HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/26/2005 - STAFF REPORTS (3) Page 1 of 2
Jay Thompson
From: roxann ploss [riploss@dc.rr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 3:23 PM
To: steve pougnet; ginny foat; David ready; "jayt@ci.palm-springs.ca.us"@ms-smtp-02-
eri0.socal.rr.com; ron oden; mike mccullough; chris mills
Subject: money for Measures B and C
I would like to present the following for the record of tonight's (26
January 2005) City Council meeting:
In a column by George Will in the Washington Post, he writes:
"It is difficult to calculate how many billions of dollars the
government spends on indefensible, if not illegal, self-promotion. It
is impossible to draw, with statutory language, a bright line between
legitimate informing and illegitimate propagandizing by government.
What is indispensable is common sense....and that is atrophying as
this lawyer-ridden nation sinks deeper into the delusion that sensible
behavior can be comprehensively codified.
Obviously government leaders must TRY to lead by persuading
the public. But government by the CONSENT of the governed
should NOT mean "government by consent produced by government
propaganda". Unfortunately, as government's pretensions grow...so
does its sense that its glorious ends justify even the TACKIEST
means." (end quote)
This Council approved a major amount of money (one policeman's
salary) to produce glossy mailings during the Section 14 debate.
Now you want to consider spending $88,000 (still another policeman
or fireman) to do the same thing on Measures B and C. This is
government NOT by persuasion....but by propaganda. This is not
"with the consent of the governed"...but a proclamation by the few.
By definition that is not democracy but an oligarchy. These past
several months have shown this Council in a different light....as
government by and for the privileged (in this case the developers), as
defenders, not of the people, but of the vested interests. This
1/26/2005
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Council has NOT spoken of, by or FOR the people in many months
now. Please do not repeat that insult again tonight.
You should vote to use the people's money, the taxpayers' dollars, on
the needs of the people....and those needs, most decidedly, do not
include more propaganda. Hire another policeman. Thank you,
Roxann Ploss
Palm Springs resident
1/26/2005