I was attending my first meeting of the Columbus Democratic Socialists of America on November 22 when I heard an observation that resonated with me.

I had spoken to Columbus City Council in the past.

It’s intimidating – your first time standing in front of City Council all sitting in elevated seats far away from you. Sometimes they get out their cell phones when you’re speaking and never actually ask you any follow up questions. They also don’t tell you that there’s free parking next to City Hall if you’re scheduled to speak. Anyway…

Someone at the Columbus Democratic Socialists of America meeting complained that City Council turns off the online video during the public testimony part of the meeting. It’s happened to me as well.

They just choose to not broadcast or record it. Unfortunately, I’m a guy who loves to solve problems; that’s how I’m hard-wired.

So, I emailed President Shannon Hardin a few times asking if they could keep the video broadcast on during public testimony. Wouldn’t cost the city any money. Promotes democracy. Democrats love democracy. Everyone on City Council is a Democrat. This is a slam dunk.

As expected, it took some time, but I finally got an email back from President Hardin’s Chief of Staff (Hardin doesn’t read emails, he admits that himself). It was beautifully written. He obviously graduated from a fine university. Unfortunately, the answer was “NO.” City Council will continue to turn off the live video (and recording) feed during public testimony.

Not because it’s a security threat, or to save electricity, or because aliens might watch it.

The official reason was:

“We’ve Always Done It This Way.”

I was sitting down when I read it and was so stunned that I called Hardin’s Chief of Staff (he didn’t answer) and left a voicemail asking him if his email was meant as a joke and if he was kidding about the line of “We’ve always done it this way.”

And no, I never heard back from him. My taxes might pay for legal settlements when members of council verbally abuse staff, but that’s all I’m good for.

I guess I should have just been happy with having gotten a reply at all?

His response stuck to my heart. Like a wound or a boil that you can’t reach. Here was a simple problem and instead of saying, “Thanks for letting us know. This is easy to solve. We work for you and will have our entire meetings broadcast in the future. Send us more ideas!”

So to the person who was also at the November 22 Columbus Democratic Socialists of America meeting and complained about City Council turning off the online video (and not recording)?

I tried and failed to solve this problem. City Council doesn’t exist to solve problems or help people. It reminded me of my beautiful wife.

When she returned from her first day at a big corporate job she told me about the Vice-President meeting all the new employees for lunch. He told them,

“Remember. Everyone here graduated from a terrific business school. Everyone here is extremely intelligent. None of that matters. The only thing that matters is your ability to change.”

Instead, Columbus City Council spends their time and effort refusing to change. And this is only the tip of their iceberg. Yeah.

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Editor's Note: In the 1990s, public testimony at Columbus City Council meetings was videotaped and broadcast.