Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 18:08     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I do too OP. We've even seen more police patrolling our area of MoCo, which desperately needed them, in the past couple of years. It's been a nice change not to be completely ignored by MoCo government.


One clarification:

MCPD is doing its job as best it can considering the lack of support from local government. The county council / exec are very vocal about wanting fewer police and less police contact with county residents.

If you have police presence in your neighborhood, don’t thank local government for it. Thank MCPD. They continue to work in spite of county government.


MCPD is part of county government.



Sure. If you have paid attention to the council over the past years, however, you’ll see that it’s a part of government that is not supported by the council. That’s why we are down over 150 officers and we can’t recruit enough to fill vacancies. The government that should support them (since they are a part of the government, after all) hasn’t.

Any patrols you see are working in this unsupportive environment. I took issue with the comment above about county government = increased patrols. Look no further than the Montgomery County Police Advisory Commission and the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force to see what the local government really wants for all of us. They want fewer police.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 17:50     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I do too OP. We've even seen more police patrolling our area of MoCo, which desperately needed them, in the past couple of years. It's been a nice change not to be completely ignored by MoCo government.


One clarification:

MCPD is doing its job as best it can considering the lack of support from local government. The county council / exec are very vocal about wanting fewer police and less police contact with county residents.

If you have police presence in your neighborhood, don’t thank local government for it. Thank MCPD. They continue to work in spite of county government.


MCPD is part of county government.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 17:48     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:I do too OP. We've even seen more police patrolling our area of MoCo, which desperately needed them, in the past couple of years. It's been a nice change not to be completely ignored by MoCo government.


One clarification:

MCPD is doing its job as best it can considering the lack of support from local government. The county council / exec are very vocal about wanting fewer police and less police contact with county residents.

If you have police presence in your neighborhood, don’t thank local government for it. Thank MCPD. They continue to work in spite of county government.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 16:57     Subject: Re:Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:Um ok, you being from Germany explains why you like MoCo, but some Americans don't.

I personally have a lot of criticism about the American government and the hyper-privatized nature of institutions, whereas MoCo’s system of governance gives me more of a Northern European vibe. I think most of the council and Elrich especially would align with center-left pro-labor coalitions which is very normal.


My spouse is a Brit and says the liberals here are more like the moderate conservatives in the UK. The US is more to the right politically than most of Europe. So yea, I could see why you like MoCo govt.



My spouse is European too and used to say the same...but he thinks the current WH would be considered far-left back home in most social aspects.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 16:54     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:

I am glad that you are living in a community which aligns to your values and you are happy.

It may surprise you to learn that so-called "hate" speech is constitutionally protected speech in the US.


Not all hate speech is constitutionally protected, and it is also possible to condemn hate speech without trying to outlaw it.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 16:50     Subject: Re:Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:Fortunately, most people in Montgomery County don’t need the government, other than schools, which are under a separate governance structure from everything else. It’s also fortunate that a large proportion of the voters in the democratic primary are wealthy so it doesn’t really matter what they have to pay in taxes. It’s not going to be make or break for them.

Over the time I’ve lived in the county, the quality of services has definitely declined and infrastructure hasn’t kept up with growth. Both are coming back to bite the county as businesses have left and others haven’t come to replace them.


Other than roads, sidewalks, buses, waste disposal, libraries, permits, inspections, licensing, police, and courts, among other things. Everyone knows there's nothing that affects your life as little as local government.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 15:15     Subject: Re:Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Fortunately, most people in Montgomery County don’t need the government, other than schools, which are under a separate governance structure from everything else. It’s also fortunate that a large proportion of the voters in the democratic primary are wealthy so it doesn’t really matter what they have to pay in taxes. It’s not going to be make or break for them.

Over the time I’ve lived in the county, the quality of services has definitely declined and infrastructure hasn’t kept up with growth. Both are coming back to bite the county as businesses have left and others haven’t come to replace them.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 14:17     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:I actually really like Montgomery County’s local government. I used to live in Germany. It seems like on the local level the local Council is governing closest to a more European-style system than anywhere else in America. Regulations are good, actually. Including regulations that seem to be meaningless to you, such as proclamations against hate speech. You may think this isn’t important, but it is. I think it’s a good thing to have a controlled bureaucracy in place rather than a free-for-all. It is true that businesses face more hurdles to get going, but once they’re off the ground you can trust that everything is done thoroughly and efficiently. I’m glad there is balance on zoning and transit and that people here generally value their taxes going to more public services.

Anyway, I personally have a lot of criticism about the American government and the hyper-privatized nature of institutions, whereas MoCo’s system of governance gives me more of a Northern European vibe. I think most of the council and Elrich especially would align with center-left pro-labor coalitions which is very normal.


I am glad that you are living in a community which aligns to your values and you are happy.

It may surprise you to learn that so-called "hate" speech is constitutionally protected speech in the US. https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/hate-speech-legal
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 13:28     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
It's not an unpopular opinion among voters. Just among anonymous posters on DCUM.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 13:05     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Surprised a German would endorse incompetence in government service delivery and overspending/high debt.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 12:47     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
I do too OP. We've even seen more police patrolling our area of MoCo, which desperately needed them, in the past couple of years. It's been a nice change not to be completely ignored by MoCo government.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 12:43     Subject: Re:Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Anonymous wrote:Um ok, you being from Germany explains why you like MoCo, but some Americans don't.

I personally have a lot of criticism about the American government and the hyper-privatized nature of institutions, whereas MoCo’s system of governance gives me more of a Northern European vibe. I think most of the council and Elrich especially would align with center-left pro-labor coalitions which is very normal.


My spouse is a Brit and says the liberals here are more like the moderate conservatives in the UK. The US is more to the right politically than most of Europe. So yea, I could see why you like MoCo govt.


American liberals and Democrats are more permissive on immigration and some social issues but more to the right on economics. MoCo as a county can’t have an immigration policy but I would say it’s more socially progressive and welcoming towards immigrants than Germany. However there are some Western European immigration-related programs that I would support, even if a pilot program in MoCo. In Denmark for examples they have free government programs that teach immigrants the language and help integrate into Danish society.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 12:37     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
I am with you OP I am happy with it.

Then again Ex Republican will never for the rest of my life ever vote for one Republican ever again.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 12:35     Subject: Re:Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
Um ok, you being from Germany explains why you like MoCo, but some Americans don't.

I personally have a lot of criticism about the American government and the hyper-privatized nature of institutions, whereas MoCo’s system of governance gives me more of a Northern European vibe. I think most of the council and Elrich especially would align with center-left pro-labor coalitions which is very normal.


My spouse is a Brit and says the liberals here are more like the moderate conservatives in the UK. The US is more to the right politically than most of Europe. So yea, I could see why you like MoCo govt.
Anonymous
Post 01/16/2023 12:28     Subject: Unpopular opinion: I like the Montgomery County government
I actually really like Montgomery County’s local government. I used to live in Germany. It seems like on the local level the local Council is governing closest to a more European-style system than anywhere else in America. Regulations are good, actually. Including regulations that seem to be meaningless to you, such as proclamations against hate speech. You may think this isn’t important, but it is. I think it’s a good thing to have a controlled bureaucracy in place rather than a free-for-all. It is true that businesses face more hurdles to get going, but once they’re off the ground you can trust that everything is done thoroughly and efficiently. I’m glad there is balance on zoning and transit and that people here generally value their taxes going to more public services.

Anyway, I personally have a lot of criticism about the American government and the hyper-privatized nature of institutions, whereas MoCo’s system of governance gives me more of a Northern European vibe. I think most of the council and Elrich especially would align with center-left pro-labor coalitions which is very normal.