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Today's Poll: Do you support the STAMP project in Alabama?

By Howard B. Owens
Lorna Klotzbach

Hmmm, last week Howard asked me to admit that I was just plain biased against STAMP and nothing could convince me to be in favor of it. (He is mistaken.) Now, the Batavian conducts a poll about support of STAMP. People in California & Alaska can "vote" in it.

Do the opinions of people who are "biased" in favor of STAMP have more validity than those of the Alabama residents who have invested five years in listening carefully to each of the GCEDC's presentations to the public, to the town council, to the public school employees, to the consultants evaluating their DGEIS, and reading the DGEIS/FGEIS for themselves?

5 years of first hand research vs. reading press releases...which has more validity?

Feb 1, 2012, 3:43pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Lorna, not to take anything away from the right of the people of Alabama to have the final ultimate say in whether STAMP proceeds or not, the decision effects the entire county, if not the entire region and beyond. We're all entitled to an opinion about the project.

Feb 1, 2012, 5:53pm Permalink
Lorna Klotzbach

Howard, not to take away from anyone's concern for the well-being of Genesee County & their right to an opinion, let's consider:

Five years of first-hand research vs. reading GCEDC press releases...which has more validity?

Are only the people who have done 5 years of listening to/reading primary sources and reached a negative conclusion "biased?"

Are folks who only occasionally read a GCEDC press release/second-hand account of a GCEDC presentation and think STAMP sounds OK for the whole area not "biased?"

Feb 2, 2012, 10:49am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Lorna, I'm not sure what you're getting at.

There is no debate between a person who has been to every meeting vs. somebody who only reads GCEDC press releases. In fact, I don't know anybody who is basing an opinion entirely on GCEDC press releases. So what you're arguing against is a straw man.

Congratulations on all your work on the issue, but that doesn't mean you hold the only valid opinion.

There's no logical basis for concluding that the only person with a valid opinion is one who has done XYZ and ABC.

There's also no logical basis to believe that a person who knows as much as you claim to know would reach the same conclusion you have.

Feb 2, 2012, 7:45pm Permalink

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