Bronner may be a turd. At least some of my Republican buddies in the State Legislature seem to think so, but I'll give you this. David Bronner is one special candy coated turd. I feel compelled to go on record and say that teachers and state employees cannot allow the future of the retirement system to fall into the hands of elected politicians. True enough Bronner is a politician. But Bronner has weathered the winds of change and maintained a true independent status between the yellow and blue dogs that dominate Goat Hill.
More importantly though, David has invested in Alabama. Invested in our home amid criticism that could have been his undoing. Succeeded beyond all expectations with the Robert Trent Golf Trail, led the renovations of Mobile and Montgomery and tried swimming against the current of old guard money at the bend of the river in the Quad Cities. His Golf and Mariott projects are a success in progress, and if the city fathers had been willing to stand down and let him bring in BassMasters then Florence and the surrounding areas would still be dragging in the hundreds of millions in tourist dollars that the National Bass Tournaments have the potential to produce.
Sometimes the little turd just gives up, hands in air muttering "You can't save them that won't save themselves!". That is unfortunate because North Alabama and The Shoals area is unique amid the surrounding lands in that the local history pre-dates the United States by 200 years as evidenced by maps of the Tennessee River dating to the early 1500's.
The more or less recent history is no less interesting, yet our leaders lack the vision, or perhaps truly have the understanding, of the changes that progressive investment in the area would bring. I am ever amused that Chattanooga has a replica of the Tuscumbia Railway station and they charge $8 A head just to see it. Amused, because the real one sits in Tuscumbia unpromoted.
Bronner is a turd because he knew from the beginning that National Steel Car would be too small a player to pull off a two thousand employee rail car manufacturing facility in west podunk. Likely he knew that they would use the project to negotiate a threatened settlement with their own Canadian workforce. Likely he knew every step of the events exactly as they have played out.
Now it appears Navistar, a company that literally has its roots in American soil with the McCormick Reaper - The machine that made the US the breadbasket of the world, will head up a development that will by contract put 1800 workers into the facility.
Likely Bronner knew that if you build it they will come. And he knew the locals wouldn't have the vision to invest in a project of this size without an attractive lure. That is and was all the Canadian company ever was. I wouldn't be surprised to know that the little turd had kept the phone number of Navistar in his custom vest pocket from the first day of negotiations with National Steel Car.
Now, as the less experienced politicians have girded their loins to in an attempt to make Bronner the poster child for failure with the billion dollar rail car plant.
Failure?
He snatches victory from the jaws of,,, well - JAWS, and comes smelling like .... like ... A sugar coated treat.
Hooray Navistar, Hooray Bronner.
More importantly though, David has invested in Alabama. Invested in our home amid criticism that could have been his undoing. Succeeded beyond all expectations with the Robert Trent Golf Trail, led the renovations of Mobile and Montgomery and tried swimming against the current of old guard money at the bend of the river in the Quad Cities. His Golf and Mariott projects are a success in progress, and if the city fathers had been willing to stand down and let him bring in BassMasters then Florence and the surrounding areas would still be dragging in the hundreds of millions in tourist dollars that the National Bass Tournaments have the potential to produce.
Sometimes the little turd just gives up, hands in air muttering "You can't save them that won't save themselves!". That is unfortunate because North Alabama and The Shoals area is unique amid the surrounding lands in that the local history pre-dates the United States by 200 years as evidenced by maps of the Tennessee River dating to the early 1500's.
The more or less recent history is no less interesting, yet our leaders lack the vision, or perhaps truly have the understanding, of the changes that progressive investment in the area would bring. I am ever amused that Chattanooga has a replica of the Tuscumbia Railway station and they charge $8 A head just to see it. Amused, because the real one sits in Tuscumbia unpromoted.
Bronner is a turd because he knew from the beginning that National Steel Car would be too small a player to pull off a two thousand employee rail car manufacturing facility in west podunk. Likely he knew that they would use the project to negotiate a threatened settlement with their own Canadian workforce. Likely he knew every step of the events exactly as they have played out.
Now it appears Navistar, a company that literally has its roots in American soil with the McCormick Reaper - The machine that made the US the breadbasket of the world, will head up a development that will by contract put 1800 workers into the facility.
Likely Bronner knew that if you build it they will come. And he knew the locals wouldn't have the vision to invest in a project of this size without an attractive lure. That is and was all the Canadian company ever was. I wouldn't be surprised to know that the little turd had kept the phone number of Navistar in his custom vest pocket from the first day of negotiations with National Steel Car.
Now, as the less experienced politicians have girded their loins to in an attempt to make Bronner the poster child for failure with the billion dollar rail car plant.
Failure?
He snatches victory from the jaws of,,, well - JAWS, and comes smelling like .... like ... A sugar coated treat.
Hooray Navistar, Hooray Bronner.
Let's just not look to deeply into it.
