LAMENT

    This continues to be a month of do or be damned hard choices. In 4 weeks, I will have to pick between Menendez or Huggins for Senator.  Our Senate has been dominated too long by the Republicans but the Democrats have shown that they too are only interested in Party Politics not the public.

   Tuesday night I had to pick between watching the Yankees or going to the Council meeting. Either would be frustrating.  I did pick the latter since I knew it would be short, in fact it began at 8pm and was through its agenda by 8:45pm. Except for the 6 appointments  every resolution despite the economic impact on the city and its finances was on the Consent agenda. One vote passes 18 resolutions.

   30 minutes time is allotted on the agenda for public comments.  Each speaker is given 3 minutes which is often. too short a time to make pertinent remarks. In the past various Council Presidents have asked the Council if it would permit the speaker to finish his/hers remarks.

   Since I had some comments and was the second of only two speakers about the resolutions I ask that the one regarding the Redevelopment plans for the Eastern portion of South Ave be removed from that Consent bracket where it had no business to be.

   However, I must take umbrage at Council President McCrae who in his characteristic autocratic mode abruptly cut me short even though I had not heard a timer ring. 
   Despite the fact that my physical disabilities make it difficult for me to get to Council meetings; I as a member of the public should expect some respect from Council.
   I knew I would have no impact but wanted to make my concerns put on the record. I never received an answer as to why the properties on the north side needed to be “redeveloped” and why there was a glaring exclusion. I was aware that the resolution forbids condemnation of properties, so that the developer would have to deal with individual owners.

   No wonder just about a dozen people were in the audience. Plainfield’s Council acts like we are in China, approve without question what the leaders desire.

   Which brings me back to the Senate race and in Plainfield that of Councilor-at-Large.  I have no love for the reactionary right-wing Republican power group. I cannot vote for Menendez because of his lack of ethics including actions helping a person defraud our government and at the same time accepting expensive perks.   

   That leaves Huggin who although will help keep a Republican majority has declared that he is for “woman’s choice, as well as same sex marriages. He offers some hope of being a free thinker and independent.

   For similar reasons, we need free thinkers for our Council; so I will vote for Ron Johnson unless I discover that he too is bound to political obligations.

   Please read my serious blogs of this weekend and I welcome all comments. I feel it is important in order to maintain our so-called Democracy that we speak out.

    Also be sure to vote. It may take six years to get a Council and local government that is "of the people for the people". It will only take two years to have a change in DC.