Some Problems with "Group Think"

Group Think is one facet of the leadership problem in Elbert County government. Add, "We don't speak ill publicly about our own kind", and you have the recipe for corruption, deterioration, and destruction.
The past 25 years of Republican control in Elbert County has brought just that. The corruption is well documented with lawsuits resulting in convictions of elected officials, fines levied and jail time served. The deterioration is evidenced by the budget numbers that show a steady decline ($3M per year for at least the last five years) in the county's net value.

Destruction. The recent resignation of elected Republican Commissioner Kelly Dore, was targeted destruction through insults, insubordination and threats from other elected officials and employees. It should be viewed as a deafening cry of warning to citizens. It is a true indicator of the level of decay housed in the government offices in Kiowa.

Still, election after election, the Republicans are elected. Republicans, largely, are the ones electing "their own kind". The lament from Republicans that "Republicans don't talk ugly about other Republicans" can no longer be tolerated as an ethical reason for not taking corrective action. When Commissioner Rowland casually and intentionally drops his gun on Commissioner Dore's foot in the BOCC meeting room ahead of a public meeting, it's time to call it out and change direction. It's not funny, it's not cute. It is intentional bullying. It was effective.

I read on the Elbert County Citizens Facebook page this week the following current Elbert County voter statistics from the Colorado Secretary of State:
Elbert County Active Voters:

9,476 Republican
4,953 Unaffiliated
138 Libertarian
2,219 Democrat
20 Green Party
4 American Constitution

These are staggering numbers that benefit the Republicans. Seemingly insurmountable for the Democrats in every election cycle.

I can no longer trust the Elbert County Republican Central Committee to proffer qualified candidates nor to "police" thuggish and financially irresponsible behavior once elected. The three commissioner candidates offered up this election do not inspire me. The Committee membership is locked into "Group Think" mentality. Candidates are required to pledge allegiance to the direction of the central committee, the majority of whose members are currently or past county-elected or county-employed. Voices of discontent are summarily quashed and cast out, a la the nomination of Danny Willcox over Paula Wilderman. Group Think. More of the same.

The hollow battle cry from Chairman Tom Peterson, posted on the EC Republican Party website (Letters from the Chair) just doesn't cut it for me. It's hollow because the committee permits abuse by its own blessed party elected, in the areas he mentions below:

Why are you a Republican? I'm concerned with....

the disregard of the US Constitution
the erosion of our freedom
the drifting away of an "In God We Trust" country
fiscal irresponsibility of government

More of the same will not prove successful in coping with the rapid population growth in our county as evidenced by the number of proposed new housing developments, and about which our government officials are reluctant to direct public information sessions or even announcements, other than an advertisement in one local paper.

I'm taking a chance on the three Democrats. They seem willing and capable of taking control of the purse strings, free of "Group Think" from any local party cabal. I'm hoping their pledges of government transparency will be less hollow than that consistently proven by our local Republicans.

--- A Former Republican, Elbert County Resident