Something to Think About

Very rarely do I find mass forwarded email useful or nonpartisan. They are usually one sided rants which present a single opinion leaving you to decide if you want to explore the other side of the story or simply take the rant for what it is. The main issue with these mass forwarded emails is nine time out of ten they are simply lies. If they are not lies then they have been changed, edited, and twisted to make them what someone at the beginning of the chain or any random email forwarder along the way wants you to read.

I seldom forward these on but I do like getting them. On occasion they make you at least think of something from a point of view you might not have “seen” before. I always check snopes.com once I finish reading a mass forwarded email to see what they have uncovered on the email.

I received an email that was said to be a column from a retired Orlando Sentinel columnist by the name of Charley Reese. After checking into it Charley did write a column similar to the one in the email back in 1985, which he updated in 1995 and has since been added and subtracted to by email forwarders worldwide, which is what I had email to me.

The topic of Mr. Reese’s article is something I have been battling with on my own. The topic being the issue of our politicians continuing to make excuses for not getting things done and then passing the buck on to someone else. I admit I am not old enough to really have the first hand knowledge that many of you might have but the main points of the article ring true still today. We as residents of Illinois should can and should apply this reasoning to our current state government.

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME? CONGRESS IS GOOD PLACE TO START
Politicians, as I have often said, are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Everything on the Republican contract is a problem created by Congress. Too much bureaucracy? Blame Congress. Too many rules?

Blame Congress. Unjust tax laws? Congress wrote them.

Out-of-control bureaucracy? Congress authorizes everything bureaucracies do. Americans dying in Third World rat holes on stupid U.N. missions? Congress allows it. The annual deficits?

Congress votes for them. The $4 trillion plus debt? Congress created it.

To put it into perspective just remember that 100 percent of the power of the federal government comes from the U.S. Constitution. If it's not in the Constitution, it's not authorized.

Then read your Constitution. All 100 percent of the power of the federal government is invested solely in 545 individual human beings. That's all. Of 260 million Americans, only 545 of them wield 100 percent of the power of the federal government.

That's 435 members of the U.S. House, 100 senators, one president and nine Supreme Court justices. Anything involving government that is wrong is 100 percent their fault.

I exclude the vice president because constitutionally he has no power except to preside over the Senate and to vote only in the case of a tie. I exclude the Federal Reserve because Congress created it and all its power is power Congress delegated to it and could withdraw anytime it chooses to do so. In fact, all the power exercised by the 3 million or so other federal employees is power delegated from the 545.

All bureaucracies are created by Congress or by executive order of the president. All are financed and staffed by Congress. All enforce laws passed by Congress. All operate under procedures authorized by Congress. That's why all complaints and protests should be properly directed at Congress, not at the individual agencies.

You don't like the IRS? Go see Congress. You think the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agency is running amok? Go see Congress.

Congress is the originator of all government problems and is also the only remedy available. That's why, of course, politicians go to such extraordinary lengths and employ world-class sophistry to make you think they are not responsible. Anytime a congressman pretends to be outraged by something a federal bureaucrat does, he is in fact engaging in one big massive con job. No federal employee can act at all except to enforce laws passed by Congress and to employ procedures authorized by Congress either explicitly or implicitly.

Partisans on both sides like to blame presidents for deficits, but all deficits are congressional deficits. The president may, by custom, recommend a budget, but it carries no legal weight. Only Congress is authorized by the Constitution to authorize and appropriate and to levy taxes. That's what the federal budget consists of: expenditures authorized, funds appropriated and taxes levied.

Both Democrats and Republicans mislead the public. For 40 years Democrats had majorities and could have at any time balanced the budget if they had chosen to do so. Republicans now have majorities and could, if they choose, pass a balanced budget this year. Every president, Democrat or Republican, could have vetoed appropriations bills that did not make up a balanced budget. Every president could have recommended a balanced budget. None has done either.

We have annual deficits and a huge federal debt because that's what majorities in Congress and presidents in the White House wanted. We have troops in various Third World rat holes because Congress and the president want them there.

Don't be conned. Don't let them escape responsibility. We simply have to sort through 260 million people until we find 545 who will act responsibly.

Charley Reese of The Sentinel Staff
Mar 7, 1995

Star Bonds

Full story as released 3/23/10

Link to BND.com story

State Rep. Tom Holbrook, D-Belleville seems to have seen the light on the Star Bond issue. I am not against the development just the financing. The rumors circling this development mention an IKEA, the wife and I cannot get enough of their Swedish furnishings.

Commitee Meetings Tonight

I would like to encourage anyone to come to the committee meetings at city hall tonight. The budget for next year will be discussed a bit, and then the council will enter executive session to consider buying more land for parks. Does anyone know what land we are looking to buy?

Here's a link to the agenda

Proposed School Funding Cuts

I usually do not comment on the schools here in Columbia as my wife is a teacher at the middle school. This is important enough to make a point of though.

As we all know the state is well behind in making payments to pretty much everyone. It is four months behind in paying tax to the city at an amount of more than $240,000.The city council noted on Monday night that they will have to look at reducing expenditures for the next fiscal year given the states planned cuts to municipalities.

It is extremely important that something be done to fix the budget on the state level. If you ever needed a reason to call your representative the states financial crisis should be a good enough reason. If the best possible solution that can be agreed on in Springfield for fixing the states budget is to cut funding to the school system then we have elected the wrong people in my opinion.

I'll let Mr. Settles' letter speak for the school districts financial concerns.

STAR Bond Update

Story from the Belleville News Democrat

Link to the study paid for by the Southwestern Illinois Council of Mayors.

Link to letter in response to the study from Holland who is preparing their own independent study.

I have to admit I am following this story for three main reasons that I must clarify.

1. Our state is broke, well worse than broke actually. Should we as a state fund what should be a successful development with our tax dollars? These type of incentives have become the norm in the St. Louis Metro area but should we as constituents allow it to continue?

2. I grew up in Edwardsville and continue to follow its growth and expansion along with Glen carbon. I understand that this development is technically in Glen Carbon but I feel it is strategically placed just within the Edwardsville School District. I have included a map to illustrate my point, the UTC Development is in the lower left of the map. Its important for people to see the the sheer size of CSUD 7, which could as any school district use the additional funding. The school district is one clear cut winner in this whole project.

3. Our mayor, Kevin Hutchinson, is the president of the Southwestern Illinois Council of Mayors. The work he does for for this organization will reflect directly on Columbia. He should be viewed by our citizens for the work he does (both positive and negative in your personal view)as our representative wherever he is active. Whether that work is in Columbia, on a more regional level with the Council of Mayors and East-West Gateway, or any work he pursues regarding issues in Springfield.

Budget Plan Posted

Link to the budget plan.

I cannot imagine anyone could be happy with this plan. The tax hike is simply replacing money they are taking away for something else and making the public feel obligated as the new money will go to education which everyone has a soft spot for. Fair enough but I did the quick math and came up with this based on the estimated FY2010 individual income tax revenues.

Projected individual income tax revenue $8.46 billion at the current 3% rate (page 2-28 in the FY2011 budget)
If the 1% income tax surcharge to support education is passed then there will be an extra $2.82 billion for education. Couple this with the $1.3 billion cut that is proposed for education that will leave the state with $1.52 billion to "catch-up" with what the currently are behind in funding education statewide. I have to wonder how far behind the state is with the education system statewide? Is this enough?

What is planned for paying what is owed to municipalities. If I remember correctly the state owes Columbia over $250,000. Maybe that's payed with short term loans the state will take out. Where do we get the money to pay those loans as a state? Since I have a feeling we as a state are now borrowing money to pay for loan payments.

I welcome anyone to correct me if I am doing the math wrong here.

I have to give them credit that they did not completely destroy education funding so long as Springfield can pass the 1% increase in an election year. I would rather see the 1.5% increase and more rational cuts.

Illinois Budget

Well today is the day that Gov. Quinn will let us all know what his solution is. From the early reports the solution sounds weak. $2 billion in cuts while borrowing $11 billion. Cuts going to education and municipalities, the state is already 3-4 months behind on paying what it owes to locals school districts and municipalities so why not just give them less as well.

I have had the privilege of meeting some of the students at our middle school and I would have to believe they could take note of the negative number in the equation and come up with a better solution.

The state is in a bad situation. There is no question about that. Cuts need to be made and revenue needs to be raised. Borrowing money is not a solution. Springfield is taking their stand in this an election year and opting to duck the hard choices. The people want action, we have all made hard decisions over the last few years and its time our state begins acting like the elected officials we need.

No cut is too small to worry about. One suggestion made in Quinn's website was to have him use the same bic pen instead of a new fancy pen to sign all legislation. Quinn wrote that off as it may only save a few hundred dollars a year. I say save that money and find more small cuts, to go along with larger ones. If our elected officials are afraid of making cuts to programs that may lose them votes at least make some cuts that will make us feel like their not wasting our money.

Do not waste time, action should be taken, doing nothing will not help your campaign this year.

Taking a quote which has inspired me throughout my life to accept hard challenges that come my way should ring in the ears of those in Springfield.

.......this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward......We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too..... - JFK, Moon Speech, 9/12/1962