Comments for Our New, Old Chief Exec at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 25 out of 20 comments http://www.theind.com Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:07:41 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9771 "written by Walter Pierce , August 04, 2010 My last words on this, Ragin: If your philosophy and beliefs are immutable, you're screwed. If our elected leaders' philosophies and beliefs are immutable, we're all screwed. "There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstances." Leon Trotsky I read this quote from Trotsky, and I immediately thought of you Walter :) I think this puts your position in perfect perspective. :) - ragin_cajun Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:25:56 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9467 REPUBLICAN-- Would you commit to cutting the budget, cutting spending, and decreasing the size and scope of local government? If so, I would work with you, for you, and donate money to your campaign. - ragin_cajun Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:09:37 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9409 Fear not, I am going to run. It will be fun for all. - REPUBLICAN Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:04:01 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9383 " If you don't think our community needs a park like this, just say you are against it" OK. I'm against it. I'm also against funding the arts center. I've said it a thousand times. I don't mind one bit saying it again. The return on investment in "arts and culture" is dubious. While they tell us we have to maintain this facility that the state has built, Durel also proposes to increase by 4 times funding to "arts organizations across the 8 parish Acadian region". I'm not sure that's even legal--Lafayette parish tax dollars going to arts programs in other parishes? What is that all about? For example, if Acadia Parish doesn't have the match money they need to put up to get a federal grant, can they go to some neighboring parish and ask them to put it up for them? Probably not. So using a non-profit like AcA is OK? I''m also very angry at the notion, posited by the administration and some councilmen, that this is just a small part of the overall budget. They used that line last year, now this year it's ALOT bigger! - ragin_cajun Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:49:32 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9371 Labels of "conservative" and "liberal", and everything in between, have been run into the ground. I'm for a constitutional amendment that eliminates political parties (of course that will never happen). The machine behind political parties forces the individual thoughts of elected officials to become secondary to what is deemed "the good of the party". So what, if Durel was thought to be a moderate, or whatever. Does that mean that he cannot see the value of preserving the horsefarm for the enjoyment of the community for decades to come? Let's quit the name calling and focus on the subject at hand. If you don't think our community needs a park like this, just say you are against it. Slamming a person (Mayor or not) for proposing to do something potentially progressive for our community is childish. As the saying goes, "It takes a carpenter to build the barn, but it only takes a jackass to kick it down." - Political Labels Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:19:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9335 soop-- I'm "throwing it back on Walter" because he wrote it. Walter called the man a RINO. He explained why he thinks Durel is a RINO. I DO agree with Walter's assessment of Durel. I hope it makes sense for you, now. Now, about my suggestion about links to Joey's past public utterances and his first campaign. I've searched on the independent, and that only goes back as far as 2005--I suppose that's when the paper started? It was very interesting reading, but it's not exactly what I'm looking for. My search on the advertiser.com turned up articles that they want me to pay for. Anybody want to pass the hat for our community journalism project? I think that'd be alot more constructive than flaming ME for agreeing with Walter and living by a moral code. - ragin_cajun Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:46:15 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9322 Ragin', See your first post relative to RINO. Walter wondered aloud whether Durel would be so accused. Then your post certainly leaves everyone with the impression you agree with the suggestion Durel is a RINO. Do you not think Durel a RINO? Do you think Durel is still your version of a Republican? Why are you trying to throw these things back on Walter? Makes no sense. But then again ..... All the best, Soop - Soop Thu, 05 Aug 2010 09:02:08 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9321 I supported Mr. Durel in the past. He was a business minded individual. Unfortunately, his desire to grow his business (which is a good thing on the private stage) has carried over to government. His current business is local government and his desire to grow it is a problem, much like Washington. I am hearing rumors of possible opponents. Please let this happen! His running unopposed last time has puffed his arrogance. Anyone who disagrees with the man is "misinformed or doesn't have all the facts." Typical of liberal thinking. Maybe I'm wrong (NOT). Proof is Walter giving his a seal of approval. Is it Friday yet? - Ex-Durel Supporter Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:20:33 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9320 On the national stage, Ron Paul is a good example of a true conservative who applies pure principle consistently. I agree with many of his views, but then again, I think some of his views are not grounded in reality. Thus is the dilemma of "consistently applying your beliefs." Reality has a way of repelling pure ideology from time to time. Those who recognize these intrusions of reality and adjust accordingly serve the populace best, IMO. The conservative litmus test is an exercise in regression. It narrows the mind, it refuses to consider new information as time progresses, it goes against the very nature of humans and the method of science. It's like a half-sunken ship in rough waters, going nowhere. - Resident Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:16:19 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9312 Think so, Soop? Well, I'm not too impressed with your ability to think, anyway....or read. WALTER hung the RINO tag on Durel, not me. Walter said he shouldn't be a Republican, not me. But I'm flattered that you would confuse my prose with that of a master like Walter. :) - ragin_cajun Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:59:35 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9307 Have a political philosophy and stick to it whatever the consequences, aye ragin? And your desire to call Durel a moderate or a RINO stems from an egotistical view that anyone who is not as conservative as you are must be a RINO or a liberal. It is thinking like that which gave us Obama (and Clinton back in '92). I heard it a million times during the campaign - "there is no difference between McCain and Obama." You guys wanted to purge the Republican Party of the McCains of the world so many of you just stayed home. And now you are staring down the barrel of government healthcare and a drilling moratorium. And God knows what else. I think you would cut off your nose to spite your face if your "political philosophy" told you to do it. All the best, Soop - Soop Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:24:14 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9306 My last words on this, Ragin: If your philosophy and beliefs are immutable, you're screwed. If our elected leaders' philosophies and beliefs are immutable, we're all screwed. - Walter Pierce Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:14:44 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9303 Walter-- "conservatives like yourself who demand a litmus test of Republican candidates" Who's stretching things now, Walter? I've said it before and I'll say it again...If you can't consistently apply your philosophy, or beliefs, then why bother having them at all? As for whether Joey Durel has morphed into something very different....let's go to the tape. Can you help me out with that? Let's all go back and look at what he said when he ran. Maybe I'm wrong....maybe he DID run as a moderate...let's go back and look. - ragin_cajun Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:07:34 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9302 Ragin, Check out the "About Joey" page at www.joeydurel.com. As you may know, Durel is seeking a third term. - Walter Pierce Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:59:53 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9301 Ragin, To say that Durel has morphed into something very different is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? Your actual question was, "Do you think that Durel's 'enlightenment' will cause him problems later if he runs for some other office?" I answered that: No, I don't think it will, in part because I think conservatives like yourself who demand a litmus test of Republican candidates are in the minority. Durel changing his mind about the efficacy of government investment in culture and recreation doesn't make him a dreaded liberal; it suggests he's pragmatic and flexible. You're on the outside looking in on this one, buddy. - Walter Pierce Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:51:28 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9300 "Neutralize the labels and thought-stopping cliches." I think that's a great idea. Let's have Joey Durel state his philosophy, his values, his beliefs, and then compare that with his actions in office. Walter-- You do this all day. I'm sure you could very quickly post some links to Durel's campaign material from his first run for mayor. Make this easy on the rest of us who have jobs outside of politics and journalism. Please post some links so we can compare Durel as a candidate to Durel as an office holder. Let's all have a reasoned, rational discussion about Durel's tenure in office instead of a quick half-page opinion piece. Right here on the web--it would be a collective and interactive piece of journalism. Surely you progressives can get into something like that--community journalism. - ragin_cajun Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:47:09 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9299 You completely dodged my question, Walter. "if a politician says one thing when he runs, and then morphs into something very different while in office, surely you can agree that is a problem?" Do you agree or not? As for the Republicans, the Tea Party, and Bob Bennett in Utah, you are competely missing what's happening. And at the same time, you're making my point about Durel for me:) The problem with Bennett is not that he's not pure--the problem is that he's not principled. He started out as a small-government fiscal conservative, and he promised in 1992 to quit after two terms. Last time he ran, he got like 75% of the vote. But then, Bennett voted for the bailouts. He SPONSNORED a bill that would have mandated healthcare coverage. And he's so tone deaf, he proudly says he'd do it all over again--sounds just LIKE Durel. Now Bennett can't even get past the primary and everybody's surprised. Durel has made the same sudden left turn as Bob Bennett. You yourself are saying it--he's doing liberal things in a VERY conservative parish. And he's arrogant. That's ALOT harder for a candidate to overcome these days than it was 4-5 years ago. If money and name recognition weren't enough for Bob Bennett to just get re-elected, why do you think it's enough for Durel to go higher? - ragin_cajun Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:29:08 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9297 As has been pointed out before, Ragin is just a Republican nihilist. He doesn't want funding of anything he personally doesn't use. Like those folks who are against stem-cell research until they are the ones diagnosed with some horrible disease and might benefit from that research. All the best, Soop - Soop Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:08:03 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9295 You say it so well, Walter. And thanks, Durel, for keeping the central park a priority. I hope more pols drop the party affiliation so we can break from this ridiculous two-party death grip. Neutralize the labels and thought-stopping cliches. - Resident Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:43:25 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/6689-our-new-old-chief-exec#comment-9291 Joey Durel would lose his britches in a campaign outside his popularity perimeter, which extends to the edge of the Lafayette City limits, without his henchmen who have the legitimacy of a red head son born to a first generation Italian family outside their inner circle of hanger-ons jodu'nt would justly be an also ran....... - HARD HAT Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:31:14 +0100