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Early risers may be big talkers
(by Barbara Christian - June 24, 2009)
WINDOW ON MAIN STREET, BY BARBARA CHRISTIAN
Early risers may be big talkers
They say all politics is local. I'm not sure. What I am sure about is that people representing the main political persuasions are either conservatives or liberals.
Conservatives think government should serve a narrow purpose, like picking up trash and mending streets. They are stewards of the status quo. Liberals say government is an action word and should provide for the people, like coming up with new social services. They are the shepherds of change.
I don't know how much sense that makes, so the best way to illustrate the differences is to look at the work of our town's not-so-liberal economic-advisory groups. And who better to discuss this than my old friend Miss Demeanor. "Discussing" is inaccurate. Listening is the better word.
"They are coffee klatches," she said from her end of the phone line.
"Hey, Miss D, long time no hear. What coffee klatches?" I asked.
"Our town's economic-development groups, they are nothing but exercises in futility," Miss D said. "I'd like to see some action, and I'll bet our business people and landlords wouldn't mind either."
I tried to get a word in, but she asked a rhetorical question which she was about to answer.
"Just how many economic-development committees do we have in this town anyway? And after years of sitting around talking about the empty shops and the town's commercial needs, they've done nothing. Zero, nada, goose egg. Except continually changing their name."
"Let's see," I said. "The mayor seated an economic-advisory committee right after he took office and the YoHos have an economic group too ..."
"And the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce is one big economic-development organization," Miss D broke in. "Not a peep have we heard from any of them, and I know you'd tell me, because you report on all the peepings."
"Are you calling me a Peeping Tom?" I chided.
"No, dunderhead, I'm just saying, if there was something to report from these groups, you would be the one to do it. Right?"
"I suppose, but I don't know when they meet," came my bad answer. "Although I do know the mayor's committee said they would continue to support the town, Spillway and the developments on West Orange and Windsor property."
Miss Demeanor was shouting now. "Big whoop, like these developers need their 'support.' These committee people ought to be filling the empty stores, find out what our town needs then go out and recruit 'em. Then they should start coming up with real plans, work on this arts district idea. Too bad they have already decided it won't work. Conservatives!"
"Well, how about going to the next meeting of one of these committees? Ask them to get on the ball or justify their reason for being. The mayor's bunch meets once a month around 7:30 a.m."
Miss D fell silent then asked one of her famous rhetorical questions. "Know the other difference between conservatives and liberals? Conservatives get up way too early."
"Early birds catch the worm," I ventured.
"Yeah, but then they just talk about what to do with it," she said.
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