Learning ...

I've learned something about the group Pickens United which is a sub group of Concerned Citizens Of Pickens County, which is a sub group of The Progressives ...

You know, the group of legislators/local politicians that wanted to start having public meetings where the public couldn't ask questions and the agenda was being controlled by the "progressive side" of our legislature?

Apparently, they've either decided to copy each other or just outright said, "Here's how to respond .."

It seems each of them is regurgitating the words "conspiracy theory" and "conspiracy theorists" and framing that with " I wish you would come to me and ask questions directly."

Interesting ...

1) Because, the initial "rules of engagement" at Pickens United meetings was, "Don't engage".

2) Dozens of Pickens County residents (tax matters/school building program), in some cases hundreds (closing rural schools/7th school board member),and in a few instances thousands (prayer / tax hike petition) DO speak to them directly and they STILL vote the opposite way. They even reintroduce matters that they were warned were illegal and/or too costly to implement. 

In the case of closing of the two rural schools they had hard data that the schools that were being closed were producing the top students BECAUSE of the student/ teacher ratio. So, instead of listening to the hundreds that came forward, they vote to increase student/teacher ratios by combining three schools together. 

Instead of listening to a 16-4 for/against speaker ratio at a meeting attended by 100+, they reintroduce a bill 3 times to get a seventh school board member to fix an issue of non-existent (for educational issues) ties. They never consider saving the taxpayer money and moving to 5 board members - which would strengthen the Liberty/Six Mile seat to compete with the Pickens, Easley and Clemson seats. 

Instead of reading the State of South Carolina Constitution Article 11 Section 3 ...

System of free public schools and other public institutions of learning.

The General Assembly [of the state of South Carolina] shall provide for the maintenance and support of a system of free public schools open to all children in the State and shall establish, organize and support such other public institutions of learning, as may be desirable.

... they instead oddly vote to have Pickens County residents pay for Tri County Tech ~ residents who only account for 19% of attendance. Tri County wants Pickens County to pay for 33% of the construction for a student union / mostly non-educational facility.

Instead of listening to sound financial advice, they just threaten more closures, more thugs on the streets, gas tax increases or property tax increases.

In some cases, they turn to social media to outright defame and libel you.

Stand up. Get involved. Know the truth.