More on Quinn's Cop-Out

Will at onNYTurf had a much more appropriate and incensed reaction to Quinn's mealy mouthed appraisal of the NYPD's attack on free speech than I did. I have to admit I had not read the NYPD's proposed rule changes, which is part of why I didn't realize the extent to which Quinn was copping out.

Quinn says this is a substantial improvement from the rules the NYPD tried to create in August. Lets try the smell test! Here are the rules the NYPD tried in August:

Any group of two or more cyclists or pedestrians traveling down a public street, who violate any traffic law, rule or regulation can be arrested for parading without a permit.

Any group of 20 or more cyclists must obtain a permit and approved route from the NYPD or would be subject to arrest

Every group of 35 of more pedestrians must obtain a permit and approved route from the NYPD or would be subject to arrest

So, they increased the threshold at which j-walking becomes an arrestable offense from 2 to 10. And they rounded the last two points. Is that a substantial difference?

Smells the same to me. Quinn must NOT have read the same NYPD statement everyone else did today, or she has a real reading comprehension problem.

This also [raises] the question why Quinn wanted to be leader of the legislative branch in the first place if she's not going to lead on legislating in area which clearly calls for it. The NYPD plain and simple should not be making dramatic rule changes that effect fundamental civil liberties. The representatives of the people should.