Sunday, February 21, 2016

Gee Whiz, Things Keep Going Wrong - Is It Something In the Water?

Here's the thing....Obviously, any person is free to hold any view or opinion that they like. It doesn't have to make sense to other people, or seem to clearly match your other points of view. We're all complex individuals - even seemingly simpler forms of life like politicians.

That being the case, supposedly liberal young crusader Mark Ozias is perfectly free to favor fluoridating the water supply of the entire county - even if that position doesn't seem to jibe with how he presents himself in other areas.

You might think long-haired, tie dyed hippies would be against fluoride, man.
You might think tie dyed hippies would be in favor of openness, man.
But you would be wrong on both counts, man.

But...I do have to wonder and worry about someone who behaves like Mark Ozias has on this issue. He has expressed his support for fluoridating the county's water supply, yet he ducked out of the Board of Health meeting before having to vote and go on the record as supporting the idea. And he does so in the context of his handlers - Steve Tharinger and Kevin Van De Wege - having received the maximum amount of Dental Dollars as campaign contributions. And in the context of the ongoing fluoride fight in the City of Port Angeles. (Oh, and let's not forget that the fluoride issue never even made it on to the agenda for that Board of Health meeting, either.) All of which, to put it plainly, stinks. It doesn't pass the smell test. It doesn't look right. It looks like someone who's trying to have it both ways: "I may have said I was for it, but I didn't vote for it."

Which is to say, it sure does seem like Mark Ozias is acting like another Clallam County politician who lies (literally) somewhere on the continuum between "typical," "lacking in vision" and "easy to manipulate."

And, it should be noted, for further context, that he does this with the full aid and comfort of the snoozing, toothless "watchdog" called the PDN, where they still haven't published anything about this latest battleground in the Fluoride War. After all, it's only public officials making decisions that affect the water supply for everyone. Why bother with such a nothing story, right PDN?

Or am I wrong to find this set of circumstances alarming?

33 comments:

  1. Wasn't Ed Chadd a big supporter of Ozias?

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  2. You try being judged on simply one item in your repertoire. Pretty narrow basis for evaluating a person. What happened to tolerance and understanding and getting along in an atmosphere of good will?

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    1. The issue isn't the issue. This isn't about fluoride.

      But it IS about someone who will tolerate and discuss things that aren't on the agenda - which is sleazy, at best. This is about someone who will voice their support for something - but then duck out before the official vote is taken. That also is sleazy, and deceptive.

      These are legitimate items of concern, especially when we're talking about someone who is now getting paid very well to be a full-time public servant. Which is to say, Mark Ozias owes the people better than this.

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    2. @Anon 7:28

      If we were talking about whether crosswalks should be re-painted from white to orange, I might agree with you. But look at the issue, and what Mark is doing. It is neither "one", nor a "simple" item in your repertoire, or to the citizens of the area.

      Or, to put it another way, if Mark is so clue-less as to think how he is handling this is appropriate or acceptable, after the months of craziness in Port Angeles, he is hopelessly out of touch with his constituents.

      As to "one issue". What is being seen is a multitude of bad things. One, his walking out before voting. Two, not staying, and voting against such a crazy motion. Three, once it happened, not jumping on the available media to explain and clarify as we saw Mike Chapman do.

      There is a long list of "What is wrong with this picture", but I'll stop here.

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    3. Maybe you are alarmed that someone doesn't agree with you. Consider that it is possible Mr. Ozias would prefer to sidestep this maelstrom or that he has sided with the opinions of the establishment medical and dental professionals rather than those so-called holistic healers or those listed on quackwatch.

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    4. Oh, Mr. Anonymous 10:45 AM...Why is it you still pretend not to get it? This isn't about fluoridation at all. Allow me to repeat myself:

      "But it IS about someone who will tolerate and discuss things that aren't on the agenda - which is sleazy, at best. This is about someone who will voice their support for something - but then duck out before the official vote is taken. That also is sleazy, and deceptive."

      In case that's not clear enough, allow me to translate: The problem isn't that Mark Ozias is taking a side; it's that he seems to want to take BOTH sides, to avoid having to take a side. If he's proud to be on the side of your "establishment medical and dental professionals," why doesn't he say so? Why duck out before the vote? Why?

      I'm sure we all look forward to your next answer that avoids that issue.

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    5. @Anon 10:45 "Consider that it is possible Mr. Ozias would prefer to sidestep this maelstrom.."?? Umm, he doesn't get to do that.

      He asked for our votes as an alternative to the crony politics of Jim McEntire. Now that he won the seat, we are less than impressed that he seems to be ignoring the "maelstrom" that is PUBLIC OPINION on the issue, and instead hiding behind the very people the citizens are angered by! WTF?!?!

      Being angered by efforts to silence the public, and force something on the public against their clearly stated will is about DEMOCRACY, not fluoridation, or the pros and cons involved.

      But, you must be a moron, because you think all this "maelstrom" is about "the opinions of the establishment medical and dental professionals rather than those so-called holistic healers or those listed on quackwatch."

      The fluoride issue is very simple. Anyone who wants to, can buy a $1.50 tube of tooth paste, and practice great dental health care to their hearts content. Nobody is disputing that, or preventing that. If the proponents really cared about the public, and children's dental health, they would endorse this. But, this is about much more than public health. Obviously.

      Why else would these morons be ignoring the easiest and most effective approach to their stated concerns?

      Hunh?


      Hunh?

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  3. All of Ozias handlers are down with dosing the entire county including Tharinger, Van de Wege, Chadd and Norma Turner, is there any surprise here? This is classic 1% lording it over on the 99%. Keep in mind there is no scientific evidence fluoride is good for anyone--but now the entire county gets it whether they like it or not. This should energize an entirely new cadre of opponents. The ones who want to protect our families and the veterans who want to preserve the freedoms they fought for.

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  4. Every election cycle we get played for suckers by people like Tharinger and Van de Wege. First they line up behind the weakest possible candidate, Sissi Bruch, and we get Bill Peach. Then they line up behind an obvious flunky, Ozias, and the stronger candidate (I forget his name) goes down. Either way it's win-win for those two.

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  5. Hey CK, thanks for pointing out that the PDN has yet to even have their version of a story (can I call it reporting?) about one of the most important political stories in the county?

    And, in reading the "story" about the filing of more ethics violations, I see Paul Gotlieb is still twisting the truth all over the place.

    Talk about embarrassing.

    The PDN used to be able to manipulate the public easily, before the internet, and video recording of the meetings. Now, anyone can easily "fact check" what the PDN publishes, and clearly see it for what it is.

    I would say the PDN is "worthless", but it is worse than that. Newspapers and the news media have a sometimes un-deserved public trust that they are an un-biased purveyor of the objective truth. So, people read what Paul Gotlieb twists and distorts, and think it is the truth. The problems in the community don't get resolved, because the PDN puts so much effort into hiding the reality, and supporting the agendas of the established "powers-that-be".

    If you still give money to the paper via subscribing, you might consider unsubscribing, and send the new publisher, Terry Ward, a note saying you are tired of Paul Gotlieb's actions. Tward@peninsuladailynews.com

    We deserve better than this.

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    1. It is worse than you fear. Gottlieb recently called up a couple of ladies for interviews for the PDN. The ladies each reported Gottlib was rude, aggressive, scolding and accusative. Gottlieb has long been called, "John Brewer's attack dog." Since Brewer is gone it looks like Gottlieb's attitude has been his own all along. Recently Gottlieb's coverage of Cherie Kidd's meltdown was not even mentioned in his report of that council meeting. Gottlieb greatly under reported the number of people attending that council meeting and grossly under counted those speaking against fluoride. Who's agenda is this? Mr. Ward, your DNA is showing.

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  6. There's no backdoor to transparency or honesty. Those things can only come through the front door. Mark Ozias is obviously trying to slip through that backdoor to the backroom, just like so many before him have.

    And the community suffers.

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  7. Last time I talked with Mark, he was uncharacteristically sheepish in his demeanor. I think I understand why, now.

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  8. PDN has deteriorated into a propaganda rag.

    And our community suffers.

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  9. Note in the Bd of Health "Resolution", the use of the term "community water fluoridation".
    That's a dead give-away as to the source of the corruption money - the Delta Dental lobbying fronts, inclding the same "Washington Dental Service Foundation LLC" (a sham front company) that corrupted PA's council a decade ago.

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  10. And so long as we're talking about fluoridating water...

    Do we all agree that adding fluoride to the water is NOT to make the water safer, or cleaner, but rather is to help with dental health? Right? Do we all agree that that is the stated goal? Yes?

    So, with that being the case, can someone - anyone - please tell me where, exactly, in either the State and/or the Federal constitution, it provides for elected officials to forcibly medicate the population for any reason? Please tell me where to find this permission, because, to be honest with you, I've never seen such a thing.

    Thank you.

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    1. CK, the years of rational argument have apparently had no effect around here. Lots of public officials simply do as they are "monied" to do, even when it makes absolutely no sense or is against what's good for the community.
      Time to escalate to other things these authoritarians are more likely to understand.

      Someone else on the blog said "Starve the snake".
      Question is, how? We all need to think a bit deeper.

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    2. It isn't about dental health. If it were, why won't area dentists take charity, medicare, etc clients? Why won't these area dentists help the children they say they care so much about?

      What? They don't make enough money?

      Most every person in this town volunteers, helps out, gives money to causes, and does any number of things to help the needy.

      But help the needy with dental care?

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    3. Call me naive - but what interest do these corporate dental associations have in flouridating our water anyway? Why are they contributing big campaign money and lobbying our legislators? It can't be just to line the pockets of those producing the chemical waste to put in the water? I fail to believe it's really about public health. Who is making the money here?

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    4. What about Apple Health for Kids and VIMO's dental services?

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    5. You'd THINK that if fluoridation was all that these pro groups claim that we wouldn't need Apple Health for Kids and VIMO's dental services.

      Would we really all be gumming our food if not for these sleazy groups insisting on "helping" us?

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    6. @9:17AM, it's common knowledge that the dental groups around the country get their funds from the chemical industry itself, as long as they propagandize. As you go up the ladder of entities involved, there are bigger & bigger pots of money being dangled. Big Chemical is at the top. ALCOA still pays a crapload for this waste disposal scheme, as it will always be cheaper than properly disposing of their crap. So the "nonprofits" pay out only a portion of their take to the sleazeball pols that take the bait. Capiche?

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    7. What was that phrase I heard someone saying a week or so ago? "Fluoride is not the solution for a sugar laced diet" or something like that.

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  11. FYI: Here are some of the search terms that have brought people here in the last couple of days...

    "amber steim port angeles" (3)

    "cherie kidd port angeles" (2)

    "teresa pierce city of port angeles"

    "bluff erosion near port angeles, wa"

    "port angeles let's talk logging!"

    Yes, with the exclamation mark.

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  12. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in favor of fluoride, but it is not the whole county, just city of Port Angeles to be accurate, not that that has been any concern in the past on this dumb site.

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    1. #1 - your troll is showing
      #2 - Clearly you haven't been paying attention because if you had you would be following the actions of the County and the suggestion to make this issue countywide

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    2. Hey Bright Light!

      It is no fault of yours if you don't know this, because the stupid piece of crap Peninsula Daily News is not telling anyone, but the Clallam Board of Health, which Mark Ozias sits on, passed a resolution last Tuesday mandating fluoride be put in all water supplies, COUNTY WIDE.

      Do your research, and then get mad at the right people!

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    3. Some very intelligent folks post on "this dumb site", which has disclosed more hard fact in the past week than certain other "publications" have ever.

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