City Council Backtracks, Panders, Wastes More Time

Last week, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown helped pass a resolution declaring Philadelphia a “pro-choice city.” This was, of course, a pointless resolution that wasted more time than Mark B. Cohen does reading buying books.

Those in City Council who voted for the proposal apparently forgot a few things about this city. (1) Many citizens of this fine city are members of the Roman Catholic Church — official motto: “Complicit in the spread of AIDS in Africa since 1981″ — and (2) Philadelphians love to get really angry over things that don’t mean anything.

And, so, City Council is prepared to waste even more time with new resolutions declaring the city both pro-choice and pro-life! (Hey! What about Philadelphians who have no opinion?) I can’t wait ’til the resolution declaring the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as “sad” and one saying embryonic stem cell research is “an issue currently being debated.”

Frank Rizzo has simply planned a bill rescinding the pro-choice label, while Brian O’Neill have planned resolutions declaring Philly both pro-choice and pro-life and even Blondell Reynolds Brown is thinking about voting for O’Neill’s bill. Looks like somebody got an earful from her constituents! In fact, several people who voted for the “pro-choice” bill are suddenly backtracking, proving it’s not just national politicians who pander at every opportunity.

Councilman Darrell Clarke, who supported Brown’s resolution last week, said yesterday that he sees O’Neill’s alternative as “reasonable. It understands the diverse nature of the city and that we have diverse views on all issues, so I can probably support his resolution.” He said he was “not comfortable” with Rizzo’s language.

Councilman James Kenney, likewise, said he wants to reconsider the pro-choice resolution, which he supported last week. “I clearly support a woman’s right to choose,” said Kenney, who had not decided between the two resolutions that will be submitted today. “That’s my personal belief, but in retrospect probably we should not be forcing that belief or label on the city as a whole.”

In retrospect, City Councilpeople got a bunch of calls from angry little old ladies who go to church every day. And since those are the only people in this city who vote, it looks like it’s time to waste some more time!

Pro-life? Pro-choice? Hey - we’re both! [Daily News]
June 8: City Council Wasting Its Fucking Time Once Again