them, have great records as educators, and in general care about the kids of Campbell County we hired an outsider.
I am sure Dr. Martin is a good man, smart, and well educated. I am also sure that coming from Putnam County he doesn't know jack about things here. Personally I think he has done well so far but I know in my heart that one of the local folks who applied would have served us even better.
If the people of Campbell County get to elect the person who runs our school system we know we will get somebody local. The people will get to review their performance and choose if we retain their services or not.
I know the argument can be made that we get more qualified candidates if we appoint because the search is much broader. I know Dr. Blevins was well qualified, I am sure Dr. Martin is as well. But so are plenty of local folks like Dr. Rita Goins and Donnie Poston.
I personally would rather have somebody that has lived here and seen what our community is like first hand to run our schools. Somebody that has or had kids in the system or that went through the system their selves can see what needs to be done than somebody from elsewhere.
Remember folks it isn't like anybody can run for the job. It was the only position in the county that required a bachelor's degree or higher to get on the ballot.
I don't always agree with Lynn Letner's politics but I do know he had the county's best interest at heart when he made the resolution to give us back the power to elect the leader of our county's education. I applaud the entire commission for it's passage. Frankly this may be the only time you see me congratulate the commission as a whole but for once they all did the right thing.
A new strategy for lowering gas prices...
BY MICHAEL BUTTURINI
Okay, show of hands, who is sick and tired of getting raped at the gas pump? I know I am. Everyone is, barely a day goes by that I don't get some random email or text saying "if you don’t like gas prices, then don’t buy gas on this date". well that plan doesn’t work, for one very simple reason
************WE ALL NEED FREAKIN GAS!!!********************
Most Americans drive there cars every day. The oil companies know that we need gas, that’s the reason they don't flinch when they have one day of bad sells. In the grand scheme of things we just have to buy more gas the next day.
Here is the catch, its still our money they want, they just think that consumers in America are too stupid to figure out how to control there own economy. Currently they are right, we as Americans put up with a lot of non-sense from our goods providers simply because we feel like we have to, just so we can receive the goods and services we want. But the oil companies missed one VERY BIG hole in their plan to bankrupt our country at the pumps. We are lucky in America because we have the power of choice. We have several big oil companies in the united states, oil companies that need money to make money. Oil companies that have investors, who have control over what these companies are doing. They have people they have to answer to just like anyone else. Its not all a bunch of Arabs, it’s a lot of Americans and Europeans who own oil stock too, and they are all getting rich right now by sticking it to the little guy, i.e. those of us who have to work for a living. Well, I say its time we stick back...
The Plan: Rather than not buying any gas one day, how about we don’t buy gas from one specific company for a year. Let's stop buying gas from just one of the big oil companies for a year. In essence, lets show these companies the power of the "Choice". How do you think the other oil companies will react when they see Exxon/Mobil or BP/ Amoco or Shell stock drop because their earnings bottom out, or even just drop in a large amount.
Lets take a look at the numbers:
If one hundred thousand people in the united states, who usually spent $100 dollars a month at Exxon stopped buying it. That’s 10 million dollars a month, or 120 million dollars a year.
If 100 thousand people seems like a huge number just think of it like this, its just 1 in 3000 people in the united states, that’s very do-able.
Now just imagine if we got a million people to do it. Maybe Mr. "Big oil company executive" would stop and think about what he’s doing to the little man then.
It would take a little organization and pro activity on our part though. We would have to walk into the gas stations that are labeled by another name, and ask them who they get their as from, if its the company we choose, then we don’t buy from them.
I dont know if anything like this has ever been tried before, and if it did I don’t know that it worked, but something has to give.
I call for a boycott on Exxon/Mobil. I choice them for no other reason than they are the largest oil company in the united states and have shown the largest profit margin since the start of the so called "Oil Crisis".
BOYCOTT EXXON/MOBIL
Those who agree and want to take part should begin spreading the word and planning to begin the boycott on July 1st 2008, which is the busiest travel week of the year.
Here is the Exxon/Mobil Customer Service contact information. Let's tell them what we are doing, so they will know ahead of time what is going on. Let's show them the power of the American Consumer.
Exxon Mobil
Customer Relations
Fuels Marketing Company
PO Box 1049
Buffalo, NY 14240-1049
Toll free: 1-800-243-9966
www.exxonmobil.com