Government Reforms We Can Use
By Mitch Berg
I went to the Saint Paul City Hall – the museum of all that was spectacular about institution art-deco in downtown Saint Paul – the other day.
Now, as always when I go to City Hall, I make a religious point of leaving every piece of metal in my car – coins, cell phones, everything.
Naturally, the metal detector picked up something – the shoelace eyes on my shoes, in this case. It always does, with everyone that tries to go to the courthouse. Every time.
And so the sullen, cranky security guard (there is no other kind working at City Hall) made me, like everyone else that tries to go into the building, stand aside and hold out my arms and turn around, waving the little wand around until he ascertained that, yes, it was just the shoelace eyes. As usual. As with everyone who ever goes into the damned building.
It’s to the point where it’s not an exercise in security; it’s a little ritual the city, like every body of government that surrounds itself with this kind of “security”, does to show you, the citizen who’s boss. “We can make you empty your pockets for our inspection, and make you stand in awkward positions and twirl on command, and if you don’t, Deputy Friendly will haul your ass to jail for “disturbing the peace” if he’s in a good mood and “making terroristic threats” if he’s not, so behave if you want to talk with your government masters, mere peasant”.
And it occurred to me – in an era when government is already out of touch with the citizens, and getting worse every day (because the agents of Hope and Change can’t be bothered by the hoi-polloi) – that there would be one great way to make government smaller, more sensitive to the people, and more responsive.
Remove the metal detectors.
Lose the security guards.
Let our city bureaucrats and elected officials know that when they make decisions that affect people, they are going to have to talk with them sooner or later, and they’re going to have to mind their manners, knowing that if someone gets out of hand, they’ll have the same recourse all of us taxpaying citizens have; call the police, and wait.
Carry this all the way up to the state and federal levels, too. Perhaps if legislators, executives and employees had to handle “irate customers” the same way the kid at the counter at Wendy’s does, we wouldn’t need term limits.
Beat in mind, I don’t want any nuts to actually do anything to government officials or workers. I mean, as long as we’re talking hypothetically, here.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:16 am
You sound as though you feel alienated from your government, citizen Berg.
August 12th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Meanwhile, you agitate for the right of every anti-government, paranoid kook to carry concealed weapons. No thanks. Elected representatives make less money than people in the private sector. They shouldn’t also be forced to sit around waiting in fear for one of you gun nuts to start hunting humans.
August 12th, 2009 at 8:20 am
“Elected representatives make less money than people in the private sector.”
absolutely false! unless of course we are only comparing “elites” i.e. CEO=City Councilman
August 12th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Actually, I’d be thrilled if it were only anti-government paranoid kooks carrying concealed weapons.
That would beat the hell out of the present system, in which every gansta wannabe packs a 9 to impress his cuz. And all the ‘connected’ lawyers and celebs would lose their special permits and their bodyguards.
August 12th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Another instance of angryclown writing on topics of which he is ignorant? I am shocked and dismayed. 😉
There are LOTS of government offices in Saint Paul without these little “perks”. That the city of St. Paul maintains them just repeats the phrase “we like spending public monies”. Cut to the bone? I don’t think so.
August 12th, 2009 at 8:35 am
I suggest, citizen Berg, that the next time some official of the the federal, state, or local government visits you — even a lowly postal delivery person — you pat them down and wand them before allowing them to enter your property.
Don’t tread on me!
I make a better slash than slash does, don’t I?
August 12th, 2009 at 9:09 am
I haven’t had a problem with the St. Paul City Hall, but for some reason there are certain areas of the airport whegun re bra hooks are a real hassel, very annoying to wait while they wave their little wands around.
Have you considered wearing some kind of non-laced shoes when you go to City Hall, lol?
Some interesting gun propoent activity around the Obama public meeting yesterday…including people openly carrying.
August 12th, 2009 at 9:29 am
right of every anti-government, paranoid kook to carry concealed weapons
No – more like every demonstrably law-abiding citizen, whatever their political beliefs.
August 12th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Just wait until the SEIU begins representing the security guards.
August 12th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Just wait until the SEIU begins representing the security guards.
They might already. If not, it’s AFSCME, which is SEIU with a slightly better haircut.
August 12th, 2009 at 9:40 am
One person, not people.
“It’s legal for him to have the gun as long as it is unconcealed, the police told MSNBC. The man was on private property — church ground on the roadway leading to the high school where Obama would speak. The church gave the man permission to be there”
August 12th, 2009 at 10:32 am
The only thing really banned from St Paul city hall are stuffed bunnies.
August 12th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Not to defend city government in St. Paul which I agree is indefensible, but that building also houses the Ramsey County Courthouse. I’m pretty sure the metal detectors are there by judicial order.
Oh, and Chuck, they also banned red poinsettias a couple of Christmases ago. Because we couldn’t have a display of Christian religious symbols in a town named after one of Jesus’ greatest disciples. Besides, they looked tacky clustered around the base of the 40-foot statute of the Indian god. Which is not a religious symbol. And even if it were, it’s a good religion, plus we had dancers and drummers come to sanctify it, so it’s okay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Milles-godofpeace.jpg
.
August 12th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Christian religious symbols in a town named after one of Jesus’ greatest disciples.
That’s why, to protect the sanctity of the Establishment clause, I’ve long advocated changing the name of Saint Paul to “Reagan”.
August 12th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
“…the right of every… …to carry concealed weapons. No thanks.”
AssClown admits it is a right, but then wants to take away that right for no legal reason. Liberal Fascism
.
“They shouldn’t also be forced to sit around waiting in fear for one of you gun nuts to start hunting humans.”
Does Jessy Ventura scare you, AssClown?
August 12th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Wear slip on shoes mitch. It sounds as though they are looking for reasons to do a more thorough search. It might be job security or it might be a way to catch knuckleheads or it might be simple government stupidity.
August 13th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Dog Bone enticed: “I haven’t had a problem with the St. Paul City Hall, but for some reason there are certain areas of the airport whegun re bra hooks are a real hassel, very annoying to wait while they wave their little wands around.”
Angryclown might be able to help you with that, Dog Bone, if you tell him what size your bra is. Also, what else are you wearing?
If you’re tired of being annoyed by men with little wands, Angryclown has some helpful ideas.
August 13th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Be careful, AssClown, we’ll send Jessy after ya!!!
*fade to scene, AssClown chewing his nails, shivering in FEAR!*