I tend to agree with David Brauer's point that the 'Whats' of an issue/policy have a more crucial position and are more readily provable than the 'Whys' of an issue/policy. But, I do not discount nor think useless discourse of the 'Why' variety in public affairs. In fact, it would seem odd if a policymaker made an explanation of a policy position that didn't follow a This is What I propose and Why I am proposing it format. Also, Jonathan Palmer in questioning Rep. Kahn's motivation to remedy the post-census ward line issues as she has proposed, comes to a very important observation when he states, "Yet this was never an issue important enough for her to raise in the previous 15 terms." So, 30 some years go by to fix an election process and now a special election has to happen in what will turn out to be a matter of month's before a regular election would take place. And I believe the long term problem of uncoordinated census and election cycles have yet to be resolved and will not be resolved by her lawsuit. It does make one wonder where Rep. Kahn is coming from. Rep. Kahn has provided some reasons Why. The legal reasons in the lawsuit seem sound in isolation but these reasons could lead one to a less disruptive, less costly and more lasting resolution to a census/election cycle problem. (Previous List posts have offered some good solutions such as the two year term inserted every couple decades or so.) Other reasons offered by Rep. Kahn evoke urgency by claiming that constituents are not just theoretically but actually being deprived representation in their current wards because of the difference between the lines in the challenged ward map and the current map. I have not heard any such claims of disenfranchisement from people in the 3rd ward which is the ward with the most drastic differences between the two ward maps. CM Samuels has been very present and active in both the North & Nordeast sides of his current ward. And mentioning the 3rd ward and looking at the map for that ward being challenged in the other redistricting lawsuit makes me wonder about all the 'Whys' that created such a drastically(and oddly)reconfigured ward. And when I have some 'Whats' related to those 'Whys', perhaps I'll have something to post...
Kevin Reich Windom Park __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
