The Salem City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution on the crisis in Gaza, calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages and the end of U.S. aid directed to Israel or the Israel Defense Force until there is a ceasefire.
Council spent five more hours listening to testimony on this topic. It passed a resolution that does nothing. It has and will have no impact whatsoever on the conflict in the Middle East. The City has a $29 million general fund shortfall. Guess where I think they should have spent their time?
This sort of thing, however, is indicative of the mission creep in organizations. After all, if Council can weigh in on the Middle East, what can’t it weigh in on no matter how far flung or irrelevant to the lives of Salemites? With no definitive marker, every topic is fair game and how anything gets done in such an environment is beyond me.
On this particular issue the results are probably even worse than just time-wasting. It’s likely that the matter inflames people in local area—again over something which Council has no control or input. The correct response to petitioners would have been: “You should take this matter up with your US House Representatives and Senators.”