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YouTube video takes jabs at Stafford County officials
Date published: 8/10/2008
BY KAFIA HOSH
During the 2006 Senate race, a video posted on YouTube of then-Sen. George Allen making fun of his opponent's aide became a turning point in the campaign. Allen's flippant referral to the aide, who is of Indian descent, as "macaca" drew a firestorm of controversy. The incumbent, then considered among the favorites for the 2008 Republican presidential nod, lost the Senate race to Democrat Jim Webb. Allen's YouTube moment launched the video-sharing Web site as a political force in national, and even state politics. Now, its influence may be trickling down to local government. A video mocking some Stafford County supervisors recently surfaced on YouTube, where it has garnered more than 2,000 views. Taped at a July 1 Board of Supervisors meeting, it is edited to make supervisors who approved a new business tax look confused and foolish. "I think we're going to be seeing more and more of this," said Stephen Farnsworth, a political expert at George Mason University. "What was revolutionary in a Senate race two years ago is now commonplace in a county meeting in 2008." The Stafford video condenses an eight-hour meeting into short segments totaling 11 minutes. It features pleas from local business owners against the Business, Professional and Occupational License Tax and takes swipes at the three Democrats and one independent who voted for it. Key segments focus on the proponents' sometimes inarticulate attempts to calculate the tax's potential cost to businesses and their repeated mistakes using a voting machine that prompted a series of re-votes. HIGHLIGHTING A DIVIDE Some of those targeted said the video does not provide a balanced look at the entire debate. "The YouTube video is an underhanded attempt by some businesses owners and developers to mask the benefits of BPOL for Stafford homeowners," said board Chairman George Schwartz, a Democrat who is perhaps the most ardent supporter of BPOL. "Of course, it didn't include what might be considered the opposing view." "It focuses on certain people. There's not really a clear picture of what happened at the meeting," said Joe Brito, an independent who is one of the main targets. Democrat Bob Woodson dismissed the video as "cutting and editing."
Read more stories about Stafford Date published: 8/10/2008
The timing of the BPOL vote and disrespectful way it was
implemented was moronic. Stafford now looks like a joke all
over the world. More noticeable: the 4 in favor of BPOL,
who think everything is a war between them and all
developers, proved they don't respect majority rule. They
ignored the public and voted against a record-breaking
majority view -- much like developer-friendly boards once did
(just not so obviously). The 4 have become the "enemy."
Voters will remembers this arrogance on Election Day.
I'm sad to say that the video, although edited, was extemely accurate. I was there.Although Milde and Dudenheifer advocated their point, they did it professionally and they were prepared. The only thing it does not show is the 200 people who showed up (against BPOL) but could not get into the room to speak. This points out the folly of taking action after midnight. The likelihood of mistakes increase simply because everyone is bound to be exhausted.
post the sections on Milde & Dude so we have a complete picture?
Part of the liberal mantra is "TAX BUSINESS AND MAKE THEM PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE." Their is no free lunch folks. Businesses pass on the taxes they pay in their prices. When you buy X you are paying all the taxes that were paid going into making and selling X. So Stafford residents will ultimately pay the BPOL tax. EXXON paid more taxes then the bottom 50% of wage earners in America last year. The government got the money. But guess who paid for it? We did. At the pump.
Looks like the four stooges are running stafford... Curly Larry Moe and Shemp. Will someone at least show them how to use a calculator?
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