Newspaper Page Text
4A
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2008
OPINION
Larry's pules for public officials
I read an article, recently, that
extolled the 10 virtues or neces
sities for good citizenship. With
that article in mind, let me write of
what I think it takes to be an effective
office holder - at whatever level. If you
would, “a good politician”. Here it is:
1. GOOD CHARACTER. Notice
that I don’t say “perfect” or “totally
honest”. What I do say is that you
should want to serve your fellow citi
zens in an honest and forthright man
ner. Totally honest? Probably not. Most
politicians probably wouldn’t last long
if they were “totally honest”. What
good is served by telling a constituent
that her proposal “is about the dumb
est idea I ever heard”?
The vast majority of the people I
served with were of good character and
wanted to “do the right thing” - what
ever “the right thing” was and is.
2. SMART. But, not necessarily
brilliant. Sometimes the brilliant are
too smart and can’t relate to their fel
lows and their constituents. I’d couple
smart with good common sense and
lots of educating life experiences. I
served with lots of smart people and a
few brilliant ones. Several of the bril
liant weren’t particularly effective and
came to bad ends.
One who was brilliant, had com
mon sense and had many things in
his life that he learned from was
Representative Denmark Groover, Jr.
He was “one in a million” and certainly
you don’t have to be a Denny Groover
to be effective.
3. BE YOURSELF. This might
be the most important of my criteria.
People in the pubic eye who tried to
be something they weren’t could be
spotted immediately. Years ago, some
politicians tried to be like Gov./Sen.
Herman Talmadge. Most of them were
fodder for fun and jokes - and, some
of the tales about them still make the
rounds in the circles of older politicos.
4. WORK HARD. Politics and
'IPCg |
l EARLY “X 1 _
Z makes an eggcellent father; Mutation Trail
Congratulations are in order.
Zuriel “Z” Heron is now the
proud father of a bouncy baby
boy. No, better scratch the “boy” part
and “bouncy” could be a problem.
His name, this Uttle bundle of joy, is
Xavier Little Heron. He was born ...
uh ... no, that’s not it either ... uh ...
“delivered” ... no, not quite there ... oh
I know ... “laid” Oct. 10, 2008. He’s an
egg. (And don’t ask me how he knows
he is a “he”.) But “ssssshhh” don’t tell
Z. Shades of Pinocchio. He thinks he’s
a real boy.
This is more than a home econom
ics assignment at Huntington Middle
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Journal/Don Moncrief
Zuriel Heron and his incredible
U unedib!e” egg.
Larry
Walker
Columnist
lwalker@whgb-law.com
office holding is hard work. Just ask
Sen. Ross Tolleson and Representatives
Larry O’Neal and Willie Talton. They
get up early, work hard all day, and
have many night functions to attend. I
suspect the same goes for our County
Commissioners and City officials. If
you don’t want to work hard, don’t get
into politics.
5. KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES.
This is a double first cousin to being a
hard worker. It takes time and effort
to learn the issues. There are so many
of them, and you never know who is
going to ask you what and when.
You’d better be prepared. If you’re
not, go back to number one above. Be
honest like, “I don’t know, but I’ll find
out and get back to you,” and do it!
6. INSTITUTIONAL
KNOWLEDGE. Learn about the
office and body in which you serve - it’s
history and traditions and rules and
those who served before you came on
the scene. This will serve you well and
will make you more respected by your
colleagues. You didn’t invent the wheel
or the rules about amending a bill, but
someone did.
When you figure out why something
is done the way it is, you might be sur
prised at the logic, and certainly you’ll
be the wiser.
7. LIKEABILITY. Be friendly.
Help your fellow man. Be courteous.
Don’t think you’re important, even
though the office might be. Learn words
like “please,” “I’m sorry,” “please for
give me,” “that’s a good idea,” etc.
Being liked will usually take you far
tt l wonder why everyone doesn't
just.vote early and avoid the lines!"
Don
Moncrief
Managing Editor
donm@evansnewspapers.com
School for this 12-year-old seventh
grader. This is parenthood - pure and
simple.
He changes his diapers - so testi
fied his momma, Kenya. He bought
him this “killer baseball outfit”, she
said. He carries around a little diaper
bag of necessities - baby powder, oil,
wipes, etc. (The baby rides in a little
plastic tub but he’s all tucked in snugly
with his cute little blue baby blanket.)
He feeds him (lucky him the kid was,
according to mom, bom with a full set
of teeth). He bathes him. He gets up
with him in the middle of the night.
Or, woqld rather, if not for the fact the
newborn is already sleeping through
the night (also per mom).
He takes him everywhere he goes
- doesn’t have a car seat but ensures
he’s strapped in with a seatbelt.
He even brings him to taekwondo
class (which is where I was first intro
duced to him) - only mom/grandmom
babysits while Z’s <Jn the mat.
Their - Z and Xavier’s - two favorite
things to do together are play video
games (Xavier presumably likes the
“oldie but goodie” “Eggbert”) and ride
in a plastic truck. Xavier, “Egghead” is
his nickname, rides. Z pushes. Oh and
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HHr
in politics. My test for who is going to
win the election: Who would I rather
go fishing with? This choice usually
wins. It’s probably why George Bush
beat John Kerry.
8. WILLINGNESS TO
COMPROMISE. Don’t compromise
on your principals, but do learn to
compromise when principles are not
involved - and, principles are generally
not involved.
Frankly, my experience in the leg
islature was that our most heated
arguments had to do with who was
going to get the money. Doctors or chi
ropractors? Doctors or nurses? Dentist
or dental hygienist? Lawyers or insur
ance companies? Big oil (refiners) or
little oil (wholesalers)? Or, as to the oil
issue, as someone said, “big million
aires or little millionaires?” You get the
picture. Learn when compromise is in
everyone’s best interest and do it.
9. HAVE A THICK SKIN. You’ll
need it. Everything in the world will
be said to you. Generally, you just need
to smile and take it, although on occa
sions, I’ve gone so far and then talked
back. And, you’ll lose some so-called
friends over votes or stands on issues.
It just goes with it. If you don’t have
a thick skin or can’t develop one, poli
tics and public office are probably not
for you.
10. KNOW WHEN TO QUIT. My
father used to say that it was “a smart
man who knew when to put something
down”. Daddy was right. Nothing is
sadder than those who stay beyond
their time.
Knowing when to quit is probably
more important than deciding to run.
So there you have it: Larry’s 10 rules
for a good public servant. If you’ve got
the ability and can meet the test - 7 out
of 10 would be a good score - put your
hat in the ring. We need good people in
public office.
"Her body Is shielded
from view by a sheet of
plywood but you see the
machete come down and
you hear the ’whack' as It
meets Its mark. You have
no trouble envisioning her
head coming off.”
- Me, on Tribulation Trail
don’t worry about the fact there are
no airbags. “I strap him in real good,”
Z says. That’s good to hear because,
again according to mom, one of the
requirements of Z’s grade is that little
Xavier cannot be cracked at the end of
the grading period (although she and I
agreed that one ought to be allowed ...
to keep it real don’t you know).
According to Z, that - having their
world shattered - has already happened
to more than half of his 23-member
class. But not to little Xavier, he has
vowed.
I wish him success. It’s a cruel world
out there. Even his mom (Z’s mom
... Xavier’s mom just “went away”, Z
said) is not what she seems. Would you
believe that as I was getting all the little
details about Xavier down the subject of
chicken came up? Specifically the fact
she likes chicken (and who doesn’t).
“Oh no,” I warned. “Could you
See MONCRIEF, page fA
"One voice can make a difference"
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Urging others to vote ‘no’ on Early
Warning system
I urge the voters of Houston County to vote “no” on the
Special Election Referendum for an Early Warning sys
tem. Houston County Commissioners have chosen not to
adhere to state laws by putting this tax increase on the Nov
4 ballot before having three public hearings. Early voting
took place before hearings were completed.
Why all of a sudden does Houston County citizens need
this protection? These same commissioners have been in
office for 10 years and some for more than 20 years. These
same commissioners have voted to increase your taxes the
last two years, all the while giving themselves pay raises
and retirement benefits.
The commission chairman has stated, “this system is
undefined and undetermined.” To me this means they don’t
know what they want to do but they know they want more
of your and my money. They (commissioners) are willing to
let you raise taxes yourself.
The commissioners want you to raise your taxes in the
amount of an estimated $1,800,000. It could be more or
less. The chairman has stated that he was sure an engi
neering study would have to be done. How much will this
cost of the $1,800,000? I believe the commission chair
man, himself, is an engineer and I believe Houston County
already has engineers on the payroll. Houston County
already has an excellent Emergency Management Director,
Chief Jimmy Williams. I, also, believe he can do the job
if needed. The chairman stated, “the county will use its
money and then get reimbursed later.” Excuse me! You will
use my tax money and later I’ll raise my taxes and reim
burse the county. I don’t think so!!
During the past five years that I have attended Houston
County Commission meetings, this Early Warning System
has been mentioned at only four meetings(three which are
mandated by state law). I have only heard two individu
als speak for and two speak against this type of system.
Houston County has a lot of unelected individuals calling
the shots. Again, I urge Houston County citizens to vote
“no” until a defined system can be put forward.
- Maurice L. Braswell, Kathleen
More than tired of sharing the
so-called ‘wealth’
I don’t know anything about Obama’s charitable endeav
ors, but I believe we’ve already been “sharing" our
so-called “wealth” for years, and I don’t have anymore to
share.
The new figures for receiving help paying utility bills
was printed in newspapers this week. I pay my own, even
though I’m on a fixed income. However, I don’t have a
bunch of children that I can’t afford to take care of. Look at
those figures (published) and realize that people who have
eight children can earn over $65,000 per year and get help.
If you can’t afford eight children, or even two, why should
the taxpayer, or people who pay their own bills, help sup
port your lifestyle?
What about all the school lunches the taxpayers, who
have responsibly limited their families, pay for? How about
ail the illegal aliens who have had babies and never paid a
dime, and receive WIC and welfare. To say nothing of the
fact that every time you have to pay for medical care, your
bill reflects your “share” for all the ones who don’t pay? You
also pay through the nose for car insurance to pay for the
ones who don’t carry any insurance, and drive illegally.
How about all the money that goes to pay for AIDS in
Africa and elsewhere around the world?
See LETTER, page yA
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