Definition of bamboozle
verb: conceal one’s true motives from, especially by elaborately feigning good intentions, so as to gain an end.
Usage example:
Those who voted for the 4 were BAMBOOZLED into believing the 4 would deliver openness, ethical practices, transparency, and thoughtful judgment.
Unfortunately, reality quickly proved the voters were BAMBOOZLED. The BAMBOOZLED public has suffered through the 4’s repeated attempts to limit transparency and openness by repeatedly attempting to prevent citizens from attending their meetings. Of course, holding secret meetings only further underscores that misrepresentation of transparency. Yes, many were also BAMBOZZLED by the hopes of strong ethics until two highly productive employees (attorney and administrator) were subjected to constant public harassment as a cruel ruse to get them to resign We were even BAMBOOZLED into thinking the 4 would never deliberately waste taxpayer money by holding a developer and the county hostage over something they had no control over (a statue). Certainly, nothing says BAMBOOZLED like the 4’s quixotic attempt to cancel an iron clad contract that’s over 2 years old on a building that is near completion, and would cost more to cancel the contract than it would to complete. This one inane act embodies all the ingredients of the 4’s public BAMBOOZLE, including ethics, openness, transparency, and sound judgement. Indeed, we were BAMBOOZLED by the 4. As the song says “We won’t be BAMBOOZLED again.
Randy Bright
Ridgeway
