I Can't Believe This Guy Is My Councilman

When comedian Jon Lovitz was with the Saturday Night Live troupe in the late '80's, he did a dead-on impression of Michael Dukakis facing George Bush, Sr. (played by Dana Carvey) in the presidential debates. After one of Carvey's skillful imitations of Poppy Bush, Lovitz as Dukakis looks straight into the camera and says, "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy."

When I continue to read Ludye Wallace's silly statements in the press justifying the irresponsible actions of our Metro Council, my only response is one similar to Lovitz's. I can't believe that Ludye is my councilman. I can't believe that this is our Council.

Ludye's latest asinine aphorism--covered by the Tennessean and Salem's Lots--is: "If it took a couple of years to put together, it might take us a couple years. You see how we operate in the city council." I interpret that to mean: "Despite shameful government ethics problems from Nashville to Washington, integrity in public service is not an urgent or pressing matter and the Metro Council is going to take its own sweet time to mix in the necessary amount of water to dilute standards that might otherwise restore the public trust in our elected officials. That's just how we are. Deal with it."

I won't be watching Council tonight. I cannot stomach the vacuum of leadership and integrity on this issue; and I don't care to listen to Council members like Ronnie Greer whine that adhering to standards is just too hard. Somebody else will just have to tell me what happens.