Politicized

This seems to be the word of the week, at least for legacy news. They see, and say, T2 is politicizing the government, like that is a bad thing, because it checks the unchecked administrative state.

Wow.

The defense of this opaque and confusing administrative state borders on hysteria. Even members of congress aren't sure which programs in our schools are DoE or HHS, suggesting there is no meaningful oversight by the creators this alphabet soup of a government. So let's not kid ourselves, the administrative state is not a government of, by or for the American people. 

That is because it is distanced and protected from our democratically elected officeholders. Over the past 100 years, congress has created and nurtured this administrative state transferring the power and authority of the democratic republic to their creation. In so doing they have ensured that our vote doesn't matter, because in their mind, elected officials no longer matter. At least one seems to disagree, claiming that the electorate's will has authority over the administrative state.

Is this politicized, or is this democratized? Maybe this is something we should try in Dunwoody, especially if the city charter is as malleable as our little administrative state thinks it is.

Artificial Intelligence?

Natural stupidity? Core ignorance? [D|M]isinformation? Maybe all of the above? 

We're in the midst of one of the most objectionable election seasons in a lifetime, even Biden's long, long lifetime, and it comes with Helene-ic floods of blather that are just plain wrong. Only thing worse is the pushback with the Biden/Harris tribe branding anything they don't want to hear as "disinformation." Even when they are legit questions with actual, factual answers. Just answers they don't want to say out loud. 

How did we get here? 

Probably started with the wordsmiths, the purveyors of news, olds, the finders of facts and liars of lies. Yep. The media. And they've been subtle, which makes them incredibly dangerous. We've been given this almond-scented dose from the left-leaning Huffington Post:

"a Food and Drug Administration-approved update to the Mammography Quality Standards Act"

Why is this dangerous? Because it is either profound, entrenched ignorance from those who should know more and better, or it is intentional subversive propaganda. And it has been going on for so long that most folks don't even see it for what it is. Do you? You see, the FDA is a federal administration and part of the executive branch. As such, the FDA does not create congressional acts, and congress neither seeks nor needs the FDA's approval because it is the FDA's job to establish regulations conforming to the MQSA. The MQSA passed by congress. Who knew? Apparently NOT the fourth estate, the self-appointed, self-proclaimed defenders of our democracy. 

We're in trouble comrades.

Hating On Democracy

DeKalb County has something called a "Charter Review Commission" that is looking into changes to how we, the people might be governed. For the most part the proposed changes are adjustments, mostly reasonable and non-structural. It is interesting to note that the CEO or a commissioner vacates their position if they qualify to run for any office other than the President of the United States, but it IS a draft. It does add some powers to the commissioners but retains the structural integrity of our county government. Most importantly we, the people, will elect the CEO who will be the person running the county. How democratic.

Someone doesn't like that and wants to ditch the CEO that we elect in favor of a county manager appointed by commissioners. This would remake the county government to mimic the school district and the new, faux-cities like Dunwoody because that's working so well---not. It would also add another degree of separation between the electorate and operations undermining local control and democracy itself.

How Is This Democratic?

As in small-d democratic? 

The Georgia General Assembly has passed a bill allowing DeKalb County to use SPLOST funds for purpose that were explicitly not part of the referendum when it was voted on and passed. How is that even legal/constitutional? 

So apparently we can be presented with a referendum, deem it worthy of support, vote, pass it and then have it changed without presenting these changes to the voters for their approval. It appears as if the original vote was either a trap, a charade or just a bait-and-switch. 

And they call this "democracy?" 

Dunwoody Oligarchy

There are some serious anti-democracy forces at work in this city. It isn't just a growing overabundance of bureaucrats whose disdain for residents is exceeded only by their syncophancy for profiteers, these forces run deep in council. There is no greater example than an exiting dwarf.

This dwarf does not now and never has respected, nor represented the electorate, instead advocating for universal term limits as if to say "of course the voters cannot be trusted at the ballot box, after all they elected me!" Superficially there is some sense to this, but upon examination it is nonsense. And insulting. Or perhaps it is far worse.

While touting the benefits of a new pair of eyes, this dwarf acts as a self-anointed Protector of the Seat. Unpack that. Does the dwarf own the seat? If not, from whence does this protectorate derive? What sovereign issued that charter? Look hard. Look long. You'll find naught but hubris.

And a new perspective? Really? Then why seek out a Dwarf In Waiting? Is it to find a replacement that philosophically really isn't, who shares your worldview? To find someone who will continue policies smacking of business welfare at the expense of anyone actually living in this faux-protectorate? If so, the Protector of the Seat seems to have succeeded by corralling a Dwarf In Waiting who has stated a preference for Sandy Springs with almost disdain for Dunwoody:

"My home is actually two blocks in to Dunwoody but my life is centered in Sandy Springs."

Maybe the Dwarf In Waiting would be better off moving to Sandy Springs to fully live that centered life. Certainly the residents of Dunwoody, particularly in District 1, would be better off.