Random Thoughts, Notes, & Incidents

There were two things that got me angry yesterday. Well, at least two. Let's say two things that might be of interest to others who may also be thinking about these things.

First; Alan Greenspan. What an ass****. Is it just me, or is he overstepping his authority as Chairman of the Federal Reserve by dictating public policy to Congress and the President? What amazes me even more than Greenspan's unilateral decision that Social Security benefits need to be cut is the number of "journalists" who took that as a legislative fiat; Greenspan said it, therefore it will be so.

This man is appointed, not elected, and is accountable to none. Social Security policy is outside of his job responsibilities, and that he thinks he can get away with this is just another demonstration of the over-blown power he has been handed. Anybody else angry yet?

The second item is only of interest to those in California; the anti-proposition 56 TV ads. Several of them contain an outright lie. In their zeal to emphasize the "blank check" they claim the proposition gives to the legislature they list all the taxes that they'll be raising once it passes, including "property tax." Remember proposition 13? Nobody's messing with your property tax. This is a point blank lie. So, think you can believe anything else these idiots say?

Let me ask you a couple of questions: Do you believe in democracy? Do you believe in majority rule? Or, do you think it's fair that 34% of the state legislature can (and does) hold 66% of the legislature hostage each and every year? I hope you said "yes" to the first two questions. The third question describes the situation as it currently is. The state legislature has missed its Constitutional deadline for passing a budget 18 years in a row thanks to the super-majority requirement. This is a part of why the state is in the drastic financial shape it's currently in.

We have an opportunity here to fix that, and still require a bit more than a simple majority to pass fiscal matters. We're one of a handful of states that requires 66% to pass a budget. It's not a "blank check"; it's smart government. And, it builds in penalties for not making the budget deadline. I've been waiting for a proposition like this for years.