Last week, I received an e-mail

from the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.

"Subject: Chamber Membership

Position Poll ... The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

intends to take a public position in favor of the Development Authority

of Peachtree City, are you in favor of this position?"

Here's my reply:

"In favor of what? And

if the C of C is FOR the development authority, who are you AGAINST?

"Or are you just drawing

up sides in this political squabble in PTC? My vote is against the Chamber

getting involved in taking sides in a partisan political squabble.

"Unless you want to end

up with only industries and developers and out-of-town-owned chains as

members, you better start taking care of your small business folks. When's

the last time you did ANYTHING for my business? And how is this dabbling

in politics going to help anybody?

"You stand to alienate

more than you help."

I've had the weekend to consider

that e-mail, and I still don't like it.

So the Chamber board has already

decided what to do, THEN takes a poll of its dues-paying membership. Kind

of, "Here's what I'm going to do. Now,