Outtakes: Grudge Politics

From a reader on my Outtakes: Grudge Politics: Kudos to you, Rick!

Finally, someone had the guts to “tell it like it is” around here. My wife is a 5th generation Pensacolian.

When I moved here with her 9 years ago [after 15 years in Hawaii, following 15 years in Silicon Valley], she warned me that progress in this town is S_L_O_W… And that politics is run by “the good ‘ol boys”.

But nobody talks about it much. Except the “NIMBY’s”. And the “WCIGM’s –[ pronuunced “wikgm”s; “Who Cares I Got Mine” — my neologysm}… anyway,,,

We just lumber along, year after year. And wallow in the same old stuff. And watch the out-migration of our families and friends who can’t find jobs.

Today happens to be “Mothers Day”. We moved back here from Maui to be with her daughters and grandkids. They’ve all since relocated from Pensacola to Tampa, for better jobs.

What a travesty! All the genuine, valuable resources of this area – the weather; the gulf, the bays, the beaches, the universities, the land, and oh, the talent! – being so grossly underutilized.

I just wonder where we could go if the Nimbys became “YIMBYs” [Yes in My Back Yard], and “WCIGMs” changed to mean, [Why Can’t I Get More”].

Just imagine what we could accomplish if all that negative energy was put to constructive use. I hope you continue to tell like it is.

-Tom