Atlanta Beltline corruption (Gordon, Leary: credit, neighborhood, purchases)

[AcidSnake]

This thread is pretty dramatic. As expected the conservative Georgians seem to have the Beltline Project on their bullseye.

It sucks that given this hyper-partisan atmosphere the Beltline administrators seem to not have an internal political thermometer when irresponsibly spending public money on personal non-Beltline-related affairs. But I'm not gonna get all emotionally tied up in knots about a couple of misspent dollars.

My take on this situation? Slap the idiots on their wrists, make them pay back the monies out of their own salaries and then an extra fine on top of that...and then call it a day.

Next.

[AcidSnake]

I agree. This issue is just another excuse to go on some typical hyper-ideological libertarian rant.

The actions of a few stupid administrators does not make or break a whole project. That's just insane. If some Georgians want to take their anti-public institution crusade to that level, then why won't they aim their weapons at GDOT or at Georgia Power? Plenty of misspent public monies going on at those two public institutions.

Of course that won't happen. So no need for the pro-Beltline supporters to take this bait, I'd say.

Originally Posted by JPD

I know you hate the government, but let's not just nail public projercts to the wall. There's just as much, if not more, of this kind of garbage going on in the private sector.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

This thread is pretty dramatic. As expected the conservative Georgians seem to have the Beltline Project on their bullseye.

It sucks that given this hyper-partisan atmosphere the Beltline administrators seem to not have an internal political thermometer when irresponsibly spending public money on personal non-Beltline-related affairs. But I'm not gonna get all emotionally tied up in knots about a couple of misspent dollars.

My take on this situation? Slap the idiots on their wrists, make them pay back the monies out of their own salaries and then an extra fine on top of that...and then call it a day.

Next.

It just happened to be the headline that I read and thought it was noteworthy. No conspiracy, so you can put away the tin foil.

I do think it's a timely coincidence given the recent discussions about TSPLOST, but that wasn't my motivation for posting. It is VERY interesting to see the usual suspects come to the defense of the people accused and essentially say they don't care, and then take more issue with the messenger than the people responsible for the message.

Again...I think this speaks to the way we've become accustomed and accepting of corruption on the government's dime. If you want to make that political, then go ahead.

[tikigod311]

I'm glad that there is some heat on these folks, no amount of government funds abuse should be tolerated. People love all that zero tolerance crap, wish they would use it on government employees instead of 16 years caught with pot or alcohol.

But it would seriously unfair to start using the "waste and abuse" rhetoric to describe the Beltline due to these relatively minor infractions.

Just make sure they pay it back!

This issue is just another excuse to go on some typical hyper-ideological libertarian rant.

As someone who is fairly libertarian, I totally understand.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I don't hate government and never said anything to that effect, so stop trying to put words in my mouth to suit your view. What I hate is inefficient and wasteful gov't. What I hate is a nanny gov't. Lean and efficient gov't is a necessary thing for a civil society, within certain constitutional boundaries.

As for your point (and by the way...you sound like you "hate" private enterprise and capitalism ), if money is wasted in private business, then it's between the shareholders or principals of that company and those who are wasting the money. If it's criminal, then those people should be prosecuted. It has nothing to do with you or with me, unless we are shareholders (of a public company).

If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were trying to justify the abuse at the Beltline by saying...."it's OK, everyone is doing it" but I wouldn't want to put words in your mouth.

No, as a matter of fact, I raked them over the coals pretty good on their facebook page.

[AcidSnake]

What conspiracy?

It's no secret that there are many conservative-minded Georgians/Tea-Partiers who simply hate the Beltline Project. Anyone who pretends otherwise is either completely moronic, has been living under a rock, or quite simply will not acknowledge the political realities present in Georgia...and that sort of intellectual dishonesty is fairly common around here.

If you want to take my opinion as being "accustomed" to corruption on the government's dime, go right ahead. I actually see that sort of criticism from a person like you as a compliment.

And let's not get it twisted...it's always political with you.

I am simply one of the few posters on here who habitually abides by the straight no-chaser form of conversation, because I prefer to move beyond the empty platitudes and fakery common in these discussions; and get to the real "issue behind the issues", so to speak.

Just my humble two cents on this conversation.

Originally Posted by neil0311

It just happened to be the headline that I read and thought it was noteworthy. No conspiracy, so you can put away the tin foil.

I do think it's a timely coincidence given the recent discussions about TSPLOST, but that wasn't my motivation for posting. It is VERY interesting to see the usual suspects come to the defense of the people accused and essentially say they don't care, and then take more issue with the messenger than the people responsible for the message.

Again...I think this speaks to the way we've become accustomed and accepting of corruption on the government's dime. If you want to make that political, then go ahead.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

What conspiracy?

It's no secret that there are many conservative-minded Georgians/Tea-Partiers who simply hate the Beltline Project. Anyone who pretends otherwise is either completely moronic, has been living under a rock, or quite simply will not acknowledge the political realities present in Georgia...and that sort of intellectual dishonesty is fairly common around here.

If you want to take my opinion as being "accustomed" to corruption on the government's dime, go right ahead. I actually see that sort of criticism from a person like you as a complement.

And let's not get it twisted...it's always political with you.

I am simply one of the few posters on here who would abide by the straight no-chaser form of conversation, because I prefer to move beyond the empty platitudes and fakery common in these discussions; and get to the real "issue behind the issues", so to speak.

Just my humble two cents on this conversation.

I'll just leave it where I started it. Some misappropriation of funds was found. It's all too common in public works projects these days, and it's why so many people are skeptical of public works projects and the potential for wasting tax money.

The Big Dig in Boston was the mother of all corrupt public works projects, under both Republicans and Democrats.

[AcidSnake]

Paraphrasing another poster, misappropriation of funds is no more a heinous evil in public hands as it is in private hands.

So please excuse me if I don't work up myself up into a rage-induced lather over a couple of thousand dollars being misspent. I consider it a huge success that someone found out about these issues through the Freedom of Information Act, took to the public airwaves, and now prompt action & remediation has and is taken place. Checks and balances is doing its job.

That's how a successful government that's of, for, and by the people should work, I'd say.

Originally Posted by neil0311

I'll just leave it where I started it. Some misappropriation of funds was found. It's all too common in public works projects these days, and it's why so many people are skeptical of public works projects and the potential for wasting tax money.

The Big Dig in Boston was the mother of all corrupt public works projects, under both Republicans and Democrats.

[sofjwp]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I'll just leave it where I started it. Some misappropriation of funds was found. It's all too common in public works projects these days, and it's why so many people are skeptical of public works projects and the potential for wasting tax money.

The Big Dig in Boston was the mother of all corrupt public works projects, under both Republicans and Democrats.

Exactly, good thing you've got your eye on this. Wedding gifts... the taxpayers wont stand for it.

Now, if he had laundered money to terrorists, the taxpayer might look the other way, as is being done right now.

The American Taxpayer is on the job and accountability is job 1!

[chiatldal]

Originally Posted by neil0311

It just happened to be the headline that I read and thought it was noteworthy. No conspiracy, so you can put away the tin foil.

I do think it's a timely coincidence given the recent discussions about TSPLOST, but that wasn't my motivation for posting. It is VERY interesting to see the usual suspects come to the defense of the people accused and essentially say they don't care, and then take more issue with the messenger than the people responsible for the message.

Again...I think this speaks to the way we've become accustomed and accepting of corruption on the government's dime. If you want to make that political, then go ahead.

Who said they don't care about Government corruption? What posters are saying those involved should be punish then continue on with the project. You have issue with the project and trying to use this as a bull eye big difference.