City council taking on a new look and attitude 'There's nothing we can't achieve,' said Mr. Shields. 'We stand by ready to help shape this agenda, along with the mayor, to serve the public.'I'm not sure I want them to serve the public. They don't know what the public is.
There must be plenty of things that government should NOT achieve.
I don't want city council to achieve -- by building new ballparks. Are we going to tear down PNC PARK and Heinz FIELD to create new jobs and help the teams win in the playoffs? I don't want to achieve that.
Are we going to build lots of $300,000 town homes in downtown so that the other 87 neighborhoods can have more vacant properties? I don't want them to achieve that.
Are we going to tear down even more historic libraries and move them to strip malls? I don't want them to achieve that.
Are we going to put cameras at every intersection to catch all sorts of citizens doing all sorts of things -- so that nobody comes to Pittsburgh again? That would be what they want to achieve, it seems, at times.
All the Democrats in city hall have given the impression that they are with checks and balances. It is bull. They all are of the same party. They are all doing a little drama.
The always contentious vote -- picking a leader. Woop it up. That's no cause for celebration. So what. The 'heavy politicking' got the city residents nothing.
A certain independence won't be found with an all D council and an D mayor and a D controller. They all spoke about the dependence upon their political machine. They all share the same machine.
Mr. Dowd is right when he says that the politics of personallity has not ended. They are not out of the woods.
Mr. Ravenstahl was right -- it is going to be all downhill from here. They are united and on a roll -- and they don't know which way to go. They will roll wherever they are pulled -- by the D party drivers -- by the developers and speculators with deep pockets.
Kraus was right -- diversity is a strength. But, city council has marginal diversity at best. It might be fair to say that council has none. They all have "D" after their names.
Mr. Shields tussled with the administration -- only if you believe that mountains come from mole hills. The examples given:
Pgh Promise was because citizens put in for a public hearing. Council didn't even have a vote -- accept to advance it with RULE 8.
The Police Domestic Violence was called a 'first step.' Hardly a tussle or a witch hunt.
Animal control -- hell! Mayor Murphy fired the rodent control people years ago. Shields watched. The rats of the city scurry around. That is hardly a tussle.
Even Shields said he does NOT see any need for a schism. "If the mayor fails -- we all fail." That will not be tolerated.
Lockstep boosterism.
Mr. Lamb advocated changes after giving big credit to past cronies, including the late Jeep. He has been in city hall for 20 years, and he does not hide those facts and history. That is called a 'big change' because he and the mayor are set on the responsibilities.
The double-talk is killing me -- and this region.
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