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http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/01/priv...er_default

"...discussions behind closed doors..., which is legal because ...- a quorum - are never in one room together."

"The question about serial meeting in Jefferson County was raised last week. It works like this: Sometimes one commissioner will go to another's office. Then after a minute or two that other commissioner will cross the hall to yet another commissioner's office. And then that commissioner will cross back to the other office."

Kyle Whitmire discusses this on WBHM. Essentially the same, but with more detail

http://www.wbhm.org/News/kyle_whitmire/012214

The new rule should state, elected officials will never discuss official business out of the sight of the public, and that business must always have a quroum, be held on a scheduled business day with the agenda circulated to the public by media.

(01-23-2014 01:00 PM)rebounder2u Wrote:  The new rule should state, elected officials will never discuss official business out of the sight of the public, and that business must always have a quroum, be held on a scheduled business day with the agenda circulated to the public by media.

I agree with your thought process Rebounder, but I think requiring a meeting for everything would cause everything to grind to a halt.

(01-23-2014 01:12 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(01-23-2014 01:00 PM)rebounder2u Wrote:  The new rule should state, elected officials will never discuss official business out of the sight of the public, and that business must always have a quroum, be held on a scheduled business day with the agenda circulated to the public by media.

I agree with your thought process Rebounder, but I think requiring a meeting for everything would cause everything to grind to a halt.

I know its not the best way to run a business, but I dont trust these guys, when you run for re-election as soon as you get elected, and thats your whole agenda, then when you are out of the public eye, you make deals with eachother and other deal makers so that you can continue to feed from the public trough.

That part will never change, but we can require that the part of it that is public business, spending the public's money, be as transparent as possible.

They'll still cheat of course. It's kinda like NASCAR.

As one wit observed, "If you build a 10' fence, they will bring a 12' ladder". Whenever there is a motive to subvert a law, a way will be found to do so - and it is worse if the parties involved don't respect the rule of law in the first place (the picture next to that definition is of the system BOT).

A quick check of volatile issues in America from slavery (prior to 1865), Civil Rights (1865 to 1970s), abortion (since Roe v Wade) , free public education (200 years in Alabama), Medicaid expansion, etc. will provide many examples of politicians looking for that "12' ladder".

The honor system only works among the honorable.

and when we get behind closed doors ....

(01-24-2014 08:31 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  and when we get behind closed doors ....

clever spin on this subject.

(01-24-2014 08:31 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  and when we get behind closed doors ....

You mean like the ones in the boxes at LF with the curtains drawn?