I, like many of my fellow citizens, was pleased to hear state Rep. Camille “Bud” George has decided to retire. But don’t let Mr. George fool you, he’s leaving not because he wants to, but because he has to. As a politically savvy individual, Mr. George knows he can’t possibly win another election.
First, a word of praise. I’ve always admired Mr. George’s ability to connect with people. He made it a priority to attend anniversary parties, funerals, Eagle Scout celebrations, and events celebrating special occasions. But somewhere along the way, Mr. George transformed his desire to help the people into a revenge filled vendetta against those who didn’t agree with him. Many locally elected officials and government employees can share their accounts of being yelled at and intimidated if they dare oppose him. This approach doesn’t serve ALL the people, but rather leads to the gridlock and chaos that now exists amongst our political leaders.
What people are saying is true: we have a mess on our hands created by those who have stayed in office too long who lack the courage to fix problems. Taxpayers are on the hook for Mr. George’s estimated $160,000 a year state pension, a liability the state can’t afford. Mr. George, at one time taking full credit for the ethanol facility in Clearfield, has now chosen to abandon the project when we needed his leadership most to understand what precipitated the project’s failure. A true leader and steward of the taxpayers’ dollars would have taken responsibility rather than jumping ship. When you blame others for failure, you give up the power to change.
In closing, I’d like to share the lessons I’ve learned from Bud George, and offer this guidance to our next state representative: enjoy the anniversary parties and Eagle Scout Courts of Honor, respectfully listen to ALL you serve, do what’s right and not necessarily politically popular, and that the greater the power, the greater the abuse. And please, help restore Clearfield County to what it once was. Thanks Bud, and God Bless.
Most Sincerely,
Derek A. Walker
Bigler