• Council and development Council and development A reader wrote to the forum (Amazed, August 18) that they were “dumbstruck” at the county council’s recent keen interest in runaway development. Don’t be dumbstruck. There is a simple explanation. It’s the
• Council and development
Council and development
A reader wrote to the forum (Amazed, August 18) that they were “dumbstruck” at the county council’s recent keen interest in runaway development.
Don’t be dumbstruck. There is a simple explanation. It’s the beginning of the pandering season. It is the soft opening of the political season signaled by an increased number of endless discussions at taxpayer expense leading to the passing of nonbinding resolutions.
Non-binding resolutions are typically apple pie issues about which the council will not, or cannot do anything about except express their “concerns.” They are in effect meaningless exercises with no action required. Some call it chin music, but I don’t like the genre.
Public pandering expressing concern from a grab bag of self-selected issues gains positive media attention for politicians facing an upcoming election, while avoiding taking action. Given that August is “National Chicken Month” I am surprised a nonbinding resolution honoring the Hawaiian moa has not been forthcoming from this council.
The purpose of non-binding resolutions are to draw attention away from the county council’s hostile actions against the will of the people. Examples include suing themselves (with our money) to avoid implementing the voter-approved charter amendment, and suing the State (with our money) to prevent disclosure of public records.
The writer, The Garden Island, and the County Council itself are under the delusion that council members are our “leaders,” by the constant and perhaps unconscious usage of that term to describe our “elected representatives”. Hopefully voters will not be dumb-struck, but keep their eyes on the prize during the upcoming election. Perhaps elected representatives serving the people can replace those misleaders now wasting taxpayer money on non-binding resolutions to propagandize the electorate.
Roberts nomination
I am apallled at the controversy which has started over the nomination of John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court. It is clear that those who oppose him intend to use any information he presented to the courts or papers supporting or opposing various issues as ammunition to oppose him and trash his reputation. It appears they think the American people are so dumb that they can’t understand that it is the obligation of an attorney to support the position his employer wishes to present, whether it be the U.S. Government or a private citizen or corporation. Does defending a murderer who is obviously guilty mean his defense attorney approves of his actiions? Does the attorneys who will defend Sadam Hussein mean they approve of his actions? How about the attorneys who defend serial killers like the Kansas BTK Killer? I think not. Those who oppose Roberts started investigating his childrens adoption. Now it appears they are investigating his high school years to see if they can find something derogatory. How desperate can they get.
To state that his papers support various causes or oppose them as representing his personal views is ridiculous and shows most of those who oppose him as not genuine in their beliefs but simply obstructionists. I believe when we have new elections some will pay at the ballot box and deservedly so.
