No. I'm not particularly "happy" that Marc Boldt lost.

For the past several months, I've attacked Marc Boldt on this blog and in conversations with others because of what he's done to us as a county commissioner.

A volunteer working in Victory who was a Madore supporter remarked to me last night at Victory that, well, I had to be pretty happy about how it all turned out... happy, in effect, because Marc had lost.

Such is not the case.

It's complicated.

My opposition to Boldt was because I perceived that his actions and decision were causing frequently irrevocable harm to the people of this county.  And I believe that the people of this county must come first.

Here, we had a fundamental disconnect:  the will of the people should, I believe, always reign supreme.  The importance of that will does not somehow disappear with the completion of November elections, to be suborned or ignored until the next November election.

Those we elect must respect that will above all else.  They must seek it... embrace it with the understanding that the will of the people is why they were given the job in the first place and that everything in government stems from that.

SECTION 1 POLITICAL POWER. All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.

It appears to me that on a frequent basis, Marc ignored that will and replaced it with the desires of what I refer to euphemistically as the Downtown Mafia... another incestuous group unconcerned about the will and desires of the people of this county.

So, do I give an exemption to Marc because I'm related to him?

I've always spoken truth to power.  For example, I hammer on Jaime Herrera like a gong.  Her faux party identification does nothing to earn her a pass: I believe her to be a disgrace to elective office.

The same for another low-life: Jon Russell.  These two, both alleged Republicans, represent everything bad about politics.

Their label provides them with no shield from my scrutiny.  How can I not provide the same scrutiny for Boldt?

Ultimately, Marc lost.  Badly.  And Marc bears complete responsibility for that.

But I take no joy in his failures.  If I am happy, I'm happy because the system worked.

But my sorrow is that opposing my own brother-in-law and former, 6-year boss... came to this end.

I believe he'll ultimately be fine.  But the loss of his 18 year political career and his mother on the same night would be a crushing blow to anyone.

I did what I did... took the stands that I took... because principle trumps all other aspects of my political life.

Am I "happy" that Marc lost?

Absolutely not.  Something, however, had to be changed, as he was driving the local economy off a high cliff with his dogged insistence on joining with the thugs ramming the CRC scam down our throats.

It will be instructive as to how all those who held his coat during this past term will treat him now.  He carried their water like Gunga Din.  How will his loyalty to them, as misplaced as it was... be rewarded?

It's too early to tell.  But 18 years in elective office... should be marked by something besides a plaque.

I'm actually sorry it turned out this way.  But my positions were based on fact.  And sentiment can't take any place in any of this.