Bugged Out thinks we’re wasting our time

Thanks for blogging about me. Now I feel important!

I don’t think you’re wasting your time demanding a bed bug task force, I just think you’re wasting your time if you expect the government to start one. I remember when Councilwoman Gale Brewer came out with her bed bug legislation back in January 2006. Now we’re in August 2008 and absolutely nothing has happened. The only change that occurred was an increase in publicity for the Councilmember for the first few weeks after introducing the bill.

The bill basically died in committee, despite the fact that real estate and hospitality-two huge industries in this town-can be devastated by bed bugs. Brewer or any other Councilmember can easily re-introduce legislation to establish a bed bug task force-but it can be killed just as easily as it was before.

I can see why the City Council doesn’t have time to sit down and discuss the possibility of a bed bug task force in New York City; the other day Council Speaker Christine Quinn and her six-figure salary (pretty good pay for a part-time job!) was very busy physically removing a mural from a wall in East Harlem that is somehow a bigger threat to the community than the bed bug epidemic. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2008/08/11/2008-08-11_hunts_points_tats_cru_graffiti_crew_to_t.html

I understand there’s a bed bug task force in Cincinnati and Toronto, but this is New York, home of the most dysfunction state legislature in all 50 states (http://www.brennancenter.org/dynamic/subpages/albanyreform_press_tr.pdf). New York City, the marijuana arrest capital of the so-called free world (http://blog.norml.org/2008/04/30/the-marijuana-arrest-crusade-in-new-york-city-racial-bias-in-police-policy-1997-2007/). Somehow, arresting pot smokers is more important than establishing a bed bug task force.

These politicians spend too much time cracking down on symbolic threats, but when it comes to addressing a real issue, all they seem to have time for is press conferences and photo ops. Frankly, I think New Yorkers should be fortunate enough that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene published two sets of bed bug information pamphlets. Apparently that (besides lip service) is all the attention our beloved city officials will ever pay to this city’s bed bug infestation.

And you wonder why you have no support for this cause? I’m the one who should be saying “whatever.” Oh, I think I just did.

I do support your cause for a bed bug task force, but I think if you want one established in the next ten years, you might want to consider creating one yourself by establishing a nonprofit organization. You’ll probably get the same amount of funding a city-run bed bug task force would get, plus without the beauracracy of government regulations, you’ll be able to get things done a lot quicker. Of course, if such a nonprofit comes to be, don’t be surprised when Gale Brewer shows up to take credit.

Personally, I’ve been kicking around the idea of starting a nonprofit to help people with bed bug infestations for about a year now. Problem is, I don’t know how to start a nonprofit organization. Drop a comment on my blog if you want to discuss my idea. This city needs a bed bug task force, and we can no longer wait for the City to boldly do nothing.