The stage is set, the actors in place, everyone has rehearsed their lines -- and the curtain is up on the drama that will determine the future of LA.
The masses of workers, neighborhood activists, arts lovers, disabled have joined in a chorus with a plaintive song, beating their chests while the princes and princesses of their realm bluster in a cacophony of discordant brays and hoots until they all come together in unison and sing the overture, "Woe is us."
The shadowy silhouette of the lord of all, King AV, fills the background, breaking his imperious silence from time to time with his lament, "What about me...What about me..."
"Bankruptcy" this Wagnerian opera is called, its opening scene filled with gloom and dread and portents of disasters ahead. Whether it will lead to a new beginning or become the beginning of the end hangs in the balance with the future of LA at stake.
Everyone has offered solutions to the dilemma, all intended to protect what they have, hoping to save themselves from the black plague of bankruptcy.
The unity of the masses dissolves with the Neighborhood Councils singing the aria "We've got a right" with other communities of interest offer the counterpoint "We need your help, don't forget about us." The workers drown them out with the lively old tune, "We've got ideas, so many ideas, 67 ideas to make our troubles go away, go away." (Lyrics provided here
Coalition Worker Ideas.pdf}
The princes and princesses then take the front of the stage, each singing a different tune. Prince Alarcon, the absentee lord, screams "Soak the rich" while Prince Bernie offers "We gotta be tough," Princess Janice "There's enough for everyone, I love you all" and heir apparent Prince Eric sings his favorite song, "We are all one family, except you and you and you..."
Enter High Priest Miguel, whose calmness is the stuff of saints, his presence bringing stony silence to the assembled players.
"There is an answer to your plaints and prayers," he sings. "I have it here right in my hand. If only you could read, if only you could read between the lines, you'd see the money lenders will save us this day, they will save the day."
I could go on but I wouldn't want to ruin the ending of this great LA drama but I'm not quite sure if it's grand opera or soap opera.
So I leave it to you to write your own ending.
You can see it through a glass darkly, sliding down a slippery slope of phony solutions, reduced basic services, unending conflict and unhappiness, in bankruptcy.
Or you can look on the bright side of things, and see this opening act as nothing more than the start of elaborate negotiations that will lead the cast to simplifying their world by going back to basics and each side giving up something, reductions in salaries/benefits, higher taxes and fees.
Then, everyone would take a seat at the table of power for the grand finale: "We are one, one city, one people, all in this together..."
You decide, it's your drama.
The masses of workers, neighborhood activists, arts lovers, disabled have joined in a chorus with a plaintive song, beating their chests while the princes and princesses of their realm bluster in a cacophony of discordant brays and hoots until they all come together in unison and sing the overture, "Woe is us."
The shadowy silhouette of the lord of all, King AV, fills the background, breaking his imperious silence from time to time with his lament, "What about me...What about me..."
"Bankruptcy" this Wagnerian opera is called, its opening scene filled with gloom and dread and portents of disasters ahead. Whether it will lead to a new beginning or become the beginning of the end hangs in the balance with the future of LA at stake.
Everyone has offered solutions to the dilemma, all intended to protect what they have, hoping to save themselves from the black plague of bankruptcy.
The unity of the masses dissolves with the Neighborhood Councils singing the aria "We've got a right" with other communities of interest offer the counterpoint "We need your help, don't forget about us." The workers drown them out with the lively old tune, "We've got ideas, so many ideas, 67 ideas to make our troubles go away, go away." (Lyrics provided here
Coalition Worker Ideas.pdf}
The princes and princesses then take the front of the stage, each singing a different tune. Prince Alarcon, the absentee lord, screams "Soak the rich" while Prince Bernie offers "We gotta be tough," Princess Janice "There's enough for everyone, I love you all" and heir apparent Prince Eric sings his favorite song, "We are all one family, except you and you and you..."
Enter High Priest Miguel, whose calmness is the stuff of saints, his presence bringing stony silence to the assembled players.
"There is an answer to your plaints and prayers," he sings. "I have it here right in my hand. If only you could read, if only you could read between the lines, you'd see the money lenders will save us this day, they will save the day."
I could go on but I wouldn't want to ruin the ending of this great LA drama but I'm not quite sure if it's grand opera or soap opera.
So I leave it to you to write your own ending.
You can see it through a glass darkly, sliding down a slippery slope of phony solutions, reduced basic services, unending conflict and unhappiness, in bankruptcy.
Or you can look on the bright side of things, and see this opening act as nothing more than the start of elaborate negotiations that will lead the cast to simplifying their world by going back to basics and each side giving up something, reductions in salaries/benefits, higher taxes and fees.
Then, everyone would take a seat at the table of power for the grand finale: "We are one, one city, one people, all in this together..."
You decide, it's your drama.
Ron Kaye
Long on Gotterdammerug...short on action plans. What are our top 3 real suggestions for dealing with the shortfall?
Fellow Citizens of Los Angeles -
Not only are we being govern by individuals of questionable ethics and abilities, remember Proposition R (ethics, ethics, ethics and we want an additional 4 year term of office, even though the ethics portion doesn't require a citizen vote, but it won't pass unless we can confuse/lie to everyone with two unrelated items on one ballot measure that's an unconstitutional act) or Proposition S (the phony phone tax that will go to hire more police . . .NOT) or we're raising the trash fees to also hire more police . . .NOT 2 and the list goes on, but now there's another shenanigan.
Sunday last, the 31st of January and last night the 3rd of February, Channel 35, our City television station, did not broadcast the re-runs of the City Councils meetings. Why is that? Instead we were given feel-good classical music briefs (which I did enjoy for awhile) and episodes of our City Departments at work (which was informative). But why wasn't the Council Meetings re-runs shown to the public? For the last few years they would "always" be shown, always. Who made the decision not to show them? If our elected officials didn't want the Citizens to see them in action, democracy at work, then a crime has been committed.
Fellow Citizens of Los Angeles -
Not only are we being govern by individuals of questionable ethics and abilities, remember Proposition R (ethics, ethics, ethics and we want an additional 4 year term of office, even though the ethics portion doesn't require a citizen vote, but it won't pass unless we can confuse/lie to everyone with two unrelated items on one ballot measure that's an unconstitutional act) or Proposition S (the phony phone tax that will go to hire more police . . .NOT) or we're raising the trash fees to also hire more police . . .NOT 2 and the list goes on, but now there's another shenanigan.
Sunday last, the 31st of January and last night the 3rd of February, Channel 35, our City television station, did not broadcast the re-runs of the City Councils meetings. Why is that? Instead we were given feel-good classical music briefs (which I did enjoy for awhile) and episodes of our City Departments at work (which was informative). But why wasn't the Council Meetings re-runs shown to the public? For the last few years they would "always" be shown, always. Who made the decision not to show them? If our elected officials didn't want the Citizens to see them in action, democracy at work, then a crime has been committed.
"Long on Gotterdammerug ..." Jeez, makes me miss Mayor Sam.
Keep the sewers running, the lights on and the libraries operating, but outside of that, I don't see anything too horrible about the city government going bankrupt. Sounds like a cause for celebration s a matter of fact. City government is populated by uncreative, dull, unresponsive employees that deserve to be shown the door - starting in the mayors office, city council offices and winding all the way through to the parks system and so on. Tt's time for a gteat flush if the city is ever to improve. Why try to stop or protest the flushing? Do it too loudly and you might get what you wish for - they'll find the resources to keep their jobs and stay awhile longer. Careful.
Of course city council doesn't want anyone to see how angry people were yesterday at their incompetence. However, the council meeting is online. Click pass Reyes and it will start
http://lacity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=130&clip_id=7490
Anon 11:45
Thank you so much for the link. You have one guess as to what I'll be doing this evening. I hope 1000's will be joining me.
Number One favorite “Worker Idea”:
“Open a gift shop at Hyperion”
What, mask and snorkel sets? For the beach crowd that is…how about dung screen and purel?
Ron,
I strongly encourage the voters of this City to get behind my RECALL CITY HALL efforts.
City activists screaming and crying and pleading for these leaders to change course has produced zero results. Zero.
Throw them all out of office. The next officials won't be nearly so reckless with their spending or with their decisions.
A small army has already been formed. Finances are growing every day. People are eager to join when we discuss it with them.
RECALLCITYHALL.ORG