Why People Hate Government and Why They're Right.

There are so many people that hate government. Those on the left think government does too little, those on the right that think government does too much and those in the middle think government just doesn't do. There is an ever growing feeling that elected officials don't represent their constituency; their elected officials have lost touch. There appears to be many reasons why the body politic has lost faith in their government. Most of these reasons have pictures of dead presidents.

In the 2008 Presidential election the Obama and McCain campaigns combined spent over $1 billion.  During the 2010 elections winners in the House of Representatives spent an average of $1.6 million for a job that pays $174,000 annually. In the Senate, 2010 election winners spent an average of $3.1 million  for a job that pays $174,000 annually. Based on a 2002 Census Bureau study lifetime earnings for workers in the US are between $1 million and $4.4 million based on level of education. So anyone can grow up to become President (or Senator or Rep) as long as they have the wherewithal to raise more money than most people earn in lifetime. I don't run with that crowd and I'm not sure those in that crowd can properly represent me.

The answer is simple. The USA must enact campaign finance reform, specifically publicly financed elections for all US offices and all state Governors. Since the people that have the largest vested interest in maintaining the status quo are the very same people that would enact reforms, the chance of any meaningful movement to control the cost of elections is nil. The idea that the inmates are running the asylum leads many to hate government. They may very well be right.

Why People Hate Government and Why They're Wrong.

There are so many people that hate government. Those on the right think government does too much , those on the left think government does too little and those in the middle think government just doesn't do. The fact is government isn't the problem, people that hate government are the problem.

We live in a representative democracy. In other words everybody has a equal vote in electing the people that govern, but those elected officials determine policy i.e. tell us what to do. I can't speak for you, but I'm not enamored with the idea of a stranger (even a stranger I helped elect) telling me what I'm allowed to do. Additionally, government must represent the electorate as a whole, even those that didn't bother to vote. Since I voted, I deserve priority consideration.  Finally, government is charged with balancing competing interests, maintaining a level playing field and giving voice to those unable to speak for themselves (e.g. future generations). Succinctly, government is a referee and whether it's a sporting event, art exhibition, bake off or even a pro wrestling match, no one ever like the ref. The best that can be said about a referee or umpire is they went unnoticed. Government rarely goes unnoticed.

So when government legislates a compromise at best 40% will be happy, and that's on a good day. Quite often, almost everyone dislikes being governed, so government can't win even when doing an outstanding job. It's wrong to hate someone for merely doing their job, which is why people are wrong to hate government.

Something you can't hate and should absolutely join is the #99eraid Twitterchat, Tuesdays 8 PM EDT. Just search the hashtag #99eraid.

Time to vote and move forward.

Election day, which means the plethora of campaign ads are finally over.  In the "no more commercials" spirit, today's post is 100% non-partisan.  First, however is an unpaid political announcement.

On this election day, please take a few minutes and vote. With voter turnout well below 70% politicians have no reason to do the people's business; clearly the electorate isn't watching. Until voter participation goes sky high, elected officials will continue to chase corporate money. The power to reform government is in our hands. It's time to take control. Happy election day and now today's post.

I watched the Sanity/Fear rally and really enjoyed it. Both ends of the spectrum were skewered. Pointing out the absurdity of extremes is important in comedy. Good comedy should be non-partisan.  I also enjoyed  Jon Stewart spelling it all out as a conclusion. Stewart made sure no side could claim the rally as a victory. His metaphor about merging lanes on a busy highway was perfect.  Shouldn't government work together in areas on which all (most) agree and compromise when they differ?

A bipartisan committee has called for a full audit of defense spending. This is a great place to start. Find specific cuts in the defense budget, apply 50% to deficit reduction, 25% to tax cuts and 25% to social programs/safety nets. Everybody gets something, no one gets nothing and America gets government that works.

I am not an expert on government budgets. I am sure there are a myriad of reasons why my example is too simplistic. So what, start somewhere. The last two years have been an embarrassing example of government gridlock. Screw blame and move the country forward.

Nightmares and elections.

My daughter came into my room at 4:30 this morning. "Daddy I had a bad dream and I don't want to go back to sleep." "C'mon, honey I'll walk you back, tuck you in and start your music." "Daddy, it was a really bad dream and it keeps coming back." "Sweetie, you know it's just a dream and Mommy and I are just down the hall." "I know Daddy, but it's really scary and I don't want to dream it again."  "I know it must be scary, but think good thoughts and maybe the dream won't come back." "Okay, Daddy I'll try."  As I tucked her in, I thought, "Wow, I'm having the same problem, but we don't let the kids watch campaign coverage."

The mid-term election is just a few days away and has scary implications. Putting aside partisan philosophy, I want to share a thought all sides can agree on.  Government, especially in Washington is unresponsive and rarely does an adequate job of addressing public needs. Our elected officials vote to better themselves and are corrupt because of gobs of money from lobbyists and special interests.  There's little difference between the candidates and I don't trust them.

Why should Governors, Representatives, Senators, etc. act on behalf of the public? Creating good policy is part of the job description but the populace does not monitor government. Election turnout the last 50 years is no higher than 63% for a presidential election and 48% for a midterm election. The best case scenario is over 1/3 of the voters don't care enough to vote. Why shouldn't politicians vote for themselves, we're not watching.

I realize it's not that simple. The entire system of campaign finance needs to be overhauled. The first step is to show politicians that we are watching. A turnout over 70% no matter the results, sends the message we are all watching. That will begin the turnaround and government will again be for the people.

The action plan is straightforward. Vote, tell everyone you are voting and encourage everyone to vote. Should someone suggest voting is a personal decision, explain why they are wrong. When someone doesn't vote they screw up their chance at a better America (they're choice) but they also screw up my chance at a better America. That is unacceptable.  Better government begins with me and then with you.

1st Amendment, NPR and hypocrites

On Wednesday, October 20, 2010 NPR fired Juan Williams due to opinions he shared on "The O'Reilly Factor." This led to lengthy discussions regarding 1st Amendment rights on talk radio and pledges to defund NPR from Jim DeMint, Eric Cantor and others. The threat against NPR is the usual right wing shell game.

No one has taken Juan Williams free speech nor threatened his 1st Amendment rights. The 1st Amendment guarantee means he can't be thrown in jail but it does not guarantee employment. Many agree with Juan Williams and others disagree. Some think NPR was wrong to fire Williams, some are happy that he's gone.  No matter your belief about the firing, it has nothing to do with the 1st Amendment.

The right wing attack lacks merit. In absence of any substantive policy (other than channeling 8 years of George W. Bush), beating up  "liberal, elite" NPR is yet another attempt to distract voters from real issues. More appalling is the very same people that decried big government intervention with the American auto industry which saved thousands of jobs, are willing to jump into a corporate HR decision over a single employee.

The last 22 months have been a low light for efficient government. Allowing DeMint, Cantor and the rest of the Republican party a larger contingent will only further slow down our government. Vote Dem 2010.

Time to govern.

The USA has been in the midst of a foreclosure mess for a very long time.There are no clear cut solutions to this mess. Bringing this mess to a satisfactory resolution will be complicated. In the end most USA citizens will be affected, likely in a classic lose-lose scenario. That's just the beginning. It appears that most of the reporting has buried the lead when analyzing the foreclosure crisis. As discussed in this "wonky" post on GlobalResearch.ca, the foreclosure crisis is the "canary in the cave" regarding systemic organizational fraud.

It is easy to blame widespread institutional crimes on one party, but it is overly simplistic. Repairing the damage done by lack of oversight will be a long process. I prefer to concentrate on the future.

On November 2, 2010 the USA is facing a referendum on the future. Does the country restore governing power to Republicans, a party that eschews government? Or does the USA continue on a path favored by Democrats; government could and should be a force to move the country forward? No matter which philosophy you choose, it is vital to exercise your choice by voting. An engaged electorate is a vital component of a vibrant democracy. On a personal note, please join me in voting for the Democrats in an attempt to climb out of this economic morass and  move the country forward.

House burns while firefighters watch.

Firefighters watched while a house burned in South Fulton, TN for lack of a prepaid $75 fee. How could this happen in the USA? Blind loyalty to a principle, for example, lower taxes to control wasteful government spending.

Unhappiness with an over-reaching government is an American value; it's a primary reason the USA exists.  The driving force for smaller government in my lifetime goes back to the Great Communicator. In truth, the size of government is immaterial. The effectiveness of government matters. Effective government requires a broad spectrum of ideas and an open exchange to work towards consensus. Voting as a block for the sake of politics renders a representative democracy useless. The result is lack of government.

I do not think the tragedy in Tennessee is a case of Republican vs. Democrat. Firefighters watching a house burn for the sake of money is common sense vs. tree stump stupid. Anyone that thinks it was OK to allow the house to burn, welcome to the U.S. Forest Service.


The preamble to the Constitution charges the people with  "promote the general welfare" among other responsibilities.  What would Thomas Jefferson and John Adams would say about watching the house burn?