You may have learned of its death before but we must all work to revive it.
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Minnesota Recount-
The Heritage Foundation Papers has published an excellent detailed research paper on the Minnesota recount. Please go here to read http://www.heritage.org/Research/LegalIssues/lm36.cfm
"Ensuring "Equal Treatment" in the Minnesota Recount: Bush v. Gore Redux - The carelessness of local election officials, the arbitrary and capricious decisions of the Minnesota Canvassing Board, and the strange decisions of the Mi... "
23 hours ago
"Ensuring "Equal Treatment" in the Minnesota Recount: Bush v. Gore Redux - The carelessness of local election officials, the arbitrary and capricious decisions of the Minnesota Canvassing Board, and the strange decisions of the Mi... "
23 hours ago
Friday, January 30, 2009
Michael Steele Chairman of the Republican Party
I rejoice in the selection of Michael Steele as the Chairman of the National Republican Party. He is truly a good man and will do a great job. I was surprised to learn this afternoon that individuals I believed were well informed about our national body politic did not know anything about Michael. Accordingly I ask you to follow the links. He is truly an admirable talented individual..
www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/30/republicans-pick-new-party-chief/
Aiken Standard Reports on Proposed University Medical Complex
The Aiken Standard has done some good reporting on the proposed Medical Complex on Silver Bluff Road. There are two articles and each has had many comments pro and con. I urge readers to read both aricles and the many comments. The links are as follows:
January 27 http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0127council
January 28 http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0129-University-comments
January 27 http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0127council
January 28 http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0129-University-comments
No Stimulus
To my embarrassment I supported the first bailout but have been against the subsequent bailouts and loans and whatever else you want to call them. Now we are facing a truly horrid assortment of political pork barrel spending. We cannot spend our way to prosperity.
Don't let the $819 Billion So-Called Stimulus Bill pass the Senate too.Take a stand against President Obama's Good Old Boy Pork Barrel Spending by signing our online petition TODAY— http://www.nostimulus.com/
“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money” Alexis de Tocqueviille 1835
Don't let the $819 Billion So-Called Stimulus Bill pass the Senate too.Take a stand against President Obama's Good Old Boy Pork Barrel Spending by signing our online petition TODAY— http://www.nostimulus.com/
Last night, the $819 billion “Stimulus” Package passed a vote in the house, but the Republicans in the House of Representatives took a big step in regaining their fiscally responsible brand as all GOP members of Congress who voted said 'no' to bigger government, more debt, and wasteful giveaway programs. In addition, 11 courageous Democrats took a stand for fiscal sanity in the face of a menacing Democrat leadership.
We're gearing up for a spirited fight in the Senate next week, but we need your help. Go to www.NOStimulus.com and join the growing army of taxpayers saying NO by signing Americans for Prosperity’s petition to stop this disastrous trillion-dollar debt scheme, known as the “Stimulus Package.”
AFP released the following statement today:
For Immediate Release – Thursday, January 29, 2009
Contact: Phil Kerpen, (202) 349-5880
Americans for Prosperity Regrets Passage of So-Called Stimulus Bill,
Applauds Bipartisan Rejection
House Republicans and 11 Democrats took strong stance on fiscal responsibility
WASHINGTON─ Grassroots free-market group Americans for Prosperity hailed the bipartisan rejection of the so-called stimulus bill, an astonishing trillion-dollar plus borrow-and-spend plan for dramatically expanding big government, which was passed in the House last night on a party-line vote.
In regards to the passage of the $819 billion economic stimulus package, President of Americans for Prosperity Tim Phillips released the following statement:
"The 320,000 members of Americans for Prosperity are organized and energized to stop this bill. We've seen an outpouring of opposition because Americans know the path to prosperity is not a nearly trillion dollar big-government giveaway that takes our nation even deeper into debt. Tonight's final vote shows why American citizens give Congress the lowest favorable ratings in American history."
"Tonight, the Republicans in the House of Representatives took a big step in regaining their fiscally responsible brand as all GOP members of Congress who voted said 'no' to bigger government, more debt, and wasteful giveaway programs. In addition, 11 courageous Democrats took a stand for fiscal sanity in the face of a menacing Democrat leadership. Americans for Prosperity applauds these freedom fighters and pledges to work with them in coming months to protect our economic freedoms.”
"Despite a President basking in post-inaugural popularity and mainstream media acclaim, at Americans for Prosperity we see a growing grassroots fire against the so-called Stimulus scheme. Just last week, we launched NoStimulus.com with no advertising and little notice. Already, well over 11,000 folks from across the nation signed our petition telling Congress to stop this wasteful spending spree."
"This bill includes everything on the big-government wish list from government health care rationing, to net neutrality Internet regulations, to earmarks for global warming computer modeling-- and nothing that would actually stimulate economic growth. We're gearing up for a spirited fight in the Senate next week, and firmly believe that enough members of both parties will put the country's fiscal health above personal power and political patronage and put this beast to a merciful death."
Last week, AFP launched a website and online petition in an aggressive grassroots campaign against the stimulus package. Nearly 11,000 citizens have already signed the petition, telling Congress to stop this wasteful spending spree.
The online petition can be viewed at http://www.nostimulus.com./
# # #
Thanks for all your help in fighting this important battle,
Tim Phillips
President, Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is the nation’s premier grassroots organization committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits.
For more information, visit http://www.americansforprosperity.org/
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Depression Era Photos
The following was received in my email today:
"Here's a very interesting collection of old photo's from the 1930s.....these have been around once or twice before, but circulated well before the current financial crunch this country is now experiencing.
It's interesting to contrast today's perceived hardships with the very real challenges that faced people in Depression-era USA
We have other, more sinister challenges today...more than just the evident financial ones...ideological, ethical, ethnic and societal challenges....apathy, perceived entitlement...creeping socialism....peeling away of our rights and civil liberties...a shift in our national demographics, where population majorities and minorities are threatening to switch sides...
WASPY America is not lily-white and entirely with clean hands in our history, but if the numbers shift dramatically, the USA will become like a third world nation for sure.
Wake up America....let's not become compliant lemmings...."
To view the photos follow the link A Look Back In History
"Here's a very interesting collection of old photo's from the 1930s.....these have been around once or twice before, but circulated well before the current financial crunch this country is now experiencing.
It's interesting to contrast today's perceived hardships with the very real challenges that faced people in Depression-era USA
We have other, more sinister challenges today...more than just the evident financial ones...ideological, ethical, ethnic and societal challenges....apathy, perceived entitlement...creeping socialism....peeling away of our rights and civil liberties...a shift in our national demographics, where population majorities and minorities are threatening to switch sides...
WASPY America is not lily-white and entirely with clean hands in our history, but if the numbers shift dramatically, the USA will become like a third world nation for sure.
Wake up America....let's not become compliant lemmings...."
To view the photos follow the link A Look Back In History
Saturday, January 24, 2009
2009, Aiken City Council Meeting - Jan 26
HORSE DISTRICT ACCESSORY BUILDINGS ORDINANCE – At our last meeting, Council approved a change to amend the existing ordinance to remove the 50% limit and to approve requests on a case-by-case basis. Council took this action despite input from the Equine Committee which recommended that the current ordinance not be changed. I voted against changing the ordinance preferring to support the recommendations of the Equine Committee. If the new change causes problems, I have no doubt that the issue will be re-visited.
ABANDONED VEHICLES ORDINANCE –This ordinance was approved giving the City the means to deal with abandoned vehicles.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL HIGHWAY DESIGNATION – Council is still struggling with this issue since part of Whiskey Road has been designated as a memorial to a member of the Brinkley family. Council finally decided to amend the resolution for the designation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Highway and designate the area of S.C.19 north from the city limits south down Laurens Street ending on Laurens at South Boundary and that the City Staff work with the Highway Department to make the size of the signs in the downtown area appropriate for the area.
SILVER BLUFF MEDICAL COMPLEX – Council approved this request on first reading. University Health Services is asking for approval of a concept plan for a medical office complex to be located on Silver Bluff road across from the Center South Shopping Center. This project consists of three medical buildings totaling 72,000 square feet to be built in two phases. The first phase will consist of a one-story building with 17,000 square feet close to Silver Bluff Road. Entrance to the complex will be from Silver Bluff Road, but entrance to the first building will be from an internal parking lot within the complex. The proposed entrance does not comply with three provisions of the access management section of the Zoning Ordinance and the applicant has asked for a waiver of these three areas. The Planning Staff has reviewed the applicant’s request for waiver and feels that it is not a concern due to the gradients and location of other driveways in the area. Due to the fact that Silver Bluff Road is a five-lane roadway and to preserve trees, staff is recommending that these waivers be accepted. This application was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission.
There are some significant traffic issues with this project. First, it may increase exit time from Town Creek Road onto Silver Bluff Road, but staff feels that any increase delay is not considered excessive and a traffic signal is not warranted at this time.
UPDATE ON SILVER BLUFF MEDICAL COMPLEX – I have received several calls on this issue. One is in support of the complex and the rest expressed concerns about traffic and adverse business impact to the Aiken Regional Medical Center. While Council discussed the traffic impacts at our last meeting, it did not seem to be a major concern. Since that time, however, I have heard increasing concerns about the impact to Town Creek Road and the intersection at Dougherty Road. With no timetable for the widening of Silver Bluff Road and continued development beyond Richardson's Lake Road, the City needs to carefully consider traffic impacts from developments along Silver Bluff Road. If you have a concern about this project or support the project, I urge you to attend Monday’s City Council meeting which begins at 7:00 P.M. This is the second item on the Agenda so there will not be a long wait until the issue is heard.
OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA – Council will also discuss the lease of property on Price Avenue to a person building a compounding pharmacy and approval of an agreement between the City of Aiken and Habit for Humanity to help further the goal of constructing new affordable homes within the community of Aiken.
ON-LINE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – Keep in mind that City Council agendas are available on line. The complete agenda includes supporting documents that we review to determine a course of action. The link for Monday’s City Council agenda is http://www.aiken.net/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=99270.
CITY COUNCIL HORIZONS GOAL SETTING – On Friday and Saturday City Council will meet for the annual goal setting conference. We meet at Rye Patch. The meeting starts at noon on Friday and resumes on Saturday morning at 8:00 A.M. As is always the case when the Council meets, the public is invited.
E-WASTE COLLECTION DAY– I was pleased to have attended the recent e-waste collection day held at the Home Depot parking lot on January 3, 2009. This was the first time that we had a vendor who shredded documents at no cost. There was also a vendor who collected obsolete and old electronic devices (at a nominal cost). This is an excellent program which keeps many unwanted items from our landfills.
Posted by Dick Dewar
ABANDONED VEHICLES ORDINANCE –This ordinance was approved giving the City the means to deal with abandoned vehicles.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL HIGHWAY DESIGNATION – Council is still struggling with this issue since part of Whiskey Road has been designated as a memorial to a member of the Brinkley family. Council finally decided to amend the resolution for the designation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Highway and designate the area of S.C.19 north from the city limits south down Laurens Street ending on Laurens at South Boundary and that the City Staff work with the Highway Department to make the size of the signs in the downtown area appropriate for the area.
SILVER BLUFF MEDICAL COMPLEX – Council approved this request on first reading. University Health Services is asking for approval of a concept plan for a medical office complex to be located on Silver Bluff road across from the Center South Shopping Center. This project consists of three medical buildings totaling 72,000 square feet to be built in two phases. The first phase will consist of a one-story building with 17,000 square feet close to Silver Bluff Road. Entrance to the complex will be from Silver Bluff Road, but entrance to the first building will be from an internal parking lot within the complex. The proposed entrance does not comply with three provisions of the access management section of the Zoning Ordinance and the applicant has asked for a waiver of these three areas. The Planning Staff has reviewed the applicant’s request for waiver and feels that it is not a concern due to the gradients and location of other driveways in the area. Due to the fact that Silver Bluff Road is a five-lane roadway and to preserve trees, staff is recommending that these waivers be accepted. This application was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission.
There are some significant traffic issues with this project. First, it may increase exit time from Town Creek Road onto Silver Bluff Road, but staff feels that any increase delay is not considered excessive and a traffic signal is not warranted at this time.
UPDATE ON SILVER BLUFF MEDICAL COMPLEX – I have received several calls on this issue. One is in support of the complex and the rest expressed concerns about traffic and adverse business impact to the Aiken Regional Medical Center. While Council discussed the traffic impacts at our last meeting, it did not seem to be a major concern. Since that time, however, I have heard increasing concerns about the impact to Town Creek Road and the intersection at Dougherty Road. With no timetable for the widening of Silver Bluff Road and continued development beyond Richardson's Lake Road, the City needs to carefully consider traffic impacts from developments along Silver Bluff Road. If you have a concern about this project or support the project, I urge you to attend Monday’s City Council meeting which begins at 7:00 P.M. This is the second item on the Agenda so there will not be a long wait until the issue is heard.
OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA – Council will also discuss the lease of property on Price Avenue to a person building a compounding pharmacy and approval of an agreement between the City of Aiken and Habit for Humanity to help further the goal of constructing new affordable homes within the community of Aiken.
ON-LINE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – Keep in mind that City Council agendas are available on line. The complete agenda includes supporting documents that we review to determine a course of action. The link for Monday’s City Council agenda is http://www.aiken.net/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=99270.
CITY COUNCIL HORIZONS GOAL SETTING – On Friday and Saturday City Council will meet for the annual goal setting conference. We meet at Rye Patch. The meeting starts at noon on Friday and resumes on Saturday morning at 8:00 A.M. As is always the case when the Council meets, the public is invited.
E-WASTE COLLECTION DAY– I was pleased to have attended the recent e-waste collection day held at the Home Depot parking lot on January 3, 2009. This was the first time that we had a vendor who shredded documents at no cost. There was also a vendor who collected obsolete and old electronic devices (at a nominal cost). This is an excellent program which keeps many unwanted items from our landfills.
Posted by Dick Dewar
Friday, January 23, 2009
Medical Complex on Silver Bluff
Todays Aiken Standard carried an important article concerning the University Hospital plan to develop a medical complex on Silver Bluff Road. The project is on the City Council agenda for Monday January 26.There will be considerable debate on this issue but the question of competition for the Aiken Regional Medical Center has no appropriate place in the discussion. The primary question is whether or not the traffic that would be created at total buildout exceeds the standards set by the Traffic Management Ordinance. To read the complete article go here UPDATE- I have never seen so many comments on an Aiken Standard story. They are all over the map. Check it out!
"Healthy debate: Aiken Regional concerned about University Health complex"
1/23/2009 1:32 AM
By APRIL BAILEY and JENNIFER MILLER Staff writers
Staff writers
Officials with Aiken Regional Medical Centers, as well as several local residents, are up in arms about University Hospital's plans for a medical office complex on Silver Bluff Road.
Among their many concerns is the additional traffic the 72,000 square-foot complex would bring to an area that already has its share of traffic problems. They also say Aiken Regional could lose patients to Augusta which would hurt the local economy.
University officials say they are trying to serve their patients in Aiken and any traffic issues are being addressed. Now 20 percent of the hospital's patients come from Aiken County.
But for nearby residents this is not a good thing, said Kay Biermann Brohl, a board member for Aiken Regional Medical Centers and a former Planning Commissioner. Brohl said she served on the Planning Commission when the site was annexed into the City a few years ago and said the original concept plan was for mixed-use development, with some retail and residential space.
When the Commission approved the plan then, Brohl said it was under the impression that Silver Bluff Road would be widened to five lanes. Those plans have since been changed and turn lanes will instead be added along major intersections on Silver Bluff. However since there is a new concept plan for the property, Brohl says the additional traffic a medical complex would bring should be taken into account."
"Healthy debate: Aiken Regional concerned about University Health complex"
1/23/2009 1:32 AM
By APRIL BAILEY and JENNIFER MILLER Staff writers
Staff writers
Officials with Aiken Regional Medical Centers, as well as several local residents, are up in arms about University Hospital's plans for a medical office complex on Silver Bluff Road.
Among their many concerns is the additional traffic the 72,000 square-foot complex would bring to an area that already has its share of traffic problems. They also say Aiken Regional could lose patients to Augusta which would hurt the local economy.
University officials say they are trying to serve their patients in Aiken and any traffic issues are being addressed. Now 20 percent of the hospital's patients come from Aiken County.
But for nearby residents this is not a good thing, said Kay Biermann Brohl, a board member for Aiken Regional Medical Centers and a former Planning Commissioner. Brohl said she served on the Planning Commission when the site was annexed into the City a few years ago and said the original concept plan was for mixed-use development, with some retail and residential space.
When the Commission approved the plan then, Brohl said it was under the impression that Silver Bluff Road would be widened to five lanes. Those plans have since been changed and turn lanes will instead be added along major intersections on Silver Bluff. However since there is a new concept plan for the property, Brohl says the additional traffic a medical complex would bring should be taken into account."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
SC Government Restructuring Gaining Momentum
Governor Sanford has sent an email regarding the long overdue restructuring of the South Carolina governmment. The first few paragraphs appear below. To read the entire piece online go here,
"Government restructuring gaining momentum
With the New Year behind us and the legislature back in session, I wanted to pass along what I thought was an interesting article for the way it highlighted how people from all political perspectives can indeed agree on the common sense notion of restructuring our state government.
At a recent panel discussion down in the Lowcountry, Republican State Senator Tom Davis and former Democratic Governors Dick Riley and Jim Hodges echoed what our Administration has been saying for six plus years - that this 1895 Jim Crow Constitution is holding us back as a state, both in the inefficient structure it creates and the racial biases it perpetuates."
"Government restructuring gaining momentum
With the New Year behind us and the legislature back in session, I wanted to pass along what I thought was an interesting article for the way it highlighted how people from all political perspectives can indeed agree on the common sense notion of restructuring our state government.
At a recent panel discussion down in the Lowcountry, Republican State Senator Tom Davis and former Democratic Governors Dick Riley and Jim Hodges echoed what our Administration has been saying for six plus years - that this 1895 Jim Crow Constitution is holding us back as a state, both in the inefficient structure it creates and the racial biases it perpetuates."
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Miracle on the Hudson
The following Coast Guard video from Youtube is truly amazing. Airbus 320 glides into the Hudson under control of "Sully" at 2 mins and 4 secs and the ferry boat is alongside to remove passengers from the wings 4 Minutes later. Only in America.
A Touching Story All Women Will Adore
THE BOTTLE OF WINE
For all of us who are married, were married, wish you were married, or wish you weren't married, this is something to smile about the next time you see a bottle of wine:
Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road.As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like ride.With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car.
Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman.The old
woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally.'What in bag?' asked the old woman.Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, 'It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband.'The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said:
Good trade.....'
Friday, January 16, 2009
There's a raid on; should we join up?
The Augusta Chronicle editorial of January 16 is very thoughtful. The burgeoning bailout process places those political leaders with principles in a very difficult position. Do you get in line to get your "fair share" or do you make a genuine attempt to put your city, county or state on a sound financial footing. Governor Sanford has taken a principled stand and is getting hammered for it.Ironically from the very legislators who ignored the Governor's attempts to rein in spending. Fortunately the City of Aiken has managed it's finances very well and we have no serious problem but we must guard our reserves.To read the entire editorial and comments go here.
"There's a raid on; should we join up?
First the troubled companies, then the states, now every hamlet in America is invited to run into the vault
Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff
Friday, January 16, 2009
The recent sentiment from one Augusta commissioner is probably being echoed thousands of times across the country: Are we going to be getting our fair share from the upcoming Obama stimulus plan?
And this was from a discussion about bus service.
You know, Mayor Deke Copenhaver is probably right when he figures the "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects Augusta is proposing for federal stimulus funding are worthy investments -- and that if the money doesn't come here, it will just go somewhere else.
"Despite including $131 million to this point in the upcoming (special purpose local option sales tax), which will be primarily focused on infrastructure, we still have over $400 million in identified infrastructure needs. Ultimately, to recruit new businesses and to take care of the day-to-day needs of our citizens, these infrastructure issues need to be addressed."
Still, what we are seeing right now is nothing short of a raid on the U.S. Treasury.It's only somewhat neater than, say, the looting of a store during a disaster.But if the raid -- first by companies, then by states, now by cities -- is legal, you still have to wonder how constitutional it is.Not at all, in our view.
It harks back to the warning often attributed (rightly or wrongly) to Alexander Tytler:
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess of the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy ..."
Copenhaver acknowledges he has such concerns."I very much understand your point about the raid on the Treasury. I also feel that we are passing the buck along to future generations, which is of great concern to me."YET, HE POINTS out, "If the funds are available in a competitive grant format, do we simply not apply in order to make a point, while shovel ready projects that would be eligible sit on the drawing board? From a real-world perspective, would we then not be put at a competitive disadvantage with cities of our size who had taken advantage of the infrastructure funding and addressed their infrastructure needs?" Sadly, yes.
States and cities seeking money from Washington "would be acting absolutely correctly, in terms of their own economic interest," says syndicated columnist Walter Williams. "And the reason why is that if I don't bring it back to Virginia, it doesn't mean that Virginians will pay a lower federal income tax; all that it means is that Tennessee will get it instead.
Once legalized theft begins, it pays for everybody to participate."There is a mind set that is, before your very eyes, becoming set in concrete: that the federal government exists to solve our problems, to bail us out at every level of public or even private life. That the government can be all things to all people. That no one alive today need feel any pain, make any sacrifice, as long as the federal government can borrow money from other countries to keep us comfortable until our children and grandchildren can somehow pay it back.
It really wasn't that long ago that another charismatic young president announced to the world that Americans would "pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship ..." He implored us to "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."JFK's spirit is dead. America killed it.
IN ITS PLACE is a people with a perpetual hand out, a nation where we ask not what we can do for our country, but what our country can do for us. Where we worry not about where the money's coming from, but whether we're getting our share.Who can save us from this spiral into socialism and government dependence?And isn't it the very soul of America that's at stake?
The way we see it, there's only one entity that can save us. And that's us.Long term, we need to put a lock on the Treasury vault and throw away the key so none of us -- not Georgians, not Virginians, and certainly not members of Congress -- can get inside.That lock is called a constitutional amendment prohibiting the use of federal money for state and local projects or for anything that doesn't have to do with the basic functions of the federal government.
Maybe we need a double lock -- the second one being an amendment, or part of the above amendment, that requires Congress to balance the budget and to limit budgetary increases to something less than the growth in the gross domestic product.
Those are long-term solutions that will be insanely difficult, though surely worth it.
All we have to go on until then will be principle and discipline. And there's precious little of either these days in Washington, or at any level of government.For now, it appears there's no stopping this raid on the Treasury.Except, perhaps, one person, one city, one state at a time."
From the Friday, January 16, 2009 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
"There's a raid on; should we join up?
First the troubled companies, then the states, now every hamlet in America is invited to run into the vault
Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff
Friday, January 16, 2009
The recent sentiment from one Augusta commissioner is probably being echoed thousands of times across the country: Are we going to be getting our fair share from the upcoming Obama stimulus plan?
And this was from a discussion about bus service.
You know, Mayor Deke Copenhaver is probably right when he figures the "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects Augusta is proposing for federal stimulus funding are worthy investments -- and that if the money doesn't come here, it will just go somewhere else.
"Despite including $131 million to this point in the upcoming (special purpose local option sales tax), which will be primarily focused on infrastructure, we still have over $400 million in identified infrastructure needs. Ultimately, to recruit new businesses and to take care of the day-to-day needs of our citizens, these infrastructure issues need to be addressed."
Still, what we are seeing right now is nothing short of a raid on the U.S. Treasury.It's only somewhat neater than, say, the looting of a store during a disaster.But if the raid -- first by companies, then by states, now by cities -- is legal, you still have to wonder how constitutional it is.Not at all, in our view.
It harks back to the warning often attributed (rightly or wrongly) to Alexander Tytler:
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess of the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy ..."
Copenhaver acknowledges he has such concerns."I very much understand your point about the raid on the Treasury. I also feel that we are passing the buck along to future generations, which is of great concern to me."YET, HE POINTS out, "If the funds are available in a competitive grant format, do we simply not apply in order to make a point, while shovel ready projects that would be eligible sit on the drawing board? From a real-world perspective, would we then not be put at a competitive disadvantage with cities of our size who had taken advantage of the infrastructure funding and addressed their infrastructure needs?" Sadly, yes.
States and cities seeking money from Washington "would be acting absolutely correctly, in terms of their own economic interest," says syndicated columnist Walter Williams. "And the reason why is that if I don't bring it back to Virginia, it doesn't mean that Virginians will pay a lower federal income tax; all that it means is that Tennessee will get it instead.
Once legalized theft begins, it pays for everybody to participate."There is a mind set that is, before your very eyes, becoming set in concrete: that the federal government exists to solve our problems, to bail us out at every level of public or even private life. That the government can be all things to all people. That no one alive today need feel any pain, make any sacrifice, as long as the federal government can borrow money from other countries to keep us comfortable until our children and grandchildren can somehow pay it back.
It really wasn't that long ago that another charismatic young president announced to the world that Americans would "pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship ..." He implored us to "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."JFK's spirit is dead. America killed it.
IN ITS PLACE is a people with a perpetual hand out, a nation where we ask not what we can do for our country, but what our country can do for us. Where we worry not about where the money's coming from, but whether we're getting our share.Who can save us from this spiral into socialism and government dependence?And isn't it the very soul of America that's at stake?
The way we see it, there's only one entity that can save us. And that's us.Long term, we need to put a lock on the Treasury vault and throw away the key so none of us -- not Georgians, not Virginians, and certainly not members of Congress -- can get inside.That lock is called a constitutional amendment prohibiting the use of federal money for state and local projects or for anything that doesn't have to do with the basic functions of the federal government.
Maybe we need a double lock -- the second one being an amendment, or part of the above amendment, that requires Congress to balance the budget and to limit budgetary increases to something less than the growth in the gross domestic product.
Those are long-term solutions that will be insanely difficult, though surely worth it.
All we have to go on until then will be principle and discipline. And there's precious little of either these days in Washington, or at any level of government.For now, it appears there's no stopping this raid on the Treasury.Except, perhaps, one person, one city, one state at a time."
From the Friday, January 16, 2009 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Minnesota Recount was Unconstitutional
The following very interesting analysis appeared today in the Wall Street Journal Online
"By MICHAEL STOKES PAULSEN
You would think people would learn. The recount in the contest between Norm Coleman and Al Franken for a seat in the U.S. Senate isn't just embarrassing. It is unconstitutional.
AP A disputed ballot in Minnesota
.
This is Florida 2000 all over again, but with colder weather. Like that fiasco, Minnesota's muck of a process violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Indeed, the controlling Supreme Court decision is none other than Bush v. Gore.
Remember Florida? Local officials conducting recounts could not decide what counted as a legal vote. Hanging chads? Dimpled chads? Should "undervotes" count (where a machine failed to read an incompletely-punched card)? What about "overvotes" (where voters punched more than one hole)? Different counties used different standards; different precincts within counties were inconsistent.
The Florida Supreme Court intervened and made things worse, .........." Follow the link above to read the entire article.
"By MICHAEL STOKES PAULSEN
You would think people would learn. The recount in the contest between Norm Coleman and Al Franken for a seat in the U.S. Senate isn't just embarrassing. It is unconstitutional.
AP.
This is Florida 2000 all over again, but with colder weather. Like that fiasco, Minnesota's muck of a process violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Indeed, the controlling Supreme Court decision is none other than Bush v. Gore.
Remember Florida? Local officials conducting recounts could not decide what counted as a legal vote. Hanging chads? Dimpled chads? Should "undervotes" count (where a machine failed to read an incompletely-punched card)? What about "overvotes" (where voters punched more than one hole)? Different counties used different standards; different precincts within counties were inconsistent.
The Florida Supreme Court intervened and made things worse, .........." Follow the link above to read the entire article.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Gaza Campaign- An interesting Analysis
The following analysis reported in the The Daily Wire is interesting and reasonably objective "
-- Analysis // Ben Frankel
Gaza civilians suffer as a result of Hamas's tactics -- and Israel's
Published 7 January 2009
Israeli drew many lessons from its inconclusive 2006 war in Lebanon; one of the more important ones is that Israel had been too restrained, too careful about distinguishing between Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon (i.e., civilian population and institutions) -- with the result being too many Israeli soldiers dead and an inconclusive end to the fighting; whether the different, more ruthless tactics used in Gaza will succeed remains to be seen
We wrote on Monday that Israel, in its current campaign in the Gaza Strip, has gone back to the strategic approach associated with David Ben Gurion, the founding father of the state. This approach can be described as a strategy of "moderate goals ruthlessly pursued" (see 5 January 2009 HS Daily Wire).
Others, too, have began to notice the change in Israeli strategy, even if they do not engage in the historical analysis we offered. Noah Shachtman, the security maven at Wired, asks: "Are the Israel Defense Forces deliberately being less careful about civilian casualties than they were before?" He points to today's article by Amos Harel, the military correspondent for Haaretz, who writes:
The incident in which some 40 Palestinian civilians were killed when Israel Defense Forces mortar shells hit an UNRWA school in the Jabalya refugee camp Tuesday surprised no one who has been following events in Gaza in recent days. Senior officers admit that the IDF has been using enormous firepower.
"For us, being cautious means being aggressive," explained one. "From the minute we entered, we've acted like we're at war. That creates enormous damage on the ground ... I just hope those who have fled the area of Gaza City in which we are operating will describe the shock. Maybe someone there will sober up before it continues."
Matt Mathews, a U.S. Army historian, observed that during Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah, "reports circulated that growing concern over casualties caused IDF commanders to become overly cautious" (see his We Were Caught Unprepared: The 2006 Hezbollah-Israeli War). As the New York Times's Ethan Bronner noted, after the conflict, many in Israel's leadership felt that Israel "had been too restrained, too careful about distinguishing between Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon." The perception was that Israeli soldiers were killed as a result.
Harel writes that,
Following the trauma of the war in Lebanon in 2006, the army realized that heavy IDF casualties would erode public (and especially political) support for the war and limit its ability to achieve its goals.... Therefore, it is using aggressive tactics to save soldiers' lives. And the cabinet took this into account when it approved the ground operation last Friday, so it has no reason to change its mind now.
Hamas made a strategic decision to use the Palestinian population as a human shield. Hamas's tactical decisions, too, aim to increase the scope of Palestinian civilian death and destruction: thus, placing caches of arms and explosives under residential buildings, mosques, schools, and hospitals assures that when Israel hits these caches, the secondary explosions wreak even more death and destruction in the surrounding area.
We cannot underestimate the suffering of the Palestinian population which Hamas strategy -- and Israel's response -- have caused. Of the 700 Palestinians killed so far, 150, or 20 percent, are civilians. They include the 31 members of the Samouny family who were killed when a shell hit their house in Gaza City on Monday, and the 13 members of the Al-Daiya family who where killed later that day by another Israeli bomb. Nearly half of the 2,700 Palestinian wounded and maimed so far are civilians. The psychological damage to the population, especially children, is incalculable.
Shachtman notes that the Israeli decision to be more ruthless in this campaign dovetails with the decision, made in the wake of 2006, to keep the press out of Gaza. This approach keeps valuable information out of Hamas' hands, and also "blunts some of the damage when a terror group sets up shop inside a school or hospital -- and then parades around civilians' bodies, when Israel hits the place."
We note that Israel's total superiority in the air allows the IDF yet another advantage in the propaganda war which accompanies the real war: The dozens of Israeli UAVs continuously circling on the Gaza skies offer real-time video images of practically every rocket launch and mortar fire. The information is used to trigger an instantaneous attack on the launching crew (as we noted on Monday, Israel is using new ISR systems which dramatically shrink the sensor-to-shooter loop; see 5 January 2009 HS Daily Wire). The same images also help Israel prove some of its claims. For example, in the case of the UNRWA school incident in which forty Palestinian civilians were killed, Israel has provided the UN with images showing two Hamas operatives using the roof of the school as a firing position from which they operated a mortar. TV pictures of the school also show the dead bodies of two Hamas fighters, and many shell casings, among the bodies of the dead civilians. These images serve as the basis for Israel's complaint to the UN about the fact that UNRWA allows Hamas to use the agency's schools as Hamas military positions.
Ben Frankel is editor of HS Daily Wire
-- Analysis // Ben Frankel
Gaza civilians suffer as a result of Hamas's tactics -- and Israel's
Published 7 January 2009
Israeli drew many lessons from its inconclusive 2006 war in Lebanon; one of the more important ones is that Israel had been too restrained, too careful about distinguishing between Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon (i.e., civilian population and institutions) -- with the result being too many Israeli soldiers dead and an inconclusive end to the fighting; whether the different, more ruthless tactics used in Gaza will succeed remains to be seen
We wrote on Monday that Israel, in its current campaign in the Gaza Strip, has gone back to the strategic approach associated with David Ben Gurion, the founding father of the state. This approach can be described as a strategy of "moderate goals ruthlessly pursued" (see 5 January 2009 HS Daily Wire).
Others, too, have began to notice the change in Israeli strategy, even if they do not engage in the historical analysis we offered. Noah Shachtman, the security maven at Wired, asks: "Are the Israel Defense Forces deliberately being less careful about civilian casualties than they were before?" He points to today's article by Amos Harel, the military correspondent for Haaretz, who writes:
The incident in which some 40 Palestinian civilians were killed when Israel Defense Forces mortar shells hit an UNRWA school in the Jabalya refugee camp Tuesday surprised no one who has been following events in Gaza in recent days. Senior officers admit that the IDF has been using enormous firepower.
"For us, being cautious means being aggressive," explained one. "From the minute we entered, we've acted like we're at war. That creates enormous damage on the ground ... I just hope those who have fled the area of Gaza City in which we are operating will describe the shock. Maybe someone there will sober up before it continues."
Matt Mathews, a U.S. Army historian, observed that during Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah, "reports circulated that growing concern over casualties caused IDF commanders to become overly cautious" (see his We Were Caught Unprepared: The 2006 Hezbollah-Israeli War). As the New York Times's Ethan Bronner noted, after the conflict, many in Israel's leadership felt that Israel "had been too restrained, too careful about distinguishing between Hezbollah and the state of Lebanon." The perception was that Israeli soldiers were killed as a result.
Harel writes that,
Following the trauma of the war in Lebanon in 2006, the army realized that heavy IDF casualties would erode public (and especially political) support for the war and limit its ability to achieve its goals.... Therefore, it is using aggressive tactics to save soldiers' lives. And the cabinet took this into account when it approved the ground operation last Friday, so it has no reason to change its mind now.
Hamas made a strategic decision to use the Palestinian population as a human shield. Hamas's tactical decisions, too, aim to increase the scope of Palestinian civilian death and destruction: thus, placing caches of arms and explosives under residential buildings, mosques, schools, and hospitals assures that when Israel hits these caches, the secondary explosions wreak even more death and destruction in the surrounding area.
We cannot underestimate the suffering of the Palestinian population which Hamas strategy -- and Israel's response -- have caused. Of the 700 Palestinians killed so far, 150, or 20 percent, are civilians. They include the 31 members of the Samouny family who were killed when a shell hit their house in Gaza City on Monday, and the 13 members of the Al-Daiya family who where killed later that day by another Israeli bomb. Nearly half of the 2,700 Palestinian wounded and maimed so far are civilians. The psychological damage to the population, especially children, is incalculable.
Shachtman notes that the Israeli decision to be more ruthless in this campaign dovetails with the decision, made in the wake of 2006, to keep the press out of Gaza. This approach keeps valuable information out of Hamas' hands, and also "blunts some of the damage when a terror group sets up shop inside a school or hospital -- and then parades around civilians' bodies, when Israel hits the place."
We note that Israel's total superiority in the air allows the IDF yet another advantage in the propaganda war which accompanies the real war: The dozens of Israeli UAVs continuously circling on the Gaza skies offer real-time video images of practically every rocket launch and mortar fire. The information is used to trigger an instantaneous attack on the launching crew (as we noted on Monday, Israel is using new ISR systems which dramatically shrink the sensor-to-shooter loop; see 5 January 2009 HS Daily Wire). The same images also help Israel prove some of its claims. For example, in the case of the UNRWA school incident in which forty Palestinian civilians were killed, Israel has provided the UN with images showing two Hamas operatives using the roof of the school as a firing position from which they operated a mortar. TV pictures of the school also show the dead bodies of two Hamas fighters, and many shell casings, among the bodies of the dead civilians. These images serve as the basis for Israel's complaint to the UN about the fact that UNRWA allows Hamas to use the agency's schools as Hamas military positions.
Ben Frankel is editor of HS Daily Wire
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Fannie and Freddie- The Truth
From the Wall Street Journal
JANUARY 8, 2009
President Bush Tried to Rein In Fan and Fred
Democrats and the media have the housing story wrong.
By KARL ROVE
Mythmaking is in full swing as the Bush administration prepares to leave town. Among the more prominent is the assertion that the housing meltdown resulted from unbridled capitalism under a president opposed to all regulation.
Like most myths, this is entertaining but fictional. In reality, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were among the principal culprits of the housing crisis, and Mr. Bush wanted to rein them in before things got out of hand.
Rather than a failure of capitalism, the housing meltdown shows what's likely to happen when government grants special privileges to favored private entities that facilitate bad actors and lousy practices.
Fannie and Freddie are "government-sponsored enterprises" (GSEs), chartered by Congress. As such, they had an implicit promise of taxpayer backing and could borrow money at rates well below competitors.
Because of this, the Bush administration warned in the budget it issued in April 2001 that Fannie and Freddie were too large and overleveraged. Their failure "could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting federally insured entities and economic activity" well beyond housing.
Mr. Bush wanted to limit systemic risk by raising the GSEs' capital requirements, compelling preapproval of new activities, and limiting the size of their portfolios. Why should government regulate banks, credit unions and savings and loans, but not GSEs? Mr. Bush wanted the GSEs to be treated just like their private-sector competitors.
But the GSEs fought back. They didn't want to see the Bush reforms enacted, because that would level the playing field for their competitors. Congress finally did pass the Bush reforms, but in 2008, after Fannie and Freddie collapsed.
The largely unreported story is that to fend off regulation, the GSEs engaged in a lobbying frenzy. They hired high-profile Democrats and Republicans and spent $170 million on lobbying over the past decade. They also constructed an elaborate network of state and local lobbyists to pressure members of Congress.
When Republican Richard Shelby of Alabama, then chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, pushed for comprehensive GSE reform in 2005, Democrat Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut successfully threatened a filibuster. Later, after Fannie and Freddie collapsed, Mr. Dodd asked, "Why weren't we doing more?" He then voted for the Bush reforms that he once called "ill-advised."But Mr. Dodd wasn't the only Democrat to heap abuse on the Bush reforms. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts defended Fannie and Freddie as "fundamentally sound" and labeled the president's proposals as "inane." He later voted for the reforms. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York dismissed Mr. Bush's "safety and soundness concerns" as "a straw man." "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," was the helpful advice of both Sen. Thomas Carper of Delaware and Rep. Maxine Waters of California. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York berated a Bush official at a hearing, saying, "I am just pissed off" at the administration for raising the issue.
Democrats had ready allies among lenders accustomed to GSEs buying their risky mortgages. For example, Angelo Mozilo, CEO of Countrywide Financial, complained that "an overly cumbersome regulatory process" would "reduce, or even eliminate, the incentives for the GSEs and their primary market partners."
It took Fannie and Freddie over three decades to acquire $2 trillion in mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. Together, they held $2.1 trillion in 2000. By 2005, the two GSEs held $4 trillion, up 92% in just five years. By 2008, they'd grown another 24%, to nearly $5 trillion. They held almost half of all American mortgages.
The more the president pushed for reform, the more they bought. Peter Wallison of the American Enterprise Institute and Charles Calomiris of the Columbia Business School suggest $1 trillion of this debt was subprime and "liar loans," almost all bought between 2005 and 2007. This bulk-up in risky paper made it possible for banks to lend imprudently on a massive scale.
Some critics blame Mr. Bush because he supported broadening homeownership. But Mr. Bush's goal was for people to own homes they could afford, not ones made accessible by reckless lenders who off-loaded their risk to GSEs.
The housing meltdown is largely a story of greed and irresponsibility made possible by government privilege. If Democrats had granted the Bush administration the regulatory powers it sought, the housing crisis wouldn't be nearly as severe and the economy as a whole would be better off.
That's why some mythmakers are so intent on denying that Mr. Bush worked to rein in the GSEs. But facts are stubborn things, as Ronald Reagan used to say, and in this instance, the facts support Mr. Bush and offer a harsh judgment on key Democrats. Perhaps that explains why so many in the media haven't told the real story.
Mr. Rove is the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JANUARY 8, 2009
President Bush Tried to Rein In Fan and Fred
Democrats and the media have the housing story wrong.
By KARL ROVE
Mythmaking is in full swing as the Bush administration prepares to leave town. Among the more prominent is the assertion that the housing meltdown resulted from unbridled capitalism under a president opposed to all regulation.
Like most myths, this is entertaining but fictional. In reality, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were among the principal culprits of the housing crisis, and Mr. Bush wanted to rein them in before things got out of hand.
Rather than a failure of capitalism, the housing meltdown shows what's likely to happen when government grants special privileges to favored private entities that facilitate bad actors and lousy practices.
Fannie and Freddie are "government-sponsored enterprises" (GSEs), chartered by Congress. As such, they had an implicit promise of taxpayer backing and could borrow money at rates well below competitors.
Because of this, the Bush administration warned in the budget it issued in April 2001 that Fannie and Freddie were too large and overleveraged. Their failure "could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting federally insured entities and economic activity" well beyond housing.
Mr. Bush wanted to limit systemic risk by raising the GSEs' capital requirements, compelling preapproval of new activities, and limiting the size of their portfolios. Why should government regulate banks, credit unions and savings and loans, but not GSEs? Mr. Bush wanted the GSEs to be treated just like their private-sector competitors.
But the GSEs fought back. They didn't want to see the Bush reforms enacted, because that would level the playing field for their competitors. Congress finally did pass the Bush reforms, but in 2008, after Fannie and Freddie collapsed.
The largely unreported story is that to fend off regulation, the GSEs engaged in a lobbying frenzy. They hired high-profile Democrats and Republicans and spent $170 million on lobbying over the past decade. They also constructed an elaborate network of state and local lobbyists to pressure members of Congress.
When Republican Richard Shelby of Alabama, then chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, pushed for comprehensive GSE reform in 2005, Democrat Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut successfully threatened a filibuster. Later, after Fannie and Freddie collapsed, Mr. Dodd asked, "Why weren't we doing more?" He then voted for the Bush reforms that he once called "ill-advised."But Mr. Dodd wasn't the only Democrat to heap abuse on the Bush reforms. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts defended Fannie and Freddie as "fundamentally sound" and labeled the president's proposals as "inane." He later voted for the reforms. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York dismissed Mr. Bush's "safety and soundness concerns" as "a straw man." "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," was the helpful advice of both Sen. Thomas Carper of Delaware and Rep. Maxine Waters of California. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York berated a Bush official at a hearing, saying, "I am just pissed off" at the administration for raising the issue.
Democrats had ready allies among lenders accustomed to GSEs buying their risky mortgages. For example, Angelo Mozilo, CEO of Countrywide Financial, complained that "an overly cumbersome regulatory process" would "reduce, or even eliminate, the incentives for the GSEs and their primary market partners."
It took Fannie and Freddie over three decades to acquire $2 trillion in mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. Together, they held $2.1 trillion in 2000. By 2005, the two GSEs held $4 trillion, up 92% in just five years. By 2008, they'd grown another 24%, to nearly $5 trillion. They held almost half of all American mortgages.
The more the president pushed for reform, the more they bought. Peter Wallison of the American Enterprise Institute and Charles Calomiris of the Columbia Business School suggest $1 trillion of this debt was subprime and "liar loans," almost all bought between 2005 and 2007. This bulk-up in risky paper made it possible for banks to lend imprudently on a massive scale.
Some critics blame Mr. Bush because he supported broadening homeownership. But Mr. Bush's goal was for people to own homes they could afford, not ones made accessible by reckless lenders who off-loaded their risk to GSEs.
The housing meltdown is largely a story of greed and irresponsibility made possible by government privilege. If Democrats had granted the Bush administration the regulatory powers it sought, the housing crisis wouldn't be nearly as severe and the economy as a whole would be better off.
That's why some mythmakers are so intent on denying that Mr. Bush worked to rein in the GSEs. But facts are stubborn things, as Ronald Reagan used to say, and in this instance, the facts support Mr. Bush and offer a harsh judgment on key Democrats. Perhaps that explains why so many in the media haven't told the real story.
Mr. Rove is the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Jan 12, 2009 City Council Meeting
On Monday night, January 12 City Council will meet for the first time in 2009. We have a rather large agenda with items that impact our entire community. I will highlight only a few of importance in this email. Everyone is welcome to attend City Council meetings and I urge you to do so.
WORK SESSION – During a very brief Work Session, Council will be briefed on the “Juilliard in Aiken – 2009 Festival” Over 20 individuals from Juilliard will arrive during the week of March 8. They will provide outreach for various schools Monday through Friday. On Tuesday, they will provide a free concert at USAA for all K through 12th grade students. There will be other performances throughout the week which I am sure will be publicized in the Aiken Standard. The City of Aiken will provide logistical support of the Juilliard visit. This is a continuing effort on the part of the City to support art programs in Aiken.
HORSE DISTRICT ACCESSORY BUILDINGS ORDINANCE – The current ordinance for accessory buildings in the horse district limits the size of the accessory building to 50% of the heated gross floor area of the principal building. Approval of any variances was the responsibility of the Board of Zoning Appeals. Last year the BZA approved one application and disapproved another. While they considered each case individually, there are some in the community who prefer more consistency. Hence the request to amend the existing ordinance to remove the 50% limit and to approve requests on a case-by-case basis. Council requested input from the Equine Committee which recommended that the current ordinance not be changed to remove the size limit on accessory buildings in the HD zone and lots in the RSS zone in the Historic Overlay District.
ABANDONED VEHICLES ORDINANCE – In an effort to improve visual blight in our community, we will have second reading on an ordinance to deal with abandoned vehicles. This ordinance will give the City authority to deal with abandoned vehicles.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL HIGHWAY DESIGNATION – At our last Council meeting, we approved placement of memorial sighs honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The signs were to be placed within the city limits on Highway 19. We have since discovered that part of Whiskey Road on the south side of Aiken has already been designated to honor another individual. Monday night, we will discuss and hopefully resolve concerns with placement of memorial signs.
SILVER BLUFF MEDICAL COMPLEX – University Health Services is asking for approval of a concept plan for a medical office complex to be located on Silver Bluff road across from the Center South Shopping Center. This project consists of three medical buildings totaling 72,000 square feet to be built in two phases. The first phase will consist of a one-story building with 17,000 square feet close to Silver Bluff Road. Entrance to the complex will be from Silver Bluff Road, but entrance to the first building will be from an internal parking lot within the complex. The proposed entrance does not comply with three provisions of the access management section of the Zoning Ordinance and the applicant has asked for a waiver of these three areas. The Planning Staff has reviewed the applicant’s request for waiver and feels that it is not a concern due to the gradients and location of other driveways in the area. Due to the fact that Silver Bluff Road is a five-lane roadway and to preserve trees, staff is recommending that these waivers be accepted. This application was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission.
There are some significant traffic issues with this project. First, it may increase exit time from Town Creek Road onto Silver Bluff Road, but staff feels that any increase delay is not considered excessive and a traffic signal is not warranted at this time. Second, there are questions regarding waivers to the Access Management Ordinance which will be discussed at the first reading.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – Keep in mind that City Council agendas are available on line. There are many additional issues, beyond those mentioned above, that the Council will discuss on Monday night. The complete agenda includes supporting documents that we review to determine a course of action. The link for Monday’s City Council agenda is http://www.aiken.net/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=97637
WORK SESSION – During a very brief Work Session, Council will be briefed on the “Juilliard in Aiken – 2009 Festival” Over 20 individuals from Juilliard will arrive during the week of March 8. They will provide outreach for various schools Monday through Friday. On Tuesday, they will provide a free concert at USAA for all K through 12th grade students. There will be other performances throughout the week which I am sure will be publicized in the Aiken Standard. The City of Aiken will provide logistical support of the Juilliard visit. This is a continuing effort on the part of the City to support art programs in Aiken.
HORSE DISTRICT ACCESSORY BUILDINGS ORDINANCE – The current ordinance for accessory buildings in the horse district limits the size of the accessory building to 50% of the heated gross floor area of the principal building. Approval of any variances was the responsibility of the Board of Zoning Appeals. Last year the BZA approved one application and disapproved another. While they considered each case individually, there are some in the community who prefer more consistency. Hence the request to amend the existing ordinance to remove the 50% limit and to approve requests on a case-by-case basis. Council requested input from the Equine Committee which recommended that the current ordinance not be changed to remove the size limit on accessory buildings in the HD zone and lots in the RSS zone in the Historic Overlay District.
ABANDONED VEHICLES ORDINANCE – In an effort to improve visual blight in our community, we will have second reading on an ordinance to deal with abandoned vehicles. This ordinance will give the City authority to deal with abandoned vehicles.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL HIGHWAY DESIGNATION – At our last Council meeting, we approved placement of memorial sighs honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The signs were to be placed within the city limits on Highway 19. We have since discovered that part of Whiskey Road on the south side of Aiken has already been designated to honor another individual. Monday night, we will discuss and hopefully resolve concerns with placement of memorial signs.
SILVER BLUFF MEDICAL COMPLEX – University Health Services is asking for approval of a concept plan for a medical office complex to be located on Silver Bluff road across from the Center South Shopping Center. This project consists of three medical buildings totaling 72,000 square feet to be built in two phases. The first phase will consist of a one-story building with 17,000 square feet close to Silver Bluff Road. Entrance to the complex will be from Silver Bluff Road, but entrance to the first building will be from an internal parking lot within the complex. The proposed entrance does not comply with three provisions of the access management section of the Zoning Ordinance and the applicant has asked for a waiver of these three areas. The Planning Staff has reviewed the applicant’s request for waiver and feels that it is not a concern due to the gradients and location of other driveways in the area. Due to the fact that Silver Bluff Road is a five-lane roadway and to preserve trees, staff is recommending that these waivers be accepted. This application was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission.
There are some significant traffic issues with this project. First, it may increase exit time from Town Creek Road onto Silver Bluff Road, but staff feels that any increase delay is not considered excessive and a traffic signal is not warranted at this time. Second, there are questions regarding waivers to the Access Management Ordinance which will be discussed at the first reading.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – Keep in mind that City Council agendas are available on line. There are many additional issues, beyond those mentioned above, that the Council will discuss on Monday night. The complete agenda includes supporting documents that we review to determine a course of action. The link for Monday’s City Council agenda is http://www.aiken.net/weblink7/docview.aspx?id=97637
Elvis Lives
With so much bad happening at home and abroad I was pleased to see and hear this youtube video today. It was recorded 40 years ago but the song was first done by Elvis in 1954. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Senator Jim DeMint Speaks His Mind
"Republicans Must Fight for Freedom to Regain America's Trust
Senator Jim DeMint
DC Examiner
November 10, 2008 - They say that elephants never forget, but that's exactly what the Grand Old Party has done. Between the 1950s and 1970s, Rockefeller and Nixon Republicans kept the party in a seemingly permanent minority with a "me-too" philosophy that allowed Democrats to balloon the size and scope of government.
But, when Ronald Reagan ran unashamed on conservative principles in 1980 and Republicans in Congress embraced bold conservative reforms in 1994, America responded with overwhelming approval.
Since then, many Republicans have run for office as conservatives but governed as scandal-plagued big-spending moderates. They stopped offering common-sense solutions and broke promises with Americans by overspending and wasteful earmarking to special interests.
In the name of bipartisanship, our leaders supported amnesty, big new entitlements, more federal control of education, and compromises on energy. And too often Republicans shied away from defending values of life, family and faith. The final straw for many was a series of Wall Street bailouts that cost over a trillion dollars and looked more like knee-jerk socialism than confident conservative leadership.
No wonder Republicans have lost a dozen Senate seats and nearly 50 House seats in two years.
Democrats will likely mistake Republican failures as a mandate for their liberal policies. Obama promises to "spread the wealth" and repeal all restrictions on abortion. Nancy Pelosi wants trillions in new federal spending. Barney Frank promises higher taxes and massive military funding cuts. Harry Reid will kill the secret ballot for union elections. Patrick Leahy yearns to pack federal courts with activist judges who are hostile to traditional values.
Americans know little about these far left plans because Democrats didn't run on their liberal agenda, they ran against George Bush. Yet, a strong majority of Americans are conservative and support the principles of freedom our nation was founded on. The bipartisan Battleground Poll has found every year since 2002 that 60 percent of Americans identify themselves as conservatives and only 30 percent call themselves liberals. That's why Obama and the Democrats talked so much about conservative themes of tax cuts, spending restraint, second amendment rights and energy independence.
Americans haven't changed, Republicans have. Recent Republican leaders said earmarks proved we could deliver for our districts and higher spending demonstrated our compassion. But a recent Club for Growth poll found that 66 percent of Americans favor candidates who will cut federal spending even if it means less local funding. They said fighting for values that strengthen families and protect life is outdated, but ballot propositions to protect traditional marriage still pass overwhelmingly, most recently in California. Numerous polls on abortion reveal most Americans value life and want fewer abortions.
Republicans can regain America's trust only by acting on our conservative principles and offering real solutions. First, we must lead by example and limit our own power in order to guard against corruption, starting with a unilateral, two-year earmark moratorium. Then, let's end the seniority system that turns too many Republican outsiders into Washington insiders. This requires term limiting our conference leader and appropriations committee members, then choosing committee heads on merit, not seniority.
Second, Republicans must reestablish ourselves as the Party of Ideas with new, principled solutions for today's challenges. We offer more jobs, more take-home income, and more opportunity to succeed. We offer more choices, personal control, and better quality in health care, education, and retirement. We offer more protection of life and the family, freedom of political speech, and respect for the right to bear arms. As global threats increase, Republicans offer a stronger national defense and secure borders.
Third, we must do everything in our power to stop President-elect Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Reid from enacting liberal policies that reduce freedom. Democrats and Republicans should work together, but not when it hurts the American people. As the minority, we don't control the Senate agenda, but we still have a moral responsibility to fight for freedom and liberty in our great country.
Finally, we must recruit new leaders. We're never going to reshape the way Americans see Republicans with the same old faces. There are good conservatives in Congress now, but our bench is not nearly as deep as the Democrats, who have plenty of career politicians. We need more Sarah Palins - moms, dads, teachers, doctors and business owners who want to defend liberty and solve big problems, not become part of the Washington establishment. We must find them, encourage them and fight for their elections.
These are painful times for the party of Lincoln and Reagan, but we have a golden opportunity to demonstrate its character and its convictions, and rebuild stronger than ever. So let's get going. "
Senator Jim DeMint
DC Examiner
November 10, 2008 - They say that elephants never forget, but that's exactly what the Grand Old Party has done. Between the 1950s and 1970s, Rockefeller and Nixon Republicans kept the party in a seemingly permanent minority with a "me-too" philosophy that allowed Democrats to balloon the size and scope of government.
But, when Ronald Reagan ran unashamed on conservative principles in 1980 and Republicans in Congress embraced bold conservative reforms in 1994, America responded with overwhelming approval.
Since then, many Republicans have run for office as conservatives but governed as scandal-plagued big-spending moderates. They stopped offering common-sense solutions and broke promises with Americans by overspending and wasteful earmarking to special interests.
In the name of bipartisanship, our leaders supported amnesty, big new entitlements, more federal control of education, and compromises on energy. And too often Republicans shied away from defending values of life, family and faith. The final straw for many was a series of Wall Street bailouts that cost over a trillion dollars and looked more like knee-jerk socialism than confident conservative leadership.
No wonder Republicans have lost a dozen Senate seats and nearly 50 House seats in two years.
Democrats will likely mistake Republican failures as a mandate for their liberal policies. Obama promises to "spread the wealth" and repeal all restrictions on abortion. Nancy Pelosi wants trillions in new federal spending. Barney Frank promises higher taxes and massive military funding cuts. Harry Reid will kill the secret ballot for union elections. Patrick Leahy yearns to pack federal courts with activist judges who are hostile to traditional values.
Americans know little about these far left plans because Democrats didn't run on their liberal agenda, they ran against George Bush. Yet, a strong majority of Americans are conservative and support the principles of freedom our nation was founded on. The bipartisan Battleground Poll has found every year since 2002 that 60 percent of Americans identify themselves as conservatives and only 30 percent call themselves liberals. That's why Obama and the Democrats talked so much about conservative themes of tax cuts, spending restraint, second amendment rights and energy independence.
Americans haven't changed, Republicans have. Recent Republican leaders said earmarks proved we could deliver for our districts and higher spending demonstrated our compassion. But a recent Club for Growth poll found that 66 percent of Americans favor candidates who will cut federal spending even if it means less local funding. They said fighting for values that strengthen families and protect life is outdated, but ballot propositions to protect traditional marriage still pass overwhelmingly, most recently in California. Numerous polls on abortion reveal most Americans value life and want fewer abortions.
Republicans can regain America's trust only by acting on our conservative principles and offering real solutions. First, we must lead by example and limit our own power in order to guard against corruption, starting with a unilateral, two-year earmark moratorium. Then, let's end the seniority system that turns too many Republican outsiders into Washington insiders. This requires term limiting our conference leader and appropriations committee members, then choosing committee heads on merit, not seniority.
Second, Republicans must reestablish ourselves as the Party of Ideas with new, principled solutions for today's challenges. We offer more jobs, more take-home income, and more opportunity to succeed. We offer more choices, personal control, and better quality in health care, education, and retirement. We offer more protection of life and the family, freedom of political speech, and respect for the right to bear arms. As global threats increase, Republicans offer a stronger national defense and secure borders.
Third, we must do everything in our power to stop President-elect Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Reid from enacting liberal policies that reduce freedom. Democrats and Republicans should work together, but not when it hurts the American people. As the minority, we don't control the Senate agenda, but we still have a moral responsibility to fight for freedom and liberty in our great country.
Finally, we must recruit new leaders. We're never going to reshape the way Americans see Republicans with the same old faces. There are good conservatives in Congress now, but our bench is not nearly as deep as the Democrats, who have plenty of career politicians. We need more Sarah Palins - moms, dads, teachers, doctors and business owners who want to defend liberty and solve big problems, not become part of the Washington establishment. We must find them, encourage them and fight for their elections.
These are painful times for the party of Lincoln and Reagan, but we have a golden opportunity to demonstrate its character and its convictions, and rebuild stronger than ever. So let's get going. "
Monday, January 5, 2009
Fiscal prudence a must for Aiken County in 2009
From the Aiken Standard
'Fiscal prudence a must for Aiken County in 2009
1/4/2009 12:17 AM
By GARY BUNKER
Guest columnist
The current financial crisis and continued uncertainty about the economy have prompted several of my constituents to question me regarding Aiken County's financial stability. Is Aiken County vulnerable to the budget cuts and layoffs that we've seen across the country at the state, county and municipal levels? Will revenue fail to meet expectations? What is the risk that services will be cut?
In the short run, the outlook is good. Aiken County is financially sound and has a greater than 90-day cash reserve. Unlike the federal government, Aiken County can neither run budget deficits nor print or otherwise create money out of thin air to meet its obligations. State law requires counties to be far more fiscally conservative than the federal government.
Revenues for the 2008/2009 fiscal year, however, will be less than what was budgeted in June. The reasons are straightforward: state aid to Aiken County has been slashed by approximately $600,000, interest on the county reserve funds has plummeted, vehicle taxes are down and fewer fees are being generated due to the housing slowdown. On the other hand, property and sales tax revenues will likely hold steady.
Aiken County will work to avoid dipping into its reserves this year. Though we're experiencing the "rainy days" that these reserves were meant to guard against, it's still possible to keep expenses below the reduced revenues.
Some opportunities remain for savings this year. Aiken County uses a lot of gasoline (Sheriff's Office, Public Works and EMS) and the budget assumed $3.75 per gallon. The price of gas has plunged below this amount, and if current trends continue this will offset some of the decline in revenue. Where will gas prices go? Nobody knows - but Aiken County is benefiting from current prices.
In addition, there are other "dials" that can be turned to hold down spending: delay or defer items in the capital projects fund, delay filling vacancies, delay or reduce merit raises, extend the road scraping schedule, etc. The key point is that no layoffs are planned and no significant reductions in county services are contemplated.
The bigger issue is next year's budget. Some economic experts declare that the worst of the crisis is over, others are certain that another Great Depression is imminent, and the rest are scattered across the spectrum. Frankly, no one knows what the future holds. The crystal balls have rolled off the table and cracked. This makes planning difficult.
The nightmare scenario is that revenues drop dramatically next year, which in turn necessitates a tax hike to keep basic services running. Aiken County isn't a wealthy county. While there are individuals and neighborhoods that do very well, there are also many citizens who struggle to make ends meet. An increase in property taxes in conjunction with growing unemployment will create great hardships for many families.
What does this mean in the short run? For starters, Aiken County must not overextend itself this year. The line must be held on spending by starting no new programs and being careful about adding additional funds or personnel to current operations. Prudence and retrenchment should be the watchwords.
No matter how worthwhile increases may be at the moment, we must keep focused on the fact that revenue next year may be tighter than this year. Terminating or cutting back on a program is far more painful than not starting the program in the first place.
Therefore, any increases - even for popular programs such as the Aiken County EMS, the proposed animal shelter expansion or junk yard fences - should be carefully considered. If additional spending is truly necessary, then County Council should phase-fund the spending over two or three years instead of committing to it all at once. New spending in critical areas should be offset by reductions in less critical areas.
Again, going halfway out onto a limb exposes both the county and the taxpayers less than rushing out to the tip in one bound. The further out we go, the harder it is to pull back.
The art of governance is about making choices between limited resources and unlimited wants and needs. At this point in time, saying "no" is far more fiscally prudent than saying "yes." We shouldn't commit to anything today that we may have trouble paying for tomorrow.
Gary Bunker is a member of Aiken County Council representing District 7.''
'Fiscal prudence a must for Aiken County in 2009
1/4/2009 12:17 AM
By GARY BUNKER
Guest columnist
The current financial crisis and continued uncertainty about the economy have prompted several of my constituents to question me regarding Aiken County's financial stability. Is Aiken County vulnerable to the budget cuts and layoffs that we've seen across the country at the state, county and municipal levels? Will revenue fail to meet expectations? What is the risk that services will be cut?
In the short run, the outlook is good. Aiken County is financially sound and has a greater than 90-day cash reserve. Unlike the federal government, Aiken County can neither run budget deficits nor print or otherwise create money out of thin air to meet its obligations. State law requires counties to be far more fiscally conservative than the federal government.
Revenues for the 2008/2009 fiscal year, however, will be less than what was budgeted in June. The reasons are straightforward: state aid to Aiken County has been slashed by approximately $600,000, interest on the county reserve funds has plummeted, vehicle taxes are down and fewer fees are being generated due to the housing slowdown. On the other hand, property and sales tax revenues will likely hold steady.
Aiken County will work to avoid dipping into its reserves this year. Though we're experiencing the "rainy days" that these reserves were meant to guard against, it's still possible to keep expenses below the reduced revenues.
Some opportunities remain for savings this year. Aiken County uses a lot of gasoline (Sheriff's Office, Public Works and EMS) and the budget assumed $3.75 per gallon. The price of gas has plunged below this amount, and if current trends continue this will offset some of the decline in revenue. Where will gas prices go? Nobody knows - but Aiken County is benefiting from current prices.
In addition, there are other "dials" that can be turned to hold down spending: delay or defer items in the capital projects fund, delay filling vacancies, delay or reduce merit raises, extend the road scraping schedule, etc. The key point is that no layoffs are planned and no significant reductions in county services are contemplated.
The bigger issue is next year's budget. Some economic experts declare that the worst of the crisis is over, others are certain that another Great Depression is imminent, and the rest are scattered across the spectrum. Frankly, no one knows what the future holds. The crystal balls have rolled off the table and cracked. This makes planning difficult.
The nightmare scenario is that revenues drop dramatically next year, which in turn necessitates a tax hike to keep basic services running. Aiken County isn't a wealthy county. While there are individuals and neighborhoods that do very well, there are also many citizens who struggle to make ends meet. An increase in property taxes in conjunction with growing unemployment will create great hardships for many families.
What does this mean in the short run? For starters, Aiken County must not overextend itself this year. The line must be held on spending by starting no new programs and being careful about adding additional funds or personnel to current operations. Prudence and retrenchment should be the watchwords.
No matter how worthwhile increases may be at the moment, we must keep focused on the fact that revenue next year may be tighter than this year. Terminating or cutting back on a program is far more painful than not starting the program in the first place.
Therefore, any increases - even for popular programs such as the Aiken County EMS, the proposed animal shelter expansion or junk yard fences - should be carefully considered. If additional spending is truly necessary, then County Council should phase-fund the spending over two or three years instead of committing to it all at once. New spending in critical areas should be offset by reductions in less critical areas.
Again, going halfway out onto a limb exposes both the county and the taxpayers less than rushing out to the tip in one bound. The further out we go, the harder it is to pull back.
The art of governance is about making choices between limited resources and unlimited wants and needs. At this point in time, saying "no" is far more fiscally prudent than saying "yes." We shouldn't commit to anything today that we may have trouble paying for tomorrow.
Gary Bunker is a member of Aiken County Council representing District 7.''
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Power Line -Always fit to Print
Mordor, Come To Life
Posted: 03 Jan 2009 01:56 PM PST
"Nauseating" and "creepy" are two words Victor Davis Hanson uses to describe the spectacle now unfolding in Gaza, and the world's reaction to it. It is, as Hanson says, "the stuff of Tolkien's Mordor":
It is now clear that the so-called and much praised "international community," the hallowed U.N., the revered EU, all pretty much are indifferent to the survival of a democratic Israel, or are actively supportive of its terrorist Hamas enemy. Only the U.S. (for now) stands by a constitutional state in its war against a murderous terrorist clique, with annhilation its aim and religous fascism its creed.
SCOTT adds: Carl in Jerusalem declares a flying-pigs moment: "The European Union announced tonight that it views Israel's action in Gaza as defensive." Carl comments: "What a difference it makes having the Czechs as head of the EU rather than F[r]ance." On the other hand, as Roger Simon observes, "Sarkozy is turning out to be quite the prize schmuck."
Posted: 03 Jan 2009 01:56 PM PST
"Nauseating" and "creepy" are two words Victor Davis Hanson uses to describe the spectacle now unfolding in Gaza, and the world's reaction to it. It is, as Hanson says, "the stuff of Tolkien's Mordor":
It is now clear that the so-called and much praised "international community," the hallowed U.N., the revered EU, all pretty much are indifferent to the survival of a democratic Israel, or are actively supportive of its terrorist Hamas enemy. Only the U.S. (for now) stands by a constitutional state in its war against a murderous terrorist clique, with annhilation its aim and religous fascism its creed.
SCOTT adds: Carl in Jerusalem declares a flying-pigs moment: "The European Union announced tonight that it views Israel's action in Gaza as defensive." Carl comments: "What a difference it makes having the Czechs as head of the EU rather than F[r]ance." On the other hand, as Roger Simon observes, "Sarkozy is turning out to be quite the prize schmuck."
Friday, January 2, 2009
Recorded Votes - Part Two
I applaud Jane Vaughters for her stance in support of recorded votes at our State Legislature. It is inconceivable that we have Republican leaders in the South Carolina House and Senate who openly oppose the right of South Carolina voters to see how their Legislators vote on critical issues. While Representative Smith took the criticism personally, it was aimed at the entire Aiken delegation. His vote was easy to determine; if he had not supported to increase the power of Bobby Harrell, he would not have been appointed/elected as a committee chair. We know nothing about other members of the Aiken Delegation. Perhaps they could write their own letter to the editor or even better, perhaps the Aiken Standard could start doing what a newspaper should do; report on issues of importance to the Aiken community.
I am always suspicious of politicians with something to hide. I wonder how many of then ran on the slogan “VOTE FOR ME AND I WON’T TELL YOU HOW I VOTED”. Had they done so, they would probably not have been elected.
Voters should realize that a great part of our current fiscal turmoil is caused by our State Legislators who have fought Governor Sanford over budget issues for his entire time in office. Their uncontrolled spending has put us in our current mess. Had they put money in a “rainy day” fund as recommended numerous times by the Governor, our current financial problems would not have been so bad. It especially onerous on our education community and is now beginning to affect nearly everyone in the State. Residents should put the blame where it belongs.
We need to stop the practice of a Legislator voting one way and telling his constituents he voted the opposite way. They need to take the blame and credit for their votes. The best way to accomplish this task is to have recorded votes which are clearly visible to voters throughout the State.
I am always suspicious of politicians with something to hide. I wonder how many of then ran on the slogan “VOTE FOR ME AND I WON’T TELL YOU HOW I VOTED”. Had they done so, they would probably not have been elected.
Voters should realize that a great part of our current fiscal turmoil is caused by our State Legislators who have fought Governor Sanford over budget issues for his entire time in office. Their uncontrolled spending has put us in our current mess. Had they put money in a “rainy day” fund as recommended numerous times by the Governor, our current financial problems would not have been so bad. It especially onerous on our education community and is now beginning to affect nearly everyone in the State. Residents should put the blame where it belongs.
We need to stop the practice of a Legislator voting one way and telling his constituents he voted the opposite way. They need to take the blame and credit for their votes. The best way to accomplish this task is to have recorded votes which are clearly visible to voters throughout the State.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Message from S.J. "Pat" Paterniti
Happy New Year to my conservative friends.
Here's something you should check out.
Neal Boortz's favorite fill-in, Herman Cain now has his own show airing from Atlanta five nights a week on Talk Radio 750 WSB. While you may not be able to receive this on your radio you can Click here to listen to Herman LIVE on your computer Monday through Friday from 7pm-10pm.
"Herman Cain has a talent for cutting through and teaching you. He'll inform and entertain you on topics near to his (and your) heart-- Taxes, Government Incompetence and Waste, Campaign 2008--in Georgia and the Presidential Campaign, Immigration, The FairTax, Terrorism, and the economy. 'The Hermanator' will expose media bias--on a local and national scale. Listen...you just might learn something."
If you don't already know about him, Herman Cain is a conservative Black-American who has been described as the USAmerican Dream. A Horatio Alger Award Recipient, Herman grew up in Georgia with wonderful parents and little else. Herman's father worked three jobs - a chauffeur, barber and janitor because he wanted his sons to have "a little better start in life". As a result of his dad's encouragement, Herman earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree and would succeed at the highest levels of corporate America.
Most interesting, Herman has started the HITM (Hermnator's Intelligent Thinkers Movement) whose mission is "Taking back Our Government". The purpose of HITM is to organize voters for a rapid response to their elected representives on pending legislation. If you are interested you can visit Herman's web site http://www.hermancain.com/hitm.asp and sign up to receive legislative updates. It also provides help identifying and contacting your U.S. Representative and Senators.
The key political goals of the HITM movement are:
NATIONAL SECURITY
Our highest national priority
A strong military – Defense spending should be used more effectively, but never cut below 4% of GDP.
The fight against Islamic Fascism is global. Fight it wherever it is a threat to the United States of America. Let our intelligence agencies do their jobs.
ECONOMY
No new or higher taxes
Replace the current income tax with the Fair Tax.
In the interim, make the current tax rates permanent
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Maximize the use of all our natural resources in the USA
Don’t go broke just to go “green”
Major oil producing countries are not our friends
SPENDING
Federal spending is out of control
Cap all federal spending indefinitely (Restructure Medicare/Medicaid)
Restructure Social Security with personal retirement accounts
LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Defend the Constitution and all of its Amendments
Here's something you should check out.
Neal Boortz's favorite fill-in, Herman Cain now has his own show airing from Atlanta five nights a week on Talk Radio 750 WSB. While you may not be able to receive this on your radio you can Click here to listen to Herman LIVE on your computer Monday through Friday from 7pm-10pm.
"Herman Cain has a talent for cutting through and teaching you. He'll inform and entertain you on topics near to his (and your) heart-- Taxes, Government Incompetence and Waste, Campaign 2008--in Georgia and the Presidential Campaign, Immigration, The FairTax, Terrorism, and the economy. 'The Hermanator' will expose media bias--on a local and national scale. Listen...you just might learn something."
If you don't already know about him, Herman Cain is a conservative Black-American who has been described as the USAmerican Dream. A Horatio Alger Award Recipient, Herman grew up in Georgia with wonderful parents and little else. Herman's father worked three jobs - a chauffeur, barber and janitor because he wanted his sons to have "a little better start in life". As a result of his dad's encouragement, Herman earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree and would succeed at the highest levels of corporate America.
Most interesting, Herman has started the HITM (Hermnator's Intelligent Thinkers Movement) whose mission is "Taking back Our Government". The purpose of HITM is to organize voters for a rapid response to their elected representives on pending legislation. If you are interested you can visit Herman's web site http://www.hermancain.com/hitm.asp and sign up to receive legislative updates. It also provides help identifying and contacting your U.S. Representative and Senators.
The key political goals of the HITM movement are:
NATIONAL SECURITY
Our highest national priority
A strong military – Defense spending should be used more effectively, but never cut below 4% of GDP.
The fight against Islamic Fascism is global. Fight it wherever it is a threat to the United States of America. Let our intelligence agencies do their jobs.
ECONOMY
No new or higher taxes
Replace the current income tax with the Fair Tax.
In the interim, make the current tax rates permanent
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Maximize the use of all our natural resources in the USA
Don’t go broke just to go “green”
Major oil producing countries are not our friends
SPENDING
Federal spending is out of control
Cap all federal spending indefinitely (Restructure Medicare/Medicaid)
Restructure Social Security with personal retirement accounts
LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Defend the Constitution and all of its Amendments
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