All the Kng's Men Could NOT put Humpty together again

Just as Humpty fell, so too went our city. Pittsburgh has stumbled. To fall is bad. But, dealing with that tumble is more telling. Pittsburgh can't get back up. Pittsburgh won't be able to fix itself with the help of all the king's horses and all the king's men. The present leaders, i.e., the king's horses and men, can't work together. Do they have the creativity needed in these times.

I've said, for years, that the king's resources joined with those of the people would make for much better solutions.

Mayor Murphy's veto on the City Council agreement with the I.C.A. (Intergov. Cooperative Agency) (one of the oversight boards) is telling. The Murphy VETO came at the final hour, just before the agreement would have been law. Murphy should have spoken sooner in the process about the amendments. And, furthermore, as soon as the legislation passed City Council in an 8-1 vote, Mayor Murphy should have made his veto known.

"Time is of the essence," said Councilman Alan Hertzberg, one of the five who voted to sustain Murphy's veto.

To Tom Murphy, who has had time pass him by, the rush to fix Pittsburgh is secondary to the rush to stand his ground.

Gov. Ed Rendell stepped into the dispute, pledging in a letter to lobby the Legislature to diversify the board.

Dear Gov. Rendell. Send the letter to lobby for diversity to YOURSELF. I've been harping that the ICA overvsight board mistakes would be repeated with the GAMBLING Panel for PA. Paid $145,000 per year, we see that diversity is expected with the appointment by Gov. Rendell of a women for the last slot, Mary DiGiacomo Colins, a former associate in the Phili D.A.'s office.

McCabe, the sixth member of the gambling board, has been called, Rendell made the final appointment in early September. Legislative leaders of both parties appointed four members. Rendell gets to pick three. Each of the legislative appointees has veto power over board actions. One of the seven appointees is a women. One is an African American. Five are white males.

"It's a moral issue," said Carlisle, who voted to override the veto. "I do want to see a woman on that board."

Take aim at the Gambling Board too. And, don't fuss after the train leaves the station. Don't take a lead from Tom Murphy, as he is always way behind the curve on everything.

Arguing to sustain the veto, Councilman Sala Udin warned his colleagues that they would alienate the governor if they insisted on keeping the amendments in the agreement. "I don't want to get in a fight with the primary friend we have in Harrisburg," Udin said. "We will need Gov. Rendell's support."

With friends like this, who needs enemies? Gov. Rendell is no friend to "democracy" nor "the people." If Gov. Rendell wanted to change the diversity on the oversight board, he could and would.

Shields punts on second down

Councilman Doug Shields, building on Udin's argument, cautioned that state legislators will refuse to give the city new taxation authority if council continues to squabble with the oversight board over the amendments. "We're not in the driver's seat anymore," he said. "We don't hold the cards to bargain."
Of course you don't hold the cards. Of course City Council is a short step away from meaningless. Of course Tom Murphy is powerless. However, to punt, or to give up, is hopelessness personified. Doing nothing insures nothing gets better. Will the downward spiral ever even slow when elected leaders not only squander the power that is their duty but prohibit others from doing somethig about this king and his court?

Swiftly, .... ROTFL

In a prepared statement, Murphy said, "It is my hope that council will move swiftly to adopt the new cooperation agreement, which will allow us to move forward in a cooperative spirit with the [oversight board]."

ROTFL = Roll On The Floor Laughing.