Doesn't anyone understand political power grabs?

Gulfwind,

I noticed in your blog that you seem to have an issue with Debbie Ricks running for office. One of the reasons seem to be that she works for an elected official right now.

Did you notice that the only other two that have "put their bid in" for the position are REPUBLICANS and they BOTH state that they currently work for the S.O.E.? How does that work with your "line of thinking"?

Debbie Ricks has been a great part of the Leadership in Green Cove Springs and I am SURE that a good number of "non-republicans" had something to do with putting her in office on the G.C.S. city council.  

It seems that your rants are a poor attempt to associate her good name with some sort of negative propaganda. What do the Halls and  the lancasters have to do with her? And what have those individuals done that is so negative? The last I checked the Hall family, (of whom I have never met) are more active right now in community service and charities than anything else. I have met some of the Lancaster family and have no issues with them. Do people make mistakes? SURE they do. As a matter of fact I believe that you may be making one by getting your "facts" a little scrambled...

( I am still trying to find-out where the Republican comm. woman is a county or state elected position) not that it really matters.

Ol Commissioner Fitz gets in trouble for a few sand bags (that the county was giving out free to all county residents). 

Ricks...can write in excess of 4000 emails that are personal and political in nature ALL THE TIME BEING ON THE TIME CLOCK OF THE CLERK"S OFFICE.  Do you have any idea how much time it takes to write 4000 emails...and at her given salary.

Wasnt Ricks and her husband involved in the contributions to Jett's campaign during the last election?  All Clerk of Court employees were given hefty bonuses and asked (told)) to give 1/2 of the BONUS back as a campaign contribution to Jett.

Nah, I dont think I will be voting for Ricks.

Regardless of how one feels about Ms. Ricks qualifications for SOE, the party office she is running for is not a state or local office.  She is on the ballot for a county constitutional office and a seperate ballot for a local party position.  The party election is there for the convenience of the particular party's members so they won't have to go to the polls a second time for an additional vote at additional costs.  Florida has a closed primary system, for good or ill.  Democrats or NOPs would receive a ballot with her name for SOE (if they have no candidates in the race), but, not for the party election

p.s. RichK; what does JATFUR represent?

It amazes me to see all this talk about the Republicans trying to grab all the power when I don't see one Democrats name on the ballot.

If you don't put a team on the field it is their ball game from the get go. You want to have a say, get up and run for the office.

There are some NPAs out there that are running, vote for them if you don't like Republicans having all the power. It is a start. Then next time around throw your hat in the ring and try to change the status quo.

Or you can sit back and wank and whine about how the poor down trodden Democrats are so abused by the system. The system works just fine unless there is only one political party on the ballot. From what I could see from the SOE site the ballot hasn't had a Democrat on it in over 10 years.

That isn't a grab, that's a hand off.  

Mike Heemer

Fred Catchpole Office 904-771-6852 Cell 904-708-5541

I think if you look at the incumbants and the Major Party candidates, look at their affiliations, supporters, positions on policies and future events you will see the bigger picture.  I do not blame the Democrats for not fielding opposition, they must pick and choose their battles when so out numbered.

Combine the above with ill conceived lawsuits to try to maintain the power and keep special interest programs alive and well in Clay County and you get a better picture of Power Clutching.

The voters can change alot of it by sending a message with votes for Independents who are not part of the special interests programs.

The lawsuit against a bi-partisan citizens initiative group still is a burr in my shorts.  Every one I ask states it should not have been filed.  Every one I ask believes the citizens petition will not be treated fairly in County Court due to perceived Conflicts of Interest.  I have polled hundreds on this issue and they all agree.

Again the voters do have a choice, if the Court does not treat the citizens initiative group with the respect the Florida Supreme Court does, then the voters have the choice to vote against those who have the conflicts of interest with the Court.  I am still amazed that 12,000 petitions representing Clay County voters was raised in 5 weeks despite some local interference by County and Court officials.  Imagine how many they could get against someone they did not like.

The CTLAC is bi-partisan however If they are not treated fairly I would encourage them to support the candidates that do not have family ties to County and Court officials.

 That way the GRAB FOR POWER, may be contained.

Fred Catchpole

Fred,

In my opinion, the frivolous lawsuit filed against CTLAC was more like an attempt to put us in a "STRANGLE HOLD".

I have been reading these Blogs for some time. They are usually good reading.

Of course come election time they start to get really nasty, and it's really easy to post without your identity and make statements that are flat out lies.

That is why I am writing now.

FlemIslresident, what you posted in reference to Mr. Jett asking or telling the courthouse employees to give money to his campaign in the last election or at any time is a FLAT OUT LIE.

The REALLY disturbing thing is that you know that. There were investigations and lawsuits that everyone knew, including the judge's, were unfounded.

I can't offer anything either way on the subject of e-mails because I don't know the facts there...But...

It seems this issue you have with Mrs. Ricks isn't political, it's personal.

I'm SURE I'll hear about this, and that is fine with me. I can back up everything I say.

Think about that the next time you want to post a lie just to make yourself feel better.

I appears you feel the only way you think your canidate can win is by smearing a good man's name.

All that shows is that you've already lost.

Yes, Debby Ricks is running for the Republican Party office of Committeewoman at the same time she is running for SOE.

What I had not previously realized is that there are also committee people races for the individual precincts.  I received a sample ballot from one of the "Newman for Sheriff" people that shows all of the committee people candidates in all of the precincts.  If you look at who is running you see a number of familiar names, many of which are candidates or incumbants in other offices. 

Travis Cummings,       BCC candidate

Carol Studdard            School Board candidate

Gary Newman              Candidate for Sheriff

Francis and Sherry Behring, don't know if they are related to the county manager

Leslie Dougher            vice-president? REC

Heather Rutledge         Don't know if related to Harold

Matt Justice                 Young Republicans?

Gordon Jesperson         CRC

Tom Platt                    Candidate BCC

Pat Thurman                Candidate for Superintendent

Rob Bradley                  Candidate BCC

Jennifer Bradley             Wife of candidate BCC

Roy Lyons                      CRC

Dianne Lyons                  Probably Roy's wife

Charlie Van Zant              School Board

Karen Lake                      CRC

Don't make too much out of Ricks running for two offices.  I do not know the purpose of the commitee people, I assume that the precinct winners get to be on the REC, and that the county commitee person gets to be on a Florida state version of the REC. They are just party offices that have no say over public policy. The sample ballot 15 precincts with Republican candidates and 3 precincts with Democrat candidates, and some precincts seem to be selecting more candidates than others.  From this I assume that the party affiliation and number of committee people is determined by how that precinct voted in the last presidential election.

Is it a power grab.  Well, you could consider it as so, but it is a very small amount of power and only within their own political party. 

Let's consider the possiblities...

I've got a little bit of an axe to grind with the Florida republican party...they should have backed Romney.  I am a registered Republican, so I suppose if I wanted to run for precinct or county committee person in 2010 that all I would have to do is file the paperwork and throw my hat in the ring.  If I won, could I gain a seat on the REC or the state equivalent, and when installed just fillibuster everyone to death until they agreed to leave primaries to the voters instead of party leaders. 

I also wonder...their is a loyalty oath attached to being a member of the REC, and it prohibits members from backing anyone for office other than the Republican candidate.  However, if it is an elected office, could they remove me for crossing party lines? 

Probably.  No dissention in the ranks.

I am wondering about the numerous "Re-elect Rutledge" signs ALL OVER MY NEIGHBORHOOD as of last weekend.  They seem to be everywhere.  If any of you bloggers live in District 5, would you please tell me why you are supporting him and what he has done for you and Clay County in his four years of "service" on the BCC. 

I look forward to your input, whether or not you live in District 5, as he was last elected as an 'at-large' candidate. As an elected Commissioner, he is to supposed to be serving the best interests of all the Clay County citizens so I am asking what he has done for us.   His contributors appear to be a laundry list of special interests and others who have an agenda for him, but I could be just paranoid.  I tend to be that way when it comes to politicians, salesmen and all others who speak with forked tongue and might benefit by convincing me they are looking out for my best interests.

Judy B.

Going door to door. He asked me if he could put a sign in my yard and I said no.  I don't put any politicing signs in my yard because in years past certain groups would take them or wreck them. So it is more of a bother than anything else. And I have  to mow around them

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle

 Why all of the sudden has our OPS become so popular with the politicians, I have lived here a long time and now all the sudden we have door to door campainers.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle

joeriley08,

You stated that both the other candidates (besides Ricks) state that they currently work in the SOE office.  That is not quite true.  Stefanie Thomas does not currently work there.  She held Chambliss' current position a few years ago.  So while both Thomas and Chambliss bring the same experience, she is not running as an insider.