So, how’d the election turn out for you?
Yeah. Me too.
Tuesday’s results had something for everyone, I guess.
Fortunately, we have some new faces on the Volusia County Council – unfortunately, they have the same old, same old loyalties and mindset – and like other recent elections, these contests were a testament to the power of money in skewing the playing field in a hyper-partisan environment where anything goes, and the ends always justify the means.
As a result, Volusia County’s reputation as the poster child for political dysfunction remains intact – a cautionary tale for our more successful neighbors in Central Florida, and a laughing stock to the real players in places like Tampa and Orlando – an oligarchy divided by a clear line of demarcation between those who have, and those who don’t – victims of an artificial economy created by a select few political insiders who continue to stack the deck using massive campaign contributions to reduce regulatory incumbrances and secure their permanent place at the public trough.
You don’t have to agree with that – but it is the ugly truth.
That’s why I laugh whenever I hear these D-list politicians – many of whom have done everything possible to alienate large segments of their constituencies during the campaign – now whining about “mending fences,” “stopping the negativity,” and “bringing collaboration” to that foundering ship of fools in DeLand.
Bullshit.
In my view, it is time for Chairman Jeff Brower to step down, return to the farm, and do whatever it is he does when he’s not jousting at windmills.
Like the now defeated Councilwoman Barbara Girtman, Mr. Brower played it too nice – even with a public mandate in his pocket, Brower never developed a taste for the cut-throat politics that has left him a battered and bruised martyr to some archaic notion of a local government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Once his enemies on the Gang of Four smelled blood in the water and knew they could turn Brower’s inherent decency against him – they marginalized his initiatives at every turn and beat him like a borrowed mule.
Why? Because they could.
That’s the way things work now.
To quote a line from a long-forgotten movie, Brower is not a wolf. “And this is a land of wolves now.”
Note to those giddy new marionettes who were elected to high office yesterday – your job is not to bring cohesion and collaboration to the dais of power – it is to ensure that every want, whim, and profit motive of those uber-wealthy insiders who brought you to the dance are protected at all costs.
Know your role.
Am I bitter? Nah. I would be if I actually had a chip in game – but I don’t. Neither do you.
Just disappointed.
Here’s a promise: I’ll lick my wounds, take stock of what it all means, and meet all you cool dudes and dudettes back here for Angels & Assholes on Friday.
Hunker down, y’all. . .
Barker's View 
I’m so happy Heidi Herzberg got a “Kiss of Death Endorsement” from Henry Fredricka Headline Surfer. It’s that type of intel that lets savvy voters know they should vote exactly the opposite.! We are finally free of the last of the “Blond Mafia” with Wheeler and Herzberg going back to tea a crumpets with their former boot licker Pat Rice and his easy bake oven..
And the last FU Hertzberg sitting from her League of cities chair is voting before a new commission to HIRE the CHISLER!!
The CHISLER will make a $1000 a day when he works that’s $500 before Lunch and $500 after. The Finest of Medical Care and a Car with unlimited expenses, I guess he will just call his old Buddy Glen RITCHEY ….
The best thing of Course will be those $50k expenditures the Chilseler doesn’t even ask the commission for approval that he can pass out like Chicklets.
And his contract that give him not only Triple Zero Liability for ANYTHING.. It also give him the unwritten express ability to also give Zero Fucks about what the little people might say..
“They Are All Corrupt,
I’m Corrupt”
Sic Sheriff Mike “Enema Political” Chitwood who also endorsed Heidi
Poor Deltona
Alva the new Mayor should exercise the 30 day notice to TERMINATE the Chiseler Day One and get busy finding a suitable long term replacement..
Or Prepare to SUFFER!!!🤡s
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“… an oligarchy divided by a clear line of demarcation between those who have, and those who don’t – victims of an artificial economy created by a select few political insiders who continue to stack the deck using massive campaign contributions to reduce regulatory incumbrances and secure their permanent place at the public trough.” As usual, you are spot on!
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You are correct, it is just going to get worst. The ‘good ol’ boy’ system in Volusia has been alive for decades and , unfortunately, will for many more decades. Glad I’m not going to be around on this earth much longer. I do worry for my grown children. They can always move out of this Stage Coach town.
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So, to best the wolves, we must become one? I guess that’s why after hiring a ‘hatchet’ CEO, they always are separated after deeds are done. Unfortunately, in an entrenched political system we need several neo-wolves elected at the same time who plan to do nothing other than disassemble the hierarchy, and have every intention of leaving once finished. can we get 3-4 of those at the same election cycle?
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Hey Mark! Love your blog and I agree with you often,, but Broweer did not make the mistake of being “too nice”. His mistake is in thinking he has a mandate. He did not win the election for County Chair. Arrogant Deb Denys lost it. He would do well to take into account the number of people who voted against her(not for him) because she always thought she was the “smartest “ person in the room because she was in a perceived position of power. Winning an election does not make you any smarter. It simply gives you a bully pulpit. All winners of any election should remember that. Unfortunately, most (including Denys, Brower and many others) seem to forget it!
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Couldn’t agree more!
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So, you say ” In my view, it is time for Chairman Jeff Brower to step down, return to the farm, and do whatever it is he does when he’s not jousting at windmills. ” Then further explanation…..
I believe you are a bit premature in your assessment. Precinct maps should provide a better evaluation. In my opinion there were serious blunders spotted during the course of campaigning which caused me concern at the various times. No, I will not be explaining that to the public.
In general, Republicans have made serious blunders too. Unbelievably stupid!
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That’s because the people voted for red across the board not knowing that our guys are Republican also . That’s the real problem! Nobody should know what party they represent especially in NON-PARTISAN races ! And nobody in a NON-PARTISAN race should be able to take money from out of state companies or people !
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Sad to say, Big John was right when he said Jeff Brower will be another Jason Davis. Yes the money did help those who were running against Doug, Ken, and Ted and the R.E.C. caused some grief, however, Jeff’s continuous shit show didn’t help the situation. Jeff’s heart may be in the right place but he lacks the organizational and leadership skills necessary to get the job done and he often leads his supporters down a winding path that ends in the deep abyss of nothingness that angers them because he has wasted their time and dashed their hopes. Jeff preaches political philosophies that he often does not adhere to and he is easily manipulated by the bureaucrats that he praised ad nauseam. If I recall correctly, Jeff approved every raise for the high dollar bureaucrats and he approved every giveaway of our tax dollars but he didn’t give two shits about the everyday essential workers, those forgotten ones who do the mundane dirty tasks so many feel they are too good to do. So for me, a once avid supporter, I will be glad to see Jeff’s ass sent packing. I have simply had enough of his hypocritical bullshit and his elitist asshole ways. I honestly put blinders on hoping he could accomplish something good, however, now I know it would never happen. As with Jason Davis, I predict Jeff Brower will be a one termer and his political career will end with little being accomplished.
I am not thrilled with the outcomes of the elections, however, I am glad there will be new faces on the County Council, I am glad Bob Apgar in DeLand is gone, and I think Deltona will be better off without Heidi Herzberg. I hope all who were elected will not forget they are elected by the citizens to represent the citizens and not the bureaucracies. Their paychecks may say Volusia County or have the name of a city on them, however, those dollars they are pocketing came from the taxpayers.
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The county chair lacks the intellectual and political skills to be effective. The improvement now is that he will be alone on the dais in his misery. It really doesn’t matter where one’s heart is when one is simply too small for the job.
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So glad you’re not bitter, ‘cause I’d hate to see what that looks like! The fake disingenuousness doesn’t suit, because anyone reading this in context knows your favored candidates got wiped out. The fact is that majority rule (as determined in free and fair elections, which we actually have) in the ballot box and on the council dais does not actually mean “political dysfunction,” but rather its opposite: that is how a functional representative democracy works. Deal with it!
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Mark,
I wanted to write you directly rather than reply to the original post you made titled “Know your Role.” I hope you will post this new message as a follow-up because I would hate for it to get lost under an old post.
In my original reply, I posted that you hit the nail on the head, and while that is true of the main context of the article, ever since then I have felt the need to clarify two points.
You said this in the post:
“In my view, it is time for Chairman Jeff Brower to step down, return to the farm, and do whatever it is he does when he’s not jousting at windmills.”
After re-reading this, I found myself very upset at my orginal post because I disagree with this statement 100%. And since you are an astute writer, I cannot dismiss the reference to Don Quixote and take it as a slight or a stain on Jeff as a person.
And I wholeheartedly disagree with that notion. I disagree because if you look at both the character and the novel, Don Quixote’s message is that individuals can be right while society is wrong. That was radical for the time it was written, but it is never more relevant than it is today.
Much like Don Quixote, Jeff may seem crazy to some, but I think we should be lauding Chairman Brower for leading with his heart much like Don Quixote did. We should not be encouraging him to step aside.
I just finished reading an article lamenting the loss of women on the county council after the election. One former female council member even saying, “They [women] walk through the world with different experiences.” Male or female, different experiences are what we want. Why are we asking the current chair to step aside to perpetuate the continued narrowing of vision for the county?
You go on to say, “Like the now defeated Councilwoman Barbara Girtman, Mr. Brower played it too nice – even with a public mandate in his pocket, Brower never developed a taste for the cut-throat politics that has left him a battered and bruised martyr to some archaic notion of a local government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
Volusia Voters. Please do not go gentle into that good night. Should Barb Girtman and Jeff Brower be called martyrs. Maybe, but not as I see it. I would sooner say they were assassinated by the politics that we continue to say we fight against and won’t stand for. But are we doing all that we can?
Much has been said, mostly negatively, about Jeff supporting like minded candidates, but little was made public that three of the county council candidates campaigns were run by a “well-connected to the police” (I am sure you can figure out a better way of saying that) person named Mike Scudiero, who used dirty politial tricks without ANYONE saying the first thing or even pointing it out. He almost single-handedly took down the whole movement that was on the rise in Volusia County. I wonder why we, the little people, didn’t make more of a point to quell the “the cut-throat politics that has left him [and others] battered and bruised.” I know why I didn’t. I just learned this. I am not sure why others stayed silent.
In the end, It leads me to think of another great movie quote. “Is Rome worth one good man’s life? We believed it once. Make us believe it again.”
Two years ago, Volusia voters believed in a better Volusia. It was lost because our fear of these powerful people keeps us from saying what needs to be said. I am sure I will be called out and depicted as Sancho riding an ass, or being and ass for saying all of this.
But to Jeff. As you approach these next two years, I can only ask you continue to follow your heart and say:
I am I, Don Quixote,
The Lord of LaMancha,
My destiny calls, and I go!
And the wild winds of fortune
Shall carry me onward … To wither so ever they blow …
Wither so ever they blow …
Onward to glory I go!
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