DELAWARE WATCH
I have to agree with you totally on this post, which emerges from the bottomless politician pit of bonehead "there oughta be a law" ideas, intent on fixing every ill in the world by grandstanding for some corresponding loss of freedom.
As soon as I heard of this tragedy I thought to myself "I wonder how long before some city politician says they should ban these roadside vendors". It didn't take long.
I'll tell you this, every time I have driven by those men and women standing on the roadside hawking papers, sometimes in really miserable weather, I have thought "God bless them. How much could they really be making for becoming a human newspaper dispenser, not to mention risking their lives? It can't be much, but they deserve every penny and more for doing this kind of work so they can earn an honest living."
One thing is for aure, these folks aren't doing it for kicks. Kevin Kelley should keep his nose out of their livelihood and worry about, for example, having safe footways for all city pedestrians...something we need a lot more than yet another ordinance to deny someone the value of their labor or property, to score political points.
Agree with you on this, Dana. For an example of a "troubling trend" as opposed to a single incident, pedestrian deaths on U.S. 13 and U.S. 40 -- both widened highways with no provisions for pedestrians -- have for years been higher than they should be. Not much has been done to alleviate the problem, either. Maybe Kelly should move up to the state legislature, and bring his concern for pedestrians in traffic with him.
"Not much has been done to alleviate the problem...."
That's because there is a big price tag associated w/ fixing that REAL problem. But the loss of the city wage tax by the relatively few vendors would scarcely be noticeable.
Tyler, the funny thing is that while I was writing this post I thought to myself, Tyler Nixon will agree w/ this 100%. No kidding; I really thought that.
I agree...and whenever possible I buy my papers from these guys. Some of them are very poor, or have been in alcoholic rehabs, trying to get their lives together. I have driven during the week to they guy to stands at the exit off Delaware, he is always friendsly, nice and I always tip him.
Kevin Kelly has a tendency to over react and to "stop stuff"....crap happens Kevin. I would have thought better of him, if he would have asked the News Journal to give these guys an orange vest to wear so they are more visible...that would have been appropriate.
Well you know I am always good with pithy remarks for city government churmoisteners to consider.
I suspect you know where I am coming from on just about everything. It has remained the same since you first interviewed me on Progressive Voices a couple of years ago.
I agree with you on probably the vast majority of policy questions having actual consequence to our state community, especially those crucial to ensuring the legitimacy of citizen self-governance.
While I am here, in the spirit of good faith and comity I apologize for calling you a socialist or implying the same in any other instance.
If you truly were offended I can say it was not meant that way and was made to crudely exaggerate the extent your leftiness not insult you. It may have been immature but definitely not malicious. If you had told me it offended you any of the times I wrote it I would not have repeated it.
Honestly I have never considered it an insult to identify someone with socialism.
Nonetheless it is not cricket to mislabel anyone, especially if they in fact reject the ideology or think it insult. My apologies for any offense it caused.
"Honestly I have never considered it an insult to identify someone with socialism."
To clarify, socialism to me is nanny-state Western European countries. Some are great but I don't think it would work for our country.
Now if I had called you national socialism that would definitely have been an insult and meant as such...
"I would have thought better of him, if he would have asked the News Journal to give these guys an orange vest to wear so they are more visible...that would have been appropriate."
That's an excellent suggestion, Liz. You should make it to them or call Kelly and ask him to make it to the NJ. That seems doable & fair.
Tyler,
Thank you SO MUCH for saying that. You have no idea how much that means to me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm speechless.
If it's OK, I'll be in touch. 
Thanks for all of your comments regarding this issue. I don't necessarily agree, but you are excersing your right of free speech. I can live with that. I don't take anything personal and debate is good.
All I ask is that if I do something you like, please consider posting it on your web page. Hopefully, there will be some issues that we can find some common ground on and we don't, that's ok with me.
Thanks
I certainly don't hold back in offering my thoughts on politicians and elected officials. I have utmost respect for those who take it with aplomb and even go so far as to respond politely.
I may disagree with him here and there, but Councilman Kelley has my respect for his dedication to representing Wilmington citizens. He also deliberates over issues in a way that shows he is sincere about finding the right course of action.
I think he is one of the straightest shooters in city gov't, far more a man of the people than Baker's froo-froo cronies, who really look down their noses at pretty much everyone.
Councilman, I would urge you and the rest of Council to assert your authority and oversight over the administration. The city's rate of growth in spending is simply out of control. A 10% a year average growth rate for government in a small city with a largely static population is unsustainable and amounts to an ongoing gang rape of the citizenry as far as I am concerned. For it, we get nothing but more intrusive and pervasive scheming from the administration. It is time to put Mayor Baker's champagne tastes on a ripple budget.
One last thing...the City Code is a complete disaster. I have never seen such a poorly written, unclear, confusing, logically disorganized, and excessive-to-the-task set of laws or codes in my life. I think Council should undertake a wholesale rewrite and forget about passing any more ordinances to burden the citizens, until this is done. Council doesn't exist to keep adding laws to the books. You can also simplify and subtract, believe it or not.
I am happy that my apology had such a positive effect on you, Dana. It is often amazing how what we think are small gestures can often mean much more to others.
I also appreciate your reply and your thanks. It was incumbent on me to make that right with you and I am glad I did.
I hope a spirit of mutual goodwill can carry forward with everyone in the mix.
Dana,
It's just good to know that even libertarians and progressives can find common ground on issues like this-that common ground being common sense.
What's next? In some cafeteria in the mid-West a child chokes on his milk and dies, and then we ban all liquids in school lunches?
Oops, sorry Al, slippery slope.
"All I ask is that if I do something you like, please consider posting it on your web page."
Absolutely. I will.
Thanks for stopping by DW.
Commenting by HaloScan
