This Blog is not about Politics

but, but, but, recent events make all too clear that corruption of our government corrupts our physical environment as well.

Laughably unoriginal ways we can change this:

1. enact term limits for all elected officials in the land. If you think this is a reaction to a specific politician's long tenure, you're wrong. It's about all elected officials. Term limits will diminish the influence and power of career politicians, taking away many of the fat targets of the corrupters and giving more citizens a chance for elected office.
2. banish for life from elected and appointed office any elected or appointed official ever convicted of official misconduct. They can vote as a citizen, they can participate in the political process as a citizen, but they can never serve again. The SEC banishes men and women from our securities markets for their transgressions; there's no reason we should do less to those who abuse our constitutions and charters and trust.
3. treat our City Council members as full-time employees. According to this article by the Flyer's John Branston, City Council members are paid $30,100 (by the City Charter, equal to that of a Shelby County Commissioner). Since that's more than many City of Memphis employees are paid (here's one and another), I think we should consider City Council members as full-time employees -- no moonlighting allowed! And they must recuse themselves from any vote, whether on a committee or in general session, in which they or a family member have a financial interest, including employment.
4. require a super-majority of the Land Use Control Board, Board of Adjustment and City Council in order to approve zoning variances where there is opposition to a variance. I thought this might be nutty -- inflexible, unrealistic -- but apparently it is required in other places. Not so nutty!