Howard Beale finally cracked in 1976 and decided he was too angry and too upset to take it anymore. Ignited by the Three Stooges mayhem that is our federal, state and local government, the newscaster’s “mad as hell” tirade on cinematic national television has filtered into my consciousness quite a bit over the past several months.
Typically, a George Costanza-like yell of “Serenity now!” calms the nerves, but the camel’s back was obliterated by the Metro Council’s recent decision to disregard the will of the people—as well as the opinion of the parish attorney—on term limits and warp the law so that Collis Temple could be re-appointed to the BREC Commission.
To be clear, this has zero to do with Mr. Temple himself. The anger and frustration—not felt so strongly since Les Miles went brain-dead in the final minutes at Ole Miss—is with those elected and paid by the residents of this parish and their collective “who cares?” attitude when it comes to following the rules and regulations of this parish.
They don’t give a damn about anything other than their own self-interest.
Matching that realization on the aggravation meter is trying to get a straight answer from the legal world as to what some schmuck like myself, who’s finally had enough, can do in response?
Several J.D.s say Louisiana is one of a handful of states that bans the ordinary taxpayer from taking legal action to stop the misdeeds of government. Blunt translation: Elected officials, thanks to laws they thought up and approved, can pretty much do as they please, and we, the people, can only sit back and take it—until election day.
Only those actually impacted by government’s shenanigans, say these legal minds, have the right to declare aggrieved status in a legal action. Meaning, in the case of term limits and the appointment to boards and commissions, only those folks who were up for nomination can demand that the courts rule on the legality of the Metro Council’s action.
Yet some other lawyers I know suggest that several recent court decisions support the notion that your garden-variety, taxpaying Joe or Jane has the right to use the courts to host a Tea Party in the council’s honor.
Who’s right? I don’t know. What’s certain, however, is that I’m mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore.
So if there’s a competent attorney out there looking to fight for justice, get some free publicity and willing to work cheap [preferably pro bono], then give me a call and let’s file something ASAP.
On one point every attorney is in agreement: A person nominated to serve on the board or commission in question has the unquestioned right to cry foul.
So, with that in mind, I offer the following submission:
To: Brian Mayers, Council
Administrator’s Office
From: JR Ball, resident of East Baton Rouge Parish
Re: Board and/or commission openings
With this correspondence, I, being of somewhat sound mind and slightly flabby body, do officially apply for each and every board or commission appointment in East Baton Rouge Parish for which I am eligible.
Please make sure my name is entered into nomination so that Metro Council members can vote on my qualifications and ability to serve. I understand simply wanting good government is not enough for our council members, so I will write each separately to learn what I can do for each of them in exchange for his or her vote. I am anxious to serve the public and make decisions that will benefit the special interests responsible for any appointment I might receive.
Like most other folks, I’d prefer an appointment to BREC, the library board or the airport commission [where the real power is found], but I’m happy to fill that ABC appointment that’s been sitting empty. In conclusion: I’m tanned, rested and ready to serve.
Sincerely,
JR Ball
Comments
Posted by dragonlady on February 9, 2010 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You go, JR!
Posted by Diva on February 9, 2010 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bravo JR! I hope you get appointed to something - anything. Not that it matters, though. Most local boards seem to be composed mostly of clueless people who are doing little more than padding their resumes or fighting to hold EBRP back.
The biggest problem is that those Metro Council members who voted to put Temple back on the BREC board know they can get away with it. Most of their constituents not only couldn't care less about the composition of the BREC board, but they would probably applaud their actions in reappointing Temple - if they knew about it.
Posted by MarkEMartin on February 9, 2010 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is an excellent idea, JR! I hope others, including myself, will consider joining you in offering to serve our city-parish on a board or commission. The only way we're going to be able to move EBRP forward is to serve. Maybe, just maybe, we can break out of this "know nothing" mindset and assist in actually creating the kind of city we've been reading about for the past 10 years or so. I say we want ERB to be the place other people come to see "how to do it right" instead of us going to other places and NOT doing it right at home.
Posted by nonyabizz on February 9, 2010 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent!
Posted by oldbill on February 9, 2010 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go for it! Do they have a wild life and fisheries commission which might be appropriate?
Posted by jrball (JR Ball) on February 9, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's a listing of all boards and commissions in EBR:
http://brgov.com/dept/council/boards.asp...
Here's where to go to see which boards and commissions have openings"
http://brgov.com/dept/council/expire.asp...
Feel free to get involved to make this a better place for all of us to live, work and play.
Posted by nopars on February 9, 2010 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe it’s time to reduce the number of district-specific council members and make some council members Parish wide elected. Much of our governmental problems are caused because our elected officials are only concerned with their 200 square block fiefdom and not what works best for the Parish. Mayor Kip has shown us how a Parish wide elected official has to compromise and consider the entire Parish’s best interests.
Posted by jrball (JR Ball) on February 9, 2010 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To nopars: In theory, I agree with you 100%. The reality is the council has repeatedly rejected the notion of at-large districts. Moreover, there's some concern about whether the federal government will allow too many at-large districts, fearing a dwindling of black voter strength. Of course, if the parish is approaching 50-50 on racial demographics, seems like that point might be moot. The challenge is whether we, the people, will contact, pester and badger our council members to embrace the concept of sending this idea before the voters.
Posted by TQMSystems on February 9, 2010 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JR,
Maybe you should set up a web site that people can go and contribute(use credit cards or have information about sending checks) to help the cause if you can't get a pro bono lawyer.
Mickey
Posted by GS on February 9, 2010 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This would be something the local Tea Parties would help support “Baton Rouge Tea Party or Tea Party of Louisiana”.
Posted by phil on February 9, 2010 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very good article! I do not know JR Ball, but have to give him credit for telling it like it is! I believe it is safe to say many people in the parish are 100 percent in agreement with you on this one.
If nothing can be done about the immediate problem unless there is a lawsuit, then how about the long-term solution? The current law needs to be revised to eliminate the loophole(s) or this same situation will more than likely happen again. Does it usually take a lawsuit to get a law passed? I believe the council needs to either fix this problem now, or take whatever action is required to get it fixed.
Posted by phil on February 9, 2010 at 11:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please excuse me while I get a little over the deep end.
Democracy is in trouble.
Democracy is in trouble when government leaders believe they are above the citizens who voted them in power.
Our form of democracy combined with capitalism is in trouble because of greed.
Greed is the main reason we are in the economic situation we are in now.
The greed of a few have ruined it for the majority.
This situation with the council is just one example of a larger problem.
Someone in another message mentioned the Tea Parties and hoped they will get involved.
I say join the Tea Party or another organization and get involved.
Write or call your congressman, your senator, your State representaives, your local council etc., and let them know how you feel.
Go vote.
If you don't fix it, nobody will.
Posted by Being_Stupid on February 10, 2010 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I also ignore the advice from my attorney.
Way to go Metro Council!
(hey - somebody has to cheer for the other side)
Posted by jrball (JR Ball) on February 10, 2010 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I suspect a lawsuit will be filed shortly and I also believe we will read about an effort to fix the supposed ambiguity in the current term-limit law so that this doesn't happen again. If all goes as I believe, this will require a vote of the people in the near future. Don't be content to complain, get out and vote when the opportunity arises.
Posted by Being_Stupid on February 11, 2010 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Do away with term limits, especially for appointed positions. This is another "Feel-Good" Law that just creates more bureaucracy and prevents competent and willing people from serving our parish. The best people need to be appointed to these positions, regardless how many terms they may serve. Most of the best workers in Private Market/Business are people that have worked at that job for many years, the same should be for these appointed positions.
Posted by Being_Stupid on February 11, 2010 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Phil, there is nothing wrong with greed. Greed is a good thing, when people serve their own self interest, they usually end up contributing to the rest their community inadvertantly because of their greed.
Take your plumber for example, think he really cares about fixing the leaky pipe under your sink. No, not really. All he cares about is the money. But by making money, in return he ends up fixing the pipe to your sink, so everybody benefits because of his greed.
Be Greedy. Make more Money. Capitalism = Freedom.
Posted by Being_Stupid on February 11, 2010 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Milton Friedman talks to Phil Donahue about GREED
(Click on below YouTube Link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWsx1X8PV...
Posted by phil on February 11, 2010 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I read the news today.
Happy to see something is being done to fix this problem!
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