People who cringe at what they perceive to be the negative cloud that seems to float over Ocean Pines Association politics and government don’t realize how fortunate they are.
The frequently unrestrained public discussions, disputes and assertions that are viewed by many as a source of embarrassment are actually refreshing as compared to the subtle knife-throwing that goes on in other communities.
It’s a fact. Ocean City politics, for instance, have been notoriously, but quietly, vicious for decades, seasoned as they have been by all sorts of chicanery and deviousness.
Even Berlin, where one might conclude that everyone loves everyone else and that competitors even vote for each other, has endured its share of political subterfuge over the years.
But because these things happen mostly below the surface in these communities, the general public doesn’t see, hear or recognize the real nature of their local politics.
Not so in Ocean Pines, where, for the lack of a better description, it’s just out there. Candidates, directors, you name it. If there’s something on someone’s mind, residents are likely to hear it.
That, believe it or not, is a good situation, because voters know exactly where their candidates, their directors and other players stand on almost every issue.
In politics, whether they are local or national, content is more important than style and in Ocean Pines, residents and property owners are better off knowing what leaders and challengers think rather than having to wonder what they might be up to.
Besides, Ocean Pines government, despite assertions to the contrary, is no more dysfunctional than any other. The only difference is the others just don’t like talking about it.