The discussion last night over the so called "roommate law" left me the odd man out on why the matter created such a kerfuffle with two Council members blaming the main stream media for hyping the issue and getting the facts wrong.
My position is the media got the essence of the dispute right and local media actually played it very nice while social media boiled to a point where an influential on-line tabloid gave the dispute far-ranging reach.
I am not one to chastise the MSM for their shortcomings, but this is not a case of media ratings mongering.
It was a case of events striking a nerve and today's social media and new media able to accelerate interest.
Watertown Daily Times | Watertown will reconsider roommate zoning changes
9 comments:
Sounds like those two council members are saying how dare anybody question them.
You are living in your own reality. My estimate is that 95% of the comments were ones that used misquoted fact from the MSN headlines. It was only after a few days that maybe 1 in 20 habitual contrarians refined their arguments to come from a libertarian POV.
The problem with that, is that those who argued it from the libertarian POV have never embraced that philosophy in an argument about any other issue.
I think our beloved mayor should get as much credit as anyone for fanning flames on this issue. And I don't blame him, since it is an opportunity to take Smith down a peg or two.
Besides, the mayor is consistent in that he takes the libertarian stance on social issues. Although, it is too bad he doesn't take that stance when it comes to spending and taxing...but it is better than nothing.
What is interesting is that the city paid an attorney, and not the cheapest one in town for sure, to draft the zoning change, and counsel on issues such as these.
But now the city has contacted some librul, bureaucrat at HUD or some such regime, who unilaterally opined that the city's code is not up to today's standards. And the mayor is going to take him/her at their word and run with that? (Hope that works out better than the liquor authority consultant.
So the new proposed code would allow infinite roommates, fraternities and clubs, as long as the members were "living as a family".
And we shouldn't worry about it because it "hasn't been a problem". And it does appease our critics from The Price is Right, Black River/Brooklyn, and those in the UK.
9:12 you are absolutely right, they are both pompous and arrogant and think no one should question them. Hopefully at their next election the voters will remember their attitudes and decisions and send them packing.
I wonder why the city attorney did not do more on this issue? City looking for ways to save money, can Slye and Burrows and go back to a staff attorney, alot cheaper and not getting paid per hour to give stupid advice...although stupid advice means more money for them...hmmmm
9:15 and 11:39, how about using plain english to spell out what it is, you are trying to say; remember, baffle the people with b.s. ? What I read, was Mr. Smith and Mr. Butler, defending themselves, with the letter "I". Correct me if I am wrong, but, I thought our govenment was "of the people", not of a "person". Also , you are quick to point out "the msm is at fault"; but nothing said about the people in attendance, who were against the issue. Much like Don Imus says, "it's either a yes,or no, answer, none of this b.s..
So it is now possible, that infinite number of people can live in house?
This is just crazy.
That means that peopple can occupy one family houses with 18 or 20 people including children, like in my neigborhood, just because they are some how related?
Never heard about generational wellfare families?
How is responsible and liable if one of this over occupied drughouses or Section 8 houses goes up in flames?
Are there no occupancy laws for landlords?
Even LA where Drew was complaining about the "dumbasses" of Watertown has zoning laws. so far I remember its is 5 people per unit.
It does not matter if people are related or not, it matters how much are habitate in a house for security and a liveable neigborhood.
very astute 11:39 I suspect the mayor was diggin this brouhaha like a woodchuck..no matter what he does he comes off with plausible deniability,and the councilmembers who should have known better are takin on the chin.
Remember my garage is bigger then your house, it is all that counts.
Agree, 9:22. It's all fun and games until somebody gets un-elected.
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