The Patriot Post® · Be Wary of Muddy Waters

America is still “wringing wet” from the political tsunami that we just witnessed in the mid-term elections and, from where I stand, I can easily detect a mix of guarded hope and cautious apprehension among Republicans, Democrats, Tea Party followers and the “others” alike.

The right to vote is the American way. It is a crystal-clear part of our freedom. And when the majority in any race picks its winner, there is a deep and abiding trust that accompanies the victory. There is a pledge taken by those elected to dutifully represent us, or at least that’s the way it is supposed to work because sometimes those elected take a little different turn.

Sometimes, within just a month or two, what actually happens may not be quite exactly what the voters had in mind on Election Day. For instance, let’s focus for a moment on John Duncan III, who was sworn in Sept. 1 as the new County Trustee of Knox County, Tennessee.

John, a staunch Republican and the son of U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., had enough clout to run unopposed in the Aug. 5 general election and repeatedly promised he would not only save the tax-payers money but would eliminate wasteful spending. That, we found out last Tuesday, is what the voters want to hear.

Just last week Duncan proudly announced he will close four satellite offices and eliminate nine positions when tax season ends in March. Closing the satellite offices will reduce annual costs by nearly a half-million dollars, he pointed out, and the fact he has fired three people, and another has retired, will result in a further savings of $163,850.

But, wait. According to a weekend story in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, in the past two months the new Trustee has hired 14 people who will be paid $700,000 and that doesn’t include benefits. Duncan has also given out $27,580 in raises to existing employees, explaining some “moved to bigger roles.”

It would appear young John’s mathematical theory is a little shaky but – far worse – that isn’t the reason the water is so murky. The Knoxville newspaper revealed that among those the Trustee has hired during his first two months in office are:

– Christy Gentry-Gabriel, former president of the West Knox Republican Club, who has background in public relations;

– Zach Brezina, a close friend, recent college graduate and the son of Mark Brezina, HUD’s Knoxville field office director;

– Carla Hatfield, the wife of Ted Hatfield, who is a member of the Tennessee Republican Executive Committee, veteran secretarial experience;

– Karen Bacon, the daughter of Mose Lobetti, a longtime courthouse “insider” and well-known local political operative, who previously worked in property assessor’s office;

– Claudia Loy, former county Mayor Mike Ragsdale’s ex-wife, and a former senior adviser at a commercial real estate firm;

– William Curtis, former president and CEO of Curtis Mortgage who donated $1,000 to his campaign;

– Chad Tindell, former Knox County GOP chairman, an attorney who has dealt with collections, bankruptcies.

Duncan told the newspaper, “We had to staff up. It would be irresponsible to the taxpayers to operate understaffed.” He also said, “If we hadn’t filled these positions, people would go to the offices and see no one at the desks or someone out to lunch, and there would be no one there to help them.”

The article said that Duncan “acknowleged the public could perceive the hirings as cronyism” but the new Trustee himself added, “We don’t want to sound like the good old boys. That’s something in the past and something we want to work on changing,” he said. “(But) in politics, especially with the Republican Party, I’ve noticed people are going to work with people who share the same philosophy on governing.”

Well, there you have it. That’s the answer! “ … people who have the same philosophy … ”

I should have known that. I guess it’s just because the water was so muddy that things were no longer crystal clear.