Comments for A Council All Our Own at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 22 out of 20 comments http://www.theind.com Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:48:36 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11700 "...within LCG’s jurisdiction..." How is it people who live outside "LCG's jurisdiction" get to make laws, impose fees and taxes, direct the spending of those fees and taxes, and vote for and be elected to run those limited few who live within the legal jurisdiction? It's like England running their colony. Oh, but don't worry, only those living in the jurisdiction can legally be appointed by those living outside the jurisdiction to "correct" the governing charter. And those living outside the "jurisdiction" will get to vote on that "correction". Will there be a separate "city ballot" and a separate "parish ballot" for each separate taxing district on the Charter "corrections"? How are the votes going to be counted, as City votes or Parish votes? Can you say "arbitrary and capricious action”? Can you say” gerrymandering” of districts? Can you say “one parish called election and vote, counted again as a city election and vote”? - andymhebert Sat, 23 Oct 2010 22:19:36 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11646 "Why shouldn’t Lafayette enjoy the same self-determination as its neighbors?" Because it doesn’t address any of the problems. What it does is it abandons all attempt streamline government, creates ineffectual political subdivision without the resources to achieve infrastructure development, divides the citizens into conflicting regionalism (subdivision by subdivision, street by street), creates more partisan politics (big city vs. little city vs. rural) and simply create chaos and not order. I was afraid when they began to appoint politicians like Conque to the board that they would propose something just like this. Basically, what he wants to do is further complicate government with overlapping and redundant bureaucracies. I like the phrase “intergovernmental agreements with the urban services districts for public works projects” What the hell does that mean. The reason we are having this discussion is the politicians can’t agree with one another now. The answer is not more political subdivision and more politicians, it’s less. Consolidation was a good idea. It’s failing because the outlying areas didn’t want to lose their autonomy. Now, Lafayette wants out because it is losing its autonomy. In truth were not losing anything, were just losing politicians. It’s really simple, let the parish vote to consolidate or abandon consolidation altogether. That’s it. No exceptions, no exclusion, and certainly no half measures that make it worse. That way the question is left up to citizens, not politicians. After that vote, then they can come up with a plan. - Citizen Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:44:11 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11632 written by Walter Pierce "please compile the weekly insults I hurl at "the other side" and post them so I can arrive at a better understanding of "titillation and sensationalism." -------------------------- I on it Walter. The insult police will receive a full report. - Professor No Hair Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:34:42 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11626 Mr Pierce , maybe you and Mr.Ragin_Cajun should have a settee and bust a cap, trade a few barbs and you will probably find that you fell outta the same tree, you may possibily have the same interests, YOU PROBABLY BOTH LOVE VANILLA COKE FLOATS, AND BUBBLEGUM SNOWCONES, AND TOOTSIE ROLLS ( MINIATURE SIZE ONLY ) and that would partially account for the head-buttin you're constantly engaged in, I JUST HOPE, YOU TWO WERE NOT BORN IN VILLE PLATTE. You guys aren't couzans, Eh ? You two may find that you are both seeing the SAME VISTA, ONLY FROM DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS . - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:28:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11616 A tip of my hat to you, ragin_cajun. - Walter Pierce Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:07:21 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11614 well, walter......I haven't gone through many of your regular articles yet.....so, it is still POSSIBLE that these incidents are weekly :) Tell you what. I'll concede that this occurs somewhat less than weekly, that I overstated the frequency of the event to make my point....but I concede it GRUDGINGLY, RELUCTANTLY, and ONLY in the spirit of friendship and benevolence...:) AND...I'm sure that you, in the same spirit, will concede that, although this is ultimately a matter of taste, my position is valid, supported by fact, and well worth your consideration :) And let me thank YOU, for writing all those articles, and providing us a forum for free and open debate. We are ALL richer for it. - ragin_cajun Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:48:07 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11612 See, ragin, I told you he'd chime in! Thanks for kind words Shotgun. I think. - Walter Pierce Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:40:00 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11611 Ragin_Cajun, I am a true blue mis-cued fan of the both of my verbalogis's ( Tut ,Is that ah sic ? ) penpals and while both of you surely have a point... " Dull as it may be, " Who gives a Big Rats ass ? What we are doing here is making journalistic memories, possibily lasting all of a week, ( I'd say . ) not Journalistic history believe me, there is more value placed with my bookie daily than all the news of the local shenanigans between our career thievin politicians and their crooked appointed agency heads and underlings, all this buff and rebuff going on between you two is a waste of ink....I await the new articles anxiously each day, i'd say the most worthwhile endeavor by the Indy staff is that they Dig and that is how you post news by skimming the surface and scooping what is undercover, and thats what the INDY does best, true we have no ohter News Weekly to compare just how good or how much better the Indy is than any other, but for laying it out with the naked truth the Indy is on the square, they wield a double edged sword and mah man Walter, don't bend, he don't backup, and he don't assume the position..... For what its worth Ragin_Cajun, You are a piece of work. And that kudo and a buck will get you a cup of Joe at Mel's Diner . - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:34:38 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11606 The " TROUGH OF CONSOLIDATION, has dried up, every drop that could be squeezed from that scenario has been Squeezed, Pieced out to the CRONY's and we must go on for to stalemate now when the economy promises to provide beau coup projects for the GOONs, to falter now, this would not be a good capitalist move. - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:00:18 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11594 So ragin, is it fair to say my acts of titillation and sensationalism are only occasional, not weekly? Thank you for going back and reading so many of my columns. I will assume you're the richer for it. Ha! - Walter Pierce Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:30:22 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11593 Let's see...caustic rancor...sensationalism and titillation...what immediately comes to my mind is the Oct. 15 article about bullying. The video you posted at the bottom of the article was a CLEAR example of sensationalism. Conflating hot button issues like gay-bashing and teen suicide with the more mundane issues in Youngsville of school bullying is sensationalism--unless there's something else going on at Youngsville that I don't know about. And I asked about that. That was a single severe instance. But going back over the :RE posts.... 10/20/2010 -- "The elected officials would still be allowed to wear knit shirts with their names and titles embroidered over their hearts." No doubt SOMEONE is insulted by this, huh Walter? 7/21/2010-- "There are some who yap and complain that government shouldn’t be in the business of underwriting arts/culture." Clear and deliberate attack against reasoned opposition to arts funding--let's call it condescending. 7/28/2010 -- The Cajun MC -- the whole piece was a not so subtle caricature of protestant religious ceremonies, that taken in total, was insulting. Pretty predictable, too. Right wing political events are like tent revivals...more a bad joke, I guess. But, make the joke about any group OTHER than religions, it'd be a deep transgression against the PC police :) But it was at least well thought out. 8/11/2010 --One More Year -- "without the input of people who wear overalls and watch Hee Haw." This from a man who talks about restoring Cajun culture--an insult to the last bastion of Cajun culture in Lafayette Parish, those who live in the smaller towns and unincorporated areas. 8/18/2010 -- Worst Case Scenario --"conservatism and its greasy-haired bedfellow, anti-intellectualism" -- I wish I'd had time to give my response to this one the full attention it so richly deserved. I was in the middle of a project at work and my mind was elsewhere. This one was low, unfounded, and unoriginal--but it did stir the pot. The dumb and dumber spoof of Theriot and Bellard. I'd go so far as to say that was a hit piece. Although, if Bellard REALLY does accept free tickets to Festival, that's F'd up, too. 9/8/2010 -- Bad Karma -- go to KARMA at 2:30 AM and start calling people meatheads, and their girlfriends airheads like you did in print-I dare ya:) I'd call that an insult. I'm sure it's fun. I know you laughed out loud when you proofread these articles. I know I did :) Well, at some of them. And I know that it mixes in some entertainment value and makes local news palatable. But there's a cost. - ragin_cajun Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:15:13 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11591 Be careful what you ask for, Wally! - RCajunrunner Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:02:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11579 ragin, If you would be so kind, please compile the weekly insults I hurl at "the other side" and post them so I can arrive at a better understanding of "titillation and sensationalism." - Walter Pierce Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:46:07 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11578 What the?-- I stand corrected. Walter's opinion making is fine with me. What bothers me, and chips away at his credibility, is the "titillation and sensationalism" he employs by insulting the other side every week. So, I guess what I really SHOULD have wrote is this .....Walter, if you want to be a MORE EFFECTIVE journalist, then you have to leave the CAUSTIC RANCOR to us (the readers). That more accurately states what I think. Thanks for the kind words, and for helping to refine the discourse. - ragin_cajun Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:38:49 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11572 "wear knit shirts with their names and titles embroidered over their hearts." ------ I don't have a knit shirt, thank god. T's don't count, right? - Norma Desmond Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:17:28 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11568 "If you want to be a professional journalist, then you have to leave the opinion-making to us (the readers)." Ragin, normally I agree with the substance of your posts but wow. Did you remember you were reading The Ind when you typed that? Agree or disagree, it is much more interesting to read this content than that of our local alternatives. The comments section here is usually enjoyable as well - with the obvious exclusion of our well known village idiot. - What the?? Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:13:02 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11544 ragin, The Independent Weekly is not an Associated Press-affiliated, daily newspaper. We're not bound by the conventions of AP style and rules, although we're generally mindful of them. We take liberties and readily acknowledge it. We often lace commentary into traditional news reports. It's what we do. So while I appreciate that you hold us, or at least me, to a high standard, I think it's a case of false equivalence. (I'm not even sure I'm using that term correctly, but it sounded good typing it.) We DO editorialize in our reporting. We DO have an editorial opinion on the things about which we write. And the line in my column about the names embroidered on knit shirts was intended to be a gentle jab, not an insult. I've met Charlie Langlinais and Wilson Viator. I respect them. I just don't believe they or the residents of their cities should have any say in the affairs of the city of Lafayette, just as I have no say in what happens in Broussard or Youngsville. We really don't take ourselves that seriously. But we do want to generate public debate about issues we believe are important. And although it appears that the on-line commentary generated by my column this week will be mostly between you and me, it's a start. I'm sure NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN will chime in at some point with one of his head-scratchers. - Walter Pierce Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:00:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11543 Walter -- Your "column" has an insult for some group you disagree with every week. Your supposedly regular news pieces are generously laced with your ideology. And, you have been known to conflate local events with unrelated social debates. You're smart enough to know you do it--so, I figure you do it on purpose. I think you do it to titillate, and to sensationalize--that's what I meant. Now, you're calling this a column, and it's weekly, and people are paying for adspace here. So you're not just some blogger or commenter on the Internet -- that's what I am:) So if you're aiming for serious commentary on local events, then you have to "elevate your rhetoric". At least in the article part, right? I mean you can still argue with me in the comments section and all (we both know you love that), but the article oughta be a bit more respectful. You're good at making distinctions, Walter. I've seen you do it. So do you wanna be a line cook or a chef? A blogger or a journalist? A parish councilman with a patch on your knit shirt, or a city councilman with a coat and tie? You are famous for proposing that city pols, and people, and city voters, need to be more urbane. Well, why don't you expect the same from yourself as a city journalist? - ragin_cajun Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:34:51 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11541 I'm amazed that the Chambers point man on the Charter Commission, Bruce Conque is now proposing to de-consolidate city-parish government when it was the Chamber who initially pushed for consolidation into our present form of government.I could see it coming from some of the comments made by the city representatives- this was their game plan all along. What is being proposed is to return to the parish council form of government and the city council form of government which will creat an opportunity for someone to run for Mayor and another for Parish President. Are you beginning to see Mr Conques game plan? Separating the parish from this form of government will not solve the financial problems of the unincorporated area. We should all be interested in the "Parish" as a whole because if the roads are not good in the unincorporated are how will customers get into Lafayette? Hmmmmmm? The sensible thing to do is to work on getting a sound financial footing for the unincorporated area and stop this facade for someone who wants to get elected to a high office. - citizen. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:31:37 +0100 http://www.theind.com/re/7124-a-council-all-our-own#comment-11538 ragin, Titillation and sensationalism? My column is opinion. My opinion. And my opinion is that Lafayette needs its own council and mayor, just like every other city in the parish. Achieving that would allow the city to make democratic decisions about city-only issues without non-city residents having say in those decisions. You will still be allowed to vote for the candidate you believe best represents your gloomy, austere ideal of governance. To suggest that because the parish (and the city) voted to consolidate in 1990s we must be perpetually bound by that vote is ridiculous. It's perfectly reasonable for a civic body to have second thoughts and adjust accordingly. That's what's happening through the charter commission. - Walter Pierce Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:57:28 +0100