By: Diane Benjamin
Government should operate on facts, not feelings. The illegal immigration issue won’t be solved in Bloomington for the same reason it isn’t solved in DC. It has nothing to do with people not being able to make decisions. They have decided:
To some laws matter, to others they don’t.
The people camping at City Hall did nothing to further their cause by defacing public property: https://blnnews.com/2018/03/26/since-immigration-laws-dont-matter/
I heard they used spray chalk which should be washed off with the rain, I’m waiting for reports on that now. I’m betting if other people “painted” opposition to Tari Renner in large letters in front of City Hall they would be arrested.
The Council is being asked to prevent the local police from working with ICE. Does that mean ICE can’t be contacted if an illegal commits a violent crime? We don’t know since whatever ordinances being considered aren’t public.
People are breaking the law just by being here illegally. They legally aren’t allowed to work without a work permit. If they are working for cash, that breaks more laws and it means they aren’t paying taxes. The whole “welcoming ordinance” sets up a lawless society because of how people feel. Government’s job is to uphold the law, not re-write it for the benefit of a few. Bloomington is headed down a slippery slope if they carve out exceptions for their buddies, we might as well be a third world country.
With pothole filled roads that won’t be fixed anytime soon, Bloomington isn’t that far away.
If FIVE alderman actually believe Bloomington should not pass an ordinance usurping the rule of law, they could drafts an ordinance now and put an end to this nonsense. The Council can’t balance the budget, can’t fix the roads, and aren’t prepared for the upcoming hit to the local economy. They need to quit wasting time trying to pretend immigration status is a problem they can solve. People here illegally put themselves in that position, changing laws just for them should be in the dictionary as a definition of insanity.
Public comment starts at 17:53 with mostly people demanding protection for illegals. A few others are thrown in.
Aldermen comments went off the rails again. It started with legal immigrant Alderman Mwilambwe. He was the target of a protest at ISU where he works. When does Not In Our Town cross the line? Is intimidation democracy now? I can guarantee there are people in Bloomington who will contact ICE themselves if the Council doesn’t stop this now.
Alderman Buragas and Mayor Renner then got into a long discussion that only ended when Alderman Bray interpreted Tari’s sermon . Just hit play to hear this entire discussion starting with Mkoka. Bray’s comments didn’t happen until 2:47:37, 15 minutes into the discussion. Note Alderman Painter and Schmidt don’t look happy.
I’m tired of the whining by the activists. Renner attended the vigil on Sunday night and held a sign. He must have seen the vandalism making him complicit. Alderwoman Schmidt wants to include members of the community for discussion regarding the Welcoming Ordinance. She suggested several commissions to take part–all appointed by the Mayor. If she and the Council really want the community to join in discussions for the purpose of embracing inclusion, opponents to the ordinance must be invited to the table.
Her comments were the exact opposite of her vote to stop the ordinance not that long ago. There is nothing to talk about. Take a vote and let’s see who laws matter to and who they don’t.
The “infamous” five all wanted more discussion, as I recall. Schmidt is definitely supportive of the welcoming part but doesn’t want to commit because of Hefner’s concerns.
You are correct, the Council should “just do it.” (but, it’s too politically charged)
Then the 5 need to sign a resolution to drop the whole thing. By the way, the County is being pressured now to pass it.
Pinky will push for it
Some of the so called Republicans do too.
We all do a shot every time a council member says “have a conversation” and we’re drunk in 15 mins. Geez – Hate it when they say those buzzwords.
Yes “Have a conversation” is one of my least favorite phrases of theirs it’s right up there with “open a dialogue”.
Scotty says he wasn’t elected to decide on immigration law–the Federal Government is such a failure. Well, Scotty you are correct. You shouldn’t be voting on an ordinance related to immigration. That is the responsibility of the US Congress. The President’s responsibility, any President’s responsibility is to enforce the laws of the Land. President Trump is enforcing the current laws just like the previous Presidents. Everyone needs to put their personal, political agenda aside.
I really wish these political scientists would study civics and history.
🐥
Snotty Scotty was however apparently elected to decide the engineering of bike paths.
Speaking of bikes, has anyone besides me noticed that the streets that have the bike lanes seem to be the only ones that are not absolutely teeming with cracks and potholes? As the weather improves I will most assuredly be making note of the number or people using these oh so important bike lanes. I can already predict that number will be quite low. Lower even than the number of people using the oh so important Connect transit buses. I also wonder how many of the give away bikes will be sold for cash by the ones they gave them to.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/17/chinese-discard-hundreds-of-cycles-for-hire-in-giant-pile
Not surprising at all, the discarding of the bikes, a bike can be efficient transportation now and then, it can be fun to ride for exercise or whatever, but to be EXPECTED or cajoled or “shamed” into riding them is NOT going to work, not in BloNo and not the USA. Here we have lots of adverse weather number one, we don’t have nice concentrated little shopping areas in a relatively small amount of space (such as in Amsterdam). the bike schemes are going nowhere fast and yet these buffoons here continue to try and shove them down people’s throats. I wonder how many people will actually USE these rent-a-bikes that BloNo thinks they need?