English First: It'll Cost Us Just $500,000 to Look Stupid!
Saving America one wasteful expenditure at a time
The Tennessean reports today that it will cost us a mere $350,000-$500,000 to look stupid! That's the expected cost for the January 22 referendum to make English the official language of Metro government.
Never mind that it's a mere vanity play on behalf of Councilman Eric Crafton to suck up to voters pissed about immigration. Never mind that it will do little except make government more confusing to non-English speakers. Never mind that this could have all been avoided if Mayor Karl Dean hadn't used a technicality to keep it from the November ballot. And never mind that it will make relocating business pause to think, "Hey, do we really want to hang out with weird rednecks?"
In a time of economic collapse, when Metro government will need every extra penny it has, we're about to blow $350,000-$500,000 for nothing -- other than the chance to look like morons.
And we wonder why people hate government?
Comments
If you want to point a finger, Kotz, point it directly at the Metro Courthouse and hizzonor.
It was evident that the referendum would be held eventually but the stubborn courthouse crowd refused to let it be held during a regular election, opting instead to force Crafton, et al to go for a costly special election.
Dean's choice. Dean's dumb decision.
Posted 10/10/2008 at 03:03:34 PMEmmett, maybe Dean should have foreseen this, but ultimately it's Crafton's moronic referendum. And surely Dean was hoping Crafton would cave.
Your logic is akin to putting the police department on trial for a murder, saying, "You didn't prevent it, so you're responsible. The murderer is not to blame."
Posted 10/10/2008 at 03:14:42 PMI think I pretty clearly point out Dean's culpability here, Emmett. I've never been a fan of fighting by technicality. But Crafton gets no breaks either. It's clearly just a move to score with the people freaked out by Mexicans, the same move politicians have used on Jews, blacks, and pretty much every ethnic group going back 200 years. And now it's gonna cost of top dollar in a time of depression. I just can't see how you defend the guy, especially if you come from the fiscal branch of conservatism.
Posted 10/10/2008 at 04:00:00 PMSo why'd you need to quote The Tennessean? Couldn't you pick up the phone and find out the estimated cost on your own? I thought The Tennessean was supposed to be an untrustworthy rag. What if they got the numbers wrong?
Posted 10/10/2008 at 06:46:53 PMWhat a gigantic waste of everyone's time and money. I wish the people involved in this disgrace would choose a "real" issue facing our city/state and try to tackle it. People can't eat, get health care, read, etc, etc. And they are worried about this language crap. Thanks for setting Nashville back several years Crafton, you idiot.
Posted 10/11/2008 at 04:01:59 PMDifferent,your wrong ,illegals get free health care,But you don't seem worried about how much that cost.I dare anyone to go to Mexico and demand anything.
Posted 10/13/2008 at 05:05:43 PMHope those $100K bills are soft, since we'll be wiping our asses with them.
Posted 10/14/2008 at 10:45:07 AM