Will Wonders Never Cease? Breen Agrees with Wetzel!
Ernest A. Wetzel Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
John, as a neophyte political explorer it is interesting to see you really don’t get it. Joe Breen and his group did more harm to education and the Democrat party in Woodstock than anyone ever has. There is less support for the K-8 system then there ever has been. The Demcrats are the laughing stock of Woodstock. The Republicans didn’t even need a platform to run on against Mr. Breen and co. They trashed the Dems at the voting booth. The Town is back in the hands of the Old Guard where it was back in l998. Joe Breen and you got no support from the voters. Numbers do not lie in elections. Your ideas and tactics were solidly defeated. You are a smart man, wake up and stop drinking Joe Breen’s coolaid.
Joseph Breen Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I actually think Ernie is right on a couple of counts.
There is less support of BOE than ever as a result of the 9th Grade and Academy proposals. I obviously take full credit for the Academy proposal but have to state I had nothing to do with the 9th grade proposal and I think these merged in the public mind, which is somewhat understandable. And clearly the Democrats got spanked pretty good at the polls for it.
Luckily, I was never trying to build a political career, or never would have taken the risk associated with such a controversial and unpopular proposal. And I am happy to move on after highlighting a major problem, which is the continuing, gradual and unsustainable shift of resources from the K-8 system to the Academy that undermines the quality of the town’s OVERALL education system.
If the Republicans can address this problem through the murky details of interpreting Prop-46 - and its allocation by the BOF - then I suspect the "Old Guard" Republicans, with their dominant registered voter base, can essentially stay in power for good.
The new WDTC is full and robust - I wish them luck in sorting these issues out their own way.
No regrets here!
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The exchange above was taken from the Woodstock blog of spin- I cannot help but to comment on this...
Mr. Wetzel is informing 'John' that he was used and discarded by his puppetmaster, this much is clear. Then, as most ill conceived political relationships end up, Mr. Breen twists the knife on the BOE who trusted him in helping to develop the very scheme that has clearly destroyed their credibility with the public, as well as to discard all who followed him within his own party in Woodstock- then says 'Luckily, I didn't really want it anyway, good luck, no regrets!'
Then he admits the damage he has done to the party for the forseeable future. What a strategic mind!
Well now, how convenient. This blatant attempt to spin his way to cleanliness in all of this in the name of the town's K-8 and "OVERALL" education system is pathetically transparent while leaving untold numbers of bodies by the roadside, not the least of which are the sacrificial lambs he put up for office in the last election and now abandons.
Moreover, while Mr. Breen would like to take full "credit" (responsibility would have been a better choice of words) for the Academy proposal, the BOE legal bills tell a much different story, see them -HERE- as after two previous failed initiatives, the attack on the Academy was the last move of a very misguided group of people with a strategy that would have made General Custer proud.
Well folks, how do you feel about your brilliant leader now?
Ernest A. Wetzel Says:
Joe Breen, you and I have been on the opposite side of the fence for a long time. The issues you brought forth have been simmering in Woodstock for a long time. I am glad you had the guts to bring them out in the open and fight a good fight. I too am concerned about education in Woodstock, you and I have different approaches to solve the problem. The only real problem I had was your tactics and solutions, not the discussion itself. Moving forward we need to rethink how to deal with this situation given the reality of 46 and the economy. I hope the people involved now will be open and reasonable in dealing with these education issues. Your comment above is welcomed and I thank you for your service to Woodstock.
Despite my feeling of disgust regarding the overall situation, I commend Mr. Wetzel for his comment and agree with it. Well said.
Joseph Breen Says:
I should probably shut up while I’m ahead (or slightly less far behind). But before we get carried away . . .
When I say the BOE lost “credibility” I mean they lost some political support with the public - but unjustifiably. I think both drastic policy options, my single-handed legislative proposal and the BOE’s Ninth Grade proposal were aggressive threats to the basic STRUCTURE of the town’s hybrid education system that was bound to set off a four-alarm political fire. But I think with no other tools, and in increasingly desperate straits, the BOE was justified in looking at drastic alternatives. The political result - intended or not - was a restoration of programs to K-8 this past spring.
I think the BOE’s weakened political position is due to the public’s relatively superficial understanding of the confused, interrelated and complex nature of both the Academy’s funding/governance structure and the P-46 ordinance which is really understood by very few people. These combined factors represent a permanent, “structural” problem.
I do not believe the fiscal consequence of this structural problems will go away, but I do believe there is an ability to quietly tighten up town spending (witness Wholean’s $250k surplus); do just a little better fiscal planning; and take an intelligent look at the interpretation of P-46, for example, treating the Academy tuition as a state mandate.
This would buy the Republicans a lot of time. If they don’t, the whole cycle will start over. Remember, the Republicans lost big when the town rallied to a threatened K-8 syatem; then the Democrats lost big when the Academy came under serious threat. If I were running the Republican party, I would make sure neither happened again.
Taking your own advice might not be a bad idea Joe, it appears that you've gotten carried away past the point of no return. There is no justification for what went on here and the continued denials just don't wash. Many believe that the "structural problems" exist, but not where you are pointing. The glass house is shattered. Very interesting that you mentioned the town rallying to the aid of the K-8...I refer you to the Prop 46 article on the main page.
Buying time is not the way to run the town or school system as we have learned time and time again. Why should spending be tightened "quietly"?
Are you saying that the repeated interpretations by top legal firms in the state are not intelligent? How many times must we do this? (Rhetorical, as we seem to be on our way yet again).
My indicators are obviously correct as mentioned in the 'Propaganda' article...it appears that you'll have to repeat the lesson.