Down The Sewer Pipe – Politically Speaking

The one great misunderstanding that newly elected, and some older elected, officials have is the difference that exists between and ordnance and a resolution.  One is must do while the other is a can do, or not do, as the case may be.  One contains no hooks or fines and the other is replete with both.

An Ordnance is, in essence, a law which binds society in any given place with a rule of some kind.  It has stated reasons for being, fines fro disobedience, and is applied either to society as a whole or n part.  These laws, or ordnances can govern the speed of traffic, the use of non-motorized vehicles on sidewalks, public sanitation, the building of structures, and governance of activities of the population.  Some of the laws you want to create will be looked upon as redundant at best or interference at its worse.

A Resolution is a resolve, not a must do and as such is devoid of hooks or punishments.  A resolve is just that, a maybe under a different name, not a must do with dire consequences. Resolutions allow one to back out of a bad deal, or proceed with a good one.  

This difference is, largely, misunderstood by people in elected office.  They pass resolutions thinking they are passing a law.  Not so, they are making their wished known but if the idea is a must do or a got to have then it needs to be an ordnance Do keep the limitations, as well as purposes, in mind when discussing each prior to passage.

Sherman