Stroberger Decries ‘Outrage Machine’, Takes Swing at the Public

It started as a thoughtful plea for civility. It ended with a commissioner mocking the very citizens who show up to participate in local government.

During a recent BOCC meeting, Commissioner Steve Stroberger took a moment to reflect on the state of public discourse, lamenting how the civic space has been "overtaken by a relatively small group of people who seem perpetually angry about something."

For a moment, he hit all the right notes. He acknowledged that government officials should expect criticism and that debate is "essential to a free society." He stated that online disagreement often devolves into contempt, with people attacking a person's livelihood or family over local zoning disputes.

“Nuance disappears,” Stroberger warned. “Everyone becomes either a hero or a villain.”

But just as he finished warning about the dangers of villainizing people, Stroberger executed a jarring pivot; aiming his own contempt directly at the citizens who step up to the public podium.

“I see people all the time, they come up here with their phones, they're reading, they're probably using AI, and they're over there practicing what they're going to say,” Stroberger read from his notes.

For advocates of government transparency and civic engagement, it was a baffling critique. Public comment periods are notoriously short and intimidating. Isn't preparation exactly what elected officials should want from their constituents? Mocking citizens for taking the time to write down their thoughts, practice their points, and deliver concise feedback is a strange way to encourage healthy debate.

However, Stroberger didn’t stop at criticizing their preparation. The commissioner went on to dismiss the motives of the public entirely.

“They come up here then they go back and get high fives, then they go to their free Palestine protest or something else,” Stroberger added.

In one sentence, the commissioner managed to conflate everyday citizens speaking out on local developments, road projects, environmetal issues, tax issues and transparency issues with unrelated protests.

For a speech that began as a critique of the “outrage machine,” the closing remarks felt entirely designed to feed it.

The concern isn't just that the comments were in poor taste. It is the chilling effect they create. When a sitting commissioner openly mocks residents for being nervous, reading from their phones, or supporting one another in the chamber, it sends a clear message: *If you speak up, you will be ridiculed.*

Stroberger was right about one thing: the platforms have learned that outrage is profitable, and that nuance is quickly disappearing from the public square. If local leaders want to see more civility in government chambers, they might need to start by practicing it from the dais.