"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Saturday 9 June 2012

Rambling Remarks

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Order By Rule":

I don't know, Councillor Buck, sometimes I find you talk way too much on some matters and the point is lost in your ramblings. I find your opinion worth listening to, but many times the subject is 'Lost in Translation" as you lose your focus. This blog is no different. Who is your anger towards, our Mayor, or Councillor Pirri? Or the chair of the meeting? Or being interrupted? All of the above?
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I'm glad you find my opinions worthwhile.. I couldn't ask for more. I'm sorry you find my ramblings hard to follow.
Sometimes I just let my mind take me where it will. This reminds me of that, so in it goes. I hope you will continue to bear with my 
ramblings. I could do more editing . Then there wouldn't be timeleft for writing.
Much of my day is occupied with the blog and responding to questions and phone calls. 
I probably do more of that than others. I'm glad to have the time. 
Other Councillors do more of other things like being where they can meet people, make themselves known and  hearing  what people have to say.
Six hundred people pop in daily to see what I'm talking about. 
I'm not angry at anyone. The Mayor and Councillor Pirri have the same right  to state their views. I could not exercise my right as strongly, some might say ferociously,  without according the same right and responsibility to each and every member of Council.
Sometimes I provoke them to say what they are thinking .. It takes a lot of practice to do what I do. I can safely say, I'm way ahead  in practice than the others. 
I don't  provoke them deliberately.I only think about what I"m going to say next. Not what they might say in response.
But I don't think that's a bad thing. 
Councillor Pirri is earnest and wants to do the best job possible. I think he feels more sure of himself  with the rules of order than anything else. 
Trouble is, the rules are not just a bunch of words on paper.They don't work that simply.
There aren't that many of them. I find myself reciting them verbatim. 
My thoughts are not pre-written,You can't pre-write what you might say in a debate. Part must be in response to  points made by others.. One can't know beforehand.
I've gathered my thoughts, I'm  ready to go when recognized by the chair. Expressing thoughts in sequel without interruption becomes critical to the presentation.
The rules read;" when recognized  by the chair, the member having the floor will be allowed to speak without interruption"
Those words recognise the need.
There are members who interrupt on a regular basis because they don't agree with what a Councillor  is saying.
Councillor Gaertner does it regularly. It was allowed  in the  last couple of Councils.
The  chair is key. There must be consistency and a firm grasp of the rules. It's how a new Councillor learns the practice.
Council meetings are not always tidy. The stronger the opinions, the less tidy the meeting is likely to be.
The last post was erratic and seemingly without direction.
It wasn't though.
 I often have to  read something twice to make sense of it.

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