When Vertical Integration is Bad

I'm shocked that KVIA actually covered this story HERE.  Yep, that's a negative story for Susie and Vero.  You only read/hear those here.  Everybody else is either too afraid to speak up or under their thumb and won't say anything.  

Now if you read my buddy Jaime's blog you'll know that he loves to claim everyone he doesn't like has a "conflict of interest" related to what they do, or who they know.  It's funny he's never really picked up on this one.  

To be clear - nothing illegal is going on here.  This is a case of "looks bad" instead of "is bad."  You people like to invent laws to prosecute people for things that look bad, but aren't actually bad.  You might remember the whole Texas Ranger investigation into the city manager for saving children's lives with a speed bump outside of a school.  On second thought... that doesn't even look bad.  It's just funny.  And then it's scary that Byrd had so much power over the El Paso Times she could convince them that saving children's lives was not only a bad thing, but criminal thing.  Say that out loud to a stranger and see what they say back to you.

Anywho...

Vertical integration is a way streamlining a process to make it work better, faster, easier.  You want this in your business. You do not want this in your government.  Your top elected official should not have a coordinated line of blind followers in office all the way down to the dog catcher.  This is how power is consolidated to the point voters are no longer anything but spectators to their own fleecing.  You can't run new people for office because the integrated team in office will use the power of their office to keep them off the ballot or at the least defame them to the point of having to leave town.  Football dynasties are cool.  Political dynasties are not. 

What you don't know about his story is that Susie has pissed off EPISD staff and board members by turning their entire mission into screwing over Dori.  Dori resigned, but that hasn't stopped Susie from trying create fires at EPISD she can blame on Dori.  She is also apparently using her position on the board to strong arm different education associations and agencies into pledging their support for Vero.  This has been reported time and time again to me from folks inside the building.  

You are not best served having someone's campaign manager playing gotcha politics with their position as an elected official.  And don't think for a second that it's not working - Byrd has the entire board scared shitless.  Those men wouldn't even say a cross word about the ordeal to the reporter.  The board member that did speak is basically a dead woman walking.  She'll be out of office in a few weeks if not a few days.  You'll find her political career in a shallow grave out by Red Sands.  You don't fuck with Byrd. 

She's also going to have The Super fired and her friend at EPISD that came over from the city put in his place.  Don't you worry.  She's already put all her old city friends in high places at EPISD and isn't stopping until she owns the staff at all of the highest levels.  (You may know that at least a few of those transfers from the city to EPISD were the folks who didn't do the math right on the quality of life bond issue.)

That's not a good look for you. That's not a good way to have a responsive, representative government that works for YOU.  You need a government that is made up of individuals, not teams.  Independent thinkers - not soldiers.  

Think for a second about running for office. Say you wanted to put your name on the ballot because you could fix some problems you see around you.  Say you have a kid who sits first chair in the high school band.  It'd be a real shame if your kid lost his first chair status because you didn't ask the right political faction permission to run for office...   

You may think I'm exaggerating here, but I'm not.  Pay attention to the character assassinations that have taken place over the past three years.  The only way they have been able to rule with an iron fist is to be vertically integrated from the seat in Washington to the dais inside that building on Boeing. 

You have the power to vote yourself powerless... Think about that for a minute.  And then don't do that.  

Comments

[JerryK]

What is most deplorable is the politicization of EPISD. The last thing on anyone's mind there seems to be educating kids.

[Offer you can't refuse]

And people wonder why families and corporations don't relocate to El Paso?

We have screwed up school boards that gives us low rated schools. The only good schools in El Paso are Chartered. Politics has ruined education.

[woodrow]

I like how Jaime's blog tried to spin it as, "It doesn't matter Byrd is the CM, Loweree shouldn't have gone to the media."

worst spin job ever.

[right again]

I read Jaime's brain fart on his blog. you were right - this chick is dead meat. They didn't wait 24 hours to start going after her. Jaime's post is really bizarre. She can't complain about susie because they are friends on facebook? what? You can tell veronica is on the phone yelling at him to write something and he just makes shit up. I see the pattern of the commenters on here following a theme. Jaime uses that same theme. It's all bullshit from one or two people.

[Who Cares]

Just saw an update on the EPISD board meeting this morning regarding Cabrera's contract. Susie got her ass kicked! She wanted him fired for immorality and conscious misrepresentation. Then she breaks the rules regarding Closed session discussions and said Cabrera filed a grievance against her. What a b**ch! Board voted to extend Cabrera's contract 1 year - no raise. Don't know what Velarde's no vote was for - other than he follows Susie's lead no matter what. Check out her picture on EPT on-line. Really pouting.

[al bundy]

Cabrera and Fenenbock are obviously corrupt. The rest of this just a distraction. Cabrera got a raise and Fenenbock got an endorsement. They're corrupt as fuck and you're chasing fantasies.

[Get over yourself]

Prove it Al-prove the corruption. In the meantime, Al velarde’s bizarre support of Susie is mind boggling. He is a former cop, cannot he not see what a nut case she is? Look at her history. She is the “meanest girl” in El Paso along with her BFF Vero. Hatch is right that the EPISD board has now become super political during this primary election season. Susie accusing Cabrera, Loweree and Dori when she was on the board of politicking is laughable. She was not hiding her obvious support for Vero and assisting Vero’s Campaign (and Bob Moore) in filing hundreds of ORR’s with EPISD. I pray every day that Vero loses. I don’t care who wins the Democrat primary just as long as Vero loses. Then she is gone and Susie goes with her.

[Answer ?]

Al, interesting that you make a strong accusation of corruption against Fenebock.

Are you willing to submit to a deposition ?

[Old Fart]

At least everything is out in the open so people can make up their own minds.

Since that paper, the TIMES, always seems able to dig up so such stuff, wonder if they will get a copy and tell us about that complaint submitted by the EPISD super? If the Times can't, maybe KVIA or the other TV outlets can.

In El Paso it always amazes me when some seem to get away with leaking information which supports their position, but others seem to follow the rules. Guess the 'leaky wheel' gets the 'media grease.'

[By-Tor]

People told me this and people told me that.

You are starting to sound like Trump.

[Old Fart]

"You are starting to sound like Trump." 'By-Tor,' where do you come up with such 'happy horse shit?'

[So tired of the witches]

Fenenbock is no longer on the board why continue to drag her into this, oh yeah because Byrd is pissed off with Cabrera not supporting Veronica. Had he supported Veronica this wouldn’t even be an issue. Byrd is very unethical, she needs to be voted off the board. I used to like Velarde, but clearly he can’t think for himself. It’s a shame he continues to support Byrd and Veronica after what they said about his buddy Jaime Barceleau when he was running for city council. They worked against him and clearly supported his opponent.

[See the problem ? Use a mirror]

Well, while I agree that Escobar and Byrd need to be taken quite a few notches they are not entirely to blame

Barceleau shit himself in the foot with his big mouth and arrogance. Heck, if the witches had supported him I still wouldn't voted for him.

Cabrera self inflicted all his damage thru his extravagant spending and never being in his office. The assistant managed the school system. He needs to go because he's another one that views tax dollars as a personal account.