Monday, April 29, 2013

Town Meeting’s great, as history

Special interest at its finest! Time to bury this antiquated joke and pronto. Ms. Braceras did manage to leave out Middleboro.
http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/opinion/op_ed/2013/04/braceras_town_meeting_s_great_as_history
It’s April. Around here that means rain, daffodils, and that inefficient relic of our Puritan past: Town Meeting.
Ah, yes, Town Meeting. That uniquely New England institution where any registered voter can gather a few signatures (some towns require as few as 10) for any half-baked idea and — presto! — it’s on the town warrant.
Want to ban the use of leaf blowers (Arlington and Marblehead)? Put it on the warrant!
Think your town should require leashes for cats (Concord)? Put it on the warrant!
Want your town to go on record as pro-Second Amendment? Draft a law requiring a gun in every home (Byron, Maine). And put it on the warrant!
Yes, across New England this spring, minute fractions of the electorate — unelected and often uninformed — will congregate to approve budgets, pass bylaws, and debate issues of importance (and many of no importance).
Mostly, they will gather to hear themselves talk — to pontificate, bloviate, and hold court before captive audiences of voters desperate to cast their ballots on that one significant agenda item and go home.
In Concord, for the third consecutive year, residents spent an evening of their lives debating the sale of single-serving water bottles. Just over a thousand Concordians (of the town’s approximately 11,000 registered voters) attended Wednesday’s Town Meeting. The rest had lives to lead that prevented them from sitting in a crowded auditorium for hours on end listening to environmentalists and consumer advocates go at it.
And so by only 66 votes, with only 12 percent of the town’s electorate present, Town Meeting defeated an effort to lift the controversial water ban (approved by an equally narrow margin last year). Not exactly democracy in action.
In small 17th- and 18th-century agrarian communities, where only men voted and women-folk were home to mind the children, this form of participatory governance may have made sense.
After all, what else was there for Colonial farmers to do in the evenings? They weren’t rushing out after a long day in the fields to drive their kids to hockey practice, pick up the dry-cleaning, or play a round of golf. Back then, town meeting was not just a form of government, it was the social event of the season.
But in 2013, when many people commute to work, travel on business, or work the night shift, the idea of hiring a sitter in order to spend hours debating politics deters many citizens from taking part in local decision-making at all.
Put simply, Town Meeting has a discriminatory impact on working voters and voters with young children. It leaves governance to an unrepresentative minority of voters — usually single, childless, or elderly, who have time to spend long hours debating items that could be easily resolved in moments. For instance — call me crazy — at the ballot box.
The Minutemen who sacrificed their lives at the North Bridge would no doubt be appalled to see how Town Meeting has become a tyranny of the minority.
In an era of early voting, electronic voting, and other innovations intended to expand access to the ballot, it is ironic that many New England towns cling to this arcane and anti-democratic form of government. Try to move the location of a polling place or check a voter’s identification, and the ACLU screams voter suppression and disfranchisement. But allow a tiny, unelected minority of voters to make decisions for an entire town, and it is hailed it as civic engagement. Puh-leez.
Can’t we just admit that it’s time to abolish Town Meeting?

29 comments:

sm867 said...

So what would you replace Town Meeting with?

bogofree said...

Not have it. Same as most communities. Of course that would be a severe determent to the 150 or so political groupies who enjoy impressing the rest of us with their ability to handle mundane procedural matters. Yawn.

Suo Mynona said...

Most towns MA towns have town meeting.
No sign of special interest groups or parliamentary chicanery at our spring meeting. Most people stayed for the whole meeting.

bogofree said...

What is the percentage of registered voters that show up? As far as special interest I've seen it. I'd love to see the vote in secret.

There was an article in the Attleboro Sun Chronicle a few weeks ago about one community that was dealing with modern technology and TM. Folks would text when their item of interest was about to be presented. Then they'd leave.

If other towns do it means the silliness is state wide.

Suo Mynona said...

I trust local government over the federal any day.

We now know that Tricky Dick was not the only one to have a hit list. My father once wrote a scathing letter to Nixon and was audited about two months later. Coincidence? -- likely. Possible? -- absolutely.
*********************
Conservative
Patriot
*******************
There ya go Bogo, you are now being watched by the Feds and they will audit you. Either that or you may be followed as part of the "chatter" to which they refer. Chatter is a nice euphemism.

Ever notice it is always some low level employees fault. Harry Truman is probably doing a roll about now.

Am I wrong to feel more suspicious of government when we have yet to know?

Who ordered and new about Fast and Furious gun running?

Who gave the "Stand Down" order on Benghazi?

And how no one knew that the IRS was targeting individuals. We would be better off if the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services was as vigilant tracking down welfare fraud. However them allowing welfare fraud is the equivalent of the IRS targeting conservatives or constitutionalists.


bogofree said...

I thought this administration was looking like Carter's - now it is like Nixon's. The crap with the AP will have the press - even most of the far left loons - all over them.

Meantime Obama continues to show a streak of arrogance.

Unknown said...

Hey there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!
http://www.businessanalysissummit.com |

Anonymous said...

Great article Lot's of information to Read...Great Man Keep Posting and update to People..Thanks 
http://www.tipability.org |

Unknown said...

Must say that overall I am really impressed with this blog. It is easy to see that you are passionate about your writing. If only I had your writing ability I look forward to more updates and will be returning.
diabloautobot.com |

Anonymous said...

This is really a nice and informative, containing all information and also has a great impact on the new technology. Thanks for sharing it
homeschoolersforken.com |

Unknown said...

Wow what a Great Information about World Day its very nice informative post. thanks for the post.
http://www.myxtrahealth.com |

Unknown said...

Its a great pleasure reading your post.Its full of information I am looking for and I love to post a comment that "The content of your post is awesome" Great work
estateguru |

Unknown said...

Must say that overall I am really impressed with this blog. It is easy to see that you are passionate about your writing. If only I had your writing ability I look forward to more updates and will be returning.

gatewaycanyonairtour |

Unknown said...

Must say that overall I am really impressed with this blog. It is easy to see that you are passionate about your writing. If only I had your writing ability I look forward to more updates and will be returning.

gatewaycanyonairtour |

Unknown said...

Most of the time I don’t make comments on websites, but I'd like to say that this article really forced me to do so. Really nice post!
http://www.questschool1.com |

Unknown said...

This blog is an exact representation of skills. I appreciate the blogger for posting the most excellent thought. This topic posted by you is trustworthy. 
http://www.freestonehomes.com |

Unknown said...

I am very happy to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this immense read!! I absolutely enjoying every petite bit of it and I have you bookmarked to test out new substance you post. -
www.loire-forez-tourism.com |

Unknown said...

This is a very good post. Just wonderful. Truly, I am amazed at what informative things you've told us today.
autotronicseldh |

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much! Really rich content and very useful information. I found my problem’s solution starting over here.
www.emrsoftwaresite.com |

Unknown said...

It is very helpful for all the people on the web.I wanted to say that it's nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere.
www.renoracepromotion.com |

Unknown said...

Wow what a Great Information about World Day its very nice informative post. thanks for the post.
http://www.fashionjapan.net |

Unknown said...

This is cool post and i enjoy to read this post. your blog is fantastic and you have good staff in your blog. nice sharing keep it up.
greek-videoclip.com |

Unknown said...

I just wanted to let you know that what you do really affects peoples lives and that people - like me - truly appreciate it.
Tree House Pastry Shop |

Unknown said...

Is there a way to forward other people’s blog posts to my site?
hbc-business.com |

Unknown said...

Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting?I have read a few of the articles on your website now, and I really like your style. Thanks a million and please keep up the effective work. 
http://www.weddingcakescork.com |

Unknown said...

Hi my loved one! I wish to say that this article is awesome, great written and include almost all significant infos. I would like to see more posts like this .
animalexposures |

Unknown said...

I am able to view that you just are placing the a Aaron C. Meyer lot of initiatives in your blog site. Hold posting the nice function. Several definitely helpful information in there. Book-marked. Wonderful to determine your web site. Cheers
www.thesmartechs.com |

Unknown said...

This blog is an exact representation of skills. I appreciate the blogger for posting the most excellent thought. This topic posted by you is trustworthy. 
Loving Care |

Unknown said...

Needed to compose you a word regarding the nice opinions you have contributed. Your good knowledge in playing with all the pieces is very useful. To be honest, this has been one outstanding blog
www.vegfoodtruck.com |