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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 22, 2008 - PAGE 5A
We Need Commitment To Thoughtful Strategies
In pleasant company, I avoid talk
of presidential politics whenever I
can. Everybody has so much emo
tion riding beneath the surface.
I have deep feelings, too, but I
know every person has their own
way of looking at the world. And I
recognize that trying to win some
one over to my way of thinking
only strains relationships.
We come to our conclusions
alone, basing our decisions on our
own criteria. The vote cast on the
shape of a candidate's nose counts
as much as a thoughtful vote on a
foreign policy platform.
And no matter how right you
think you are about presidential
politics, someone will disagree
with righteous fury, proudly
declaring your idiocy. That's the
world. And in some ways, we are
all capable of playing the fool. It
seems we are each so sure of our
worldview and will not budge
from it. We hear the evidence that
supports our established notions,
praising its validity. We dismiss
conflicting evidence, readily
labeling it as biased or politically
driven even before we hear it out.
Meanwhile, news outlets feed this
mental laziness with more and
more organizations recognizing
that there's money to be made
off giving ideologues from right
and left what they want to hear. In
doing so, some news outfits aban
don the lofty goal of civic-minded
journalism for target market cash.
This presidential election is
weighted with those same, old cul
tural divides. When we vote, we
assume an identity. We put on a
red or blue jersey.
There's something oddly invigo
rating about games of us and
them.Those clear lines of disdain
are old and familiar. They don't
challenge us to actually listen to
an individual. We can assess what
team a person's on, then either
nod in approval or give him the
verbal backhand, drawing cheers
from our fellow teammates.
It troubles me, our eagerness
to abandon thoughtful dialogue
on the issues of our day: the
economy, the right way out of
Iraq, the threat of nuclear pro
liferation, appropriate taxing
policies, the $10 trillion national
debt, the collapse of American
manufacturing, the pursuit of al
Qaeda, the legal and moral ques
tions regarding state-sanctioned
torture, our dependence on for
eign oil, the right strategy on
global warming, the proper way
to handle immigration, the right
moral positions on abortion or
the death penalty.
These challenging issues demand
a commitment to exhaustive
thinking and listening, not just
barking. But we don't want such
headaches. No, we want it nice
and neat. So we lower the bar of
debate to grossly superficial levels.
We focus on who's likable. We talk
about personalities and body lan
guage as if these things hold the
key to good governance.
Steve Spurrier doesn't win games
by throwing his visor, but if he
were a politician, that's all televi
sion pundits would focus on, that
emotional gesture, that image, a
superficial thing that really has
nothing to do with his command
of the complexity of the game.
The federal government is a big
ship of bureaucracy. Whether it's
steered toward open waters or an
iceberg does not depend on lik-
ability or persona or image. It's the
hard policy that counts.
And with so much going wrong
these days, I can't emphasize
enough how sickened I am by
the politics of demonization that
infects our election cycles, that
boogeyman element that appeals
to base fears and our darkest
nature. I'm so ashamed by what I
hear. We need thoughtful dialogue
on how to maintain a healthy civi
lization in these troubled times.
We don't need all these digressions
on matters that aren't relevant to
American health, that only feed
our blinding animosities.
We desperately need to be better
than that.
Zach Mitcham is editor of The
Madison County Journal.
Maysville Getting
Close On Budget
By Justin Poole
Maysville is one step
closer to establishing a
2009 budget.
The city council met
Saturday to discuss the
budget and other matters
at a workshop in Homer.
Concerns about the bud
get ranged from water mat
ters to public safety.
The council discussed
budgeting for the water
department including pre
vious increases due to fuel
prices and noted that the
city’s mini-truck would
help to cut back on the
amount of fuel the water
department uses. Budget
increases stem from the
increase in the cost of nec
essary chemicals.
Moving on to public safe
ty the council looked at
the possibility of replacing
the oldest police car. The
council has seen quotes
on a Dodge Charger and a
Ford Crown Victoria, both
with the same equipment.
Council member Clay
Dorsey suggested also try
ing to find a used model.
Funds are left from the
2008 budget that were set
aside for a car. The council
agreed to consider utilizing
those funds and SPLOST
funds.
Mayor Jerry Baker said
that many residents had
commented about wanting
24-hour police presence.
The council discussed hav
ing police chief Clarence
Sullens look into the feasi
bility of a 24-hour force.
In addition, the council
discussed:
•the Downtown
Development Authority
issue about the legality of
its members. A letter from
Melody Standi, chair of
the DDA, requested that all
the members of the DDA
resign and then the council
start over. The council gave
the impression of agreeing
to allow the resignations
then appointing new.
•the approaching dead
line for the use of the
remaining Banks County
SPLOST funds. Baker sug
gested that the council
might consider using the
remaining funds on the
water tanks.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
— Hasco Craver: What Have We Learned From The Polls?
Thanks For Good
Cont. from Page 4A
Oklahoma and USC
are seen by most poll
sters as the best one-
loss teams in America.
No. 4 Oklahoma lost a
tough one to Texas and
still has to play Texas
Tech and Oklahoma
State. Something tells
me that Texas Tech and
Oklahoma State won't
be in the top ten when
they face Oklahoma,
but hopefully they'll
be hungry enough to
knock off the Sooners.
No. 5 USC continues
to impress pollsters
across the nation, but
huge wins in the most
underperforming major
conference in the nation
doesn't warrant contin
ued praise. Five out of
their next six games are
against unranked PAC-10
teams and its only other
game is against Notre
Dame. USC has a chance
to slowly and quietly
move up in the polls
as the rest of the major
conferences battle it out
between now and the
end of the season.
Georgia can make a
run at it. No. 7 UGA
leads the SEC in total
offense and has the
league's leading receiver
and a running back/
quarterback tandem that
most in the NCAA envy.
With a nationally ranked
defense, our only handi
caps this season are our
penchant for penalties, a
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City of Commerce
POSITION AVAILABLE
The City of Commerce is accepting applications for
an Apprentice Lineman in the Electric Department.
The position is full-time and is a Grade 14 position
(ranging from $15.37 to $23.16 per hour
($31,969.60 to $48,172.80 annually). Depending
upon qualifications and experience, the starting pay
will be between $15.37 and $17.19 per hour.
Applicants must have a high school diploma or
equivalent, have a Commercial Driver’s License
(CDL), and pass a pre-employment drug screen.
Any experience working with high voltage, climbing
poles, or operating a bucket truck is a definite plus.
An application is available at City Hall or online at
www.commercega.org until Monday, October 29,
2008 or until filled. Please direct your inquiries to
payroll@commercega.org.
The City of Commerce is an Equal Opportunity
Employer.
Tracy Hall, Payroll & Benefits Coordinator
City of Commerce
V
✓
Job At Intersection
young and inexperienced
offensive line, a strug
gling defensive backfield
and an inability to score
in the red zone and put
opponents away. UGA
has amassed the yardage
totals it needs to be a
national contender and
our run defense is one of
the best in the country.
If UGA can continue to
keep opponents in check
and move the ball as
we have, there is a very
good chance that we can
beat the rest of the teams
on our schedule.
Our game against No.
13 LSU in Baton Rouge
will be tough, but after
watching South Carolina
stick around with LSU
this past Saturday, I'm
convinced we can beat
them. Our game against
No. 10 Florida will be the
season-maker/breaker. I
don't want to seem as if
I think UGA should over
look its other remaining
opponents, but without a
win in Jacksonville, UGA
needs to prepare itself
for a Cotton Bowl spot
against a so-so Big 12
team, maybe Texas Tech
or Oklahoma State.
Hasco Craver is executive
director of the Commerce
Downtown Development
Authority. He lives in
Commerce.
Editor:
I would like to express
my appreciation and
congratulations for a
job very well done to
the Department of
Transportation, Jackson
County officials, to the
Jackson County tax
payers and to all other
responsible persons for
the reconstruction of
Hwy. 15 at the inter
section of Apple Valley
Road.
It is much safer now
because there is more
visibility at the curve
and what was once a hill
as motorists approached
Apple Valley Road.
I'm sure the improve
ment will deter many
accidents from occurring
and possibly save lives.
It makes all the incon
veniences that occurred
during the reconstruc
tion worthwhile.
It is refreshing to see
some of my hard-earned
tax dollars at work.
Thanks again,
Mary A. Stevens,
Commerce
Kathy Parker,
Professor of Geography, UGA
Tour of Hope participant
They write books about people like her. A cancer survivor. A teacher.
A scholar. A wife. An adventurer. A world-class athlete at the age of 52.
A woman who inspires others by her actions and her attitude. And now,
the irony and cruelty of it all is that cancer is back for the second time. So
she shaves her head and she smiles that beautiful smile and gets ready for
a fight. Because she’s not giving up. And neither are we.
IW&JUuu- CAZVt-
www.armc.org
We knew she was a fighter
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