RE: RE: The Mitchell Report

Interesting assessment Steve. However, the implication seems to be that Democrats have been complicit in the twenty year success of the Stokes GOP. I can not accept that. Moreover, at what point do the Buster-Willis faction become acceptable Republicans? The moment when they cast their votes for Reagan, Helms, Burr, Baker-Holloway, etc. There is a difference between the parties and I hope in the fall if/when you mark your ballot for Lankford, Carroll, etc that you will realize that the Stokes GOP team beliefs are more consistent with your political views than those held by local Democrats. Right? When the fair rolls around in September I'll be standing with Roger Sharpe signs and wearing Stanley Smith buttons whereas Lankford, Larry Snyder, the Hamms and the loyalists will have the "W" proudly displayed with FOXX Country stickers, and maybe a Helms memoir or two beneath GOP tent. Will you (and other thoughtful Republican conservatives) be choosing between the lesser of two evils as you hold your nose and vote? Yes. Or run minimal risk of placing the county in the hands of Democrats who would resort to pre-Buster-Willis style governance (which I hear was not that bad and certainly much smaller and efficient than government in Danbury is today). Had Democrats controlled the board through the late 80's till now I believe (as you might agree) that the county would be quite different today- not so much in terms of the tax rate perhaps, but definitely in terms of developments. Who knows, taxes may have even been lower. There is a good chance that had you served on the board with Democrats in the 90's that the residential projects would have been derailed in favor of more useful, utilitarian uses of prime commercial and industrial land. Therefore the need to expand the tax base through property tax increases to support the demands of growth might not have occurred. Perhaps, but we will never know. However, it must be said that good Reagan-Helms, pro-growth, low tax conservative Republicans put the Buster-Willis cabal in office, not Democrats.

Moreover, it is hard for me to imagine Democrats holding majorities on boards ever again in this county simply because our message is not consistent and we have failed to communicate that we have candidates who are not tax and spend liberals and who are not Nancy Pelosi clones. Yet to suggest Stokes Democrats and Republicans are the same ilk is simply not true. There is a considerable difference between the likes of men like Doyle Cromer, Worth Gentry. Etc and certain GOP primary candidates for sheriff and a former candidate/commissioner that defeated the two of us Steve. But we'll save integrity for another day. I'm just thinking about administration and leadership abilities and know some good Dems who would and have done a good job for our county. Anyhow, I would like to hear the Brenneis plan for restoration or a libertarainization (is that a word?) of the Stokes GOP. Got one?

Robert W. Mitchell, Jr.