Sadness for employees
After I spoke at the at the Freeholder meeting on 4/22/02. I was asked to admit that I made the requests for the documents I cited during my comments earlier in that day. I had no problem admitting this but I also received a response from county council earlier that same day that the documents I requested did not exist. What ever point was being made by the Freeholders was lost on me. But it seems I missed something because I left the room immediately after my comments and walked in on a celebration of county employees laughing and high fiving each other and even over heard one say how they really got me. I must have surprised them because they scattered when they saw me.
On my ride down on the elevator I couldn't help but feel sad for what I saw. These were relatively young guys and girls focused on getting Joe Renna. There was even Seb D'lia prancing around, and he's the Director of Public Information. The scene reminded me of a clique of school girls who were picking on the kid that was different. I am very glad that I am different and that I never compromised my integrity for a paycheck.
These employees are less than ten years into their careers and have come to define their lives by keeping in favor with the political power in office. Their jobs are not promoting any skill or personal development. I don't think they see themselves in ten years. The reliance they have is short lived. This they can learn from example. All they have to do is look at those who preceded them and have fell from grace. Seb's predecessor was booted out when the administration changed. He had to go to extra ordinary means to salvage his job. I wonder which Freeholder Seb would date to save his job. It may come down to that.
Political hacks defend their parties like 4 year olds defend their mothers. The woman can be a crack head, child abuser but that baby will love her just the same. There is nothing I can say to ever change the opinion of these young charges. The change must happen within. Sometimes it does. A quiet moment reflecting on their life may trigger a transformation that will cause a change in someone. Maybe they licked one too many envelopes or delivered one too many flyers door to door, or maybe it was one too many failed relationships.
The toll of that kind of political life has on a person is most devastating. When someone is living a lie or has compromised their values they can only fit in with others that are doing the same. A person of substance can not live with someone who is ethically or morally corrupt. The couple inevitably splits. The hack must find solace in the arms of someone just as miserable.
It is never too late to turn your life around. When the personal cost is weighed against the financial benefit there decision to do what is right is easy to make. Unless of course the disjointed life you chose is your best option. Too many elected officials and administrators fall into this category. What I saw when I worked for the county was a bit sleazy for my taste. It was a regular Patton Place. So many relationships were dysfunctional. Who was cheating with whom. Someone even left their wife who was nine months pregnant to hook up with another employee who was married to his friend. The concept of doing that is so foreign to me that I can't comprehend how these two can trust each other.
I've worked with dozens of governments throughout the state and it is not like that everywhere. It seems the concept of going along to get along at the county has reached its own level of degradation. I hope that if I am elected I can have a positive influence on the young employees trying to learn through the examples of their superiors. They are learning now but not the lessons that they should be.
Thank you,
Joe Renna