Don't believe a government official who tries to tell you how “good” government is

A nation faced with multiple bailouts, ever-increasing taxes and political scandal, Americans today are witness to how inept, corrupt, intrusive, and expensive big, bloated government truly is.  As well intended as some government officials are, bloated, intrusive government does more harm than good.  Bloated government gets in the way of the ability to create and achieve.

 

Government is supposed to protect us, not provide for us.

 

At the federal level, our so-called leaders in Congress have OK'd "bailouts" of failed businesses to the cumulative tune of more than $7 Trillion.  That's your money and what government can’t get from you, well they just print some.  You’ve been asked to prop up repeated failure.  That’s good government?

 

The state government can spend bundles of your money attempting to attract movie producers to the state, but is facing a budget deficit of more than $700 million.  We’ve got bridges to repair, but let’s put that off and talk to Joe Movie Producer!  That’s good government?

 

Johnson County government increased its fiscal budget for 2009 more than 13% over 2008 which included pay raises, but can't seem to properly maintain county roads.  Despite significant growth and development in recent years, the Johnson County Supervisors led by Rod Sullivan chose to keep the budget for road maintenance flat.  It's quite likely that the county won't have enough salt and sand to properly address road conditions through the remaining winter season.  Taxpayers are asked to cough up five figures to conduct surveys for land buys, but we likely don’t have enough salt and sand to address roads?  Does that make sense to you? 

 

Iowa City government can hand out $50,000 to subsidize a theatre (not the first such subsidy either, or the last), they can give the library $10,000 to buy Wii consoles and video games for the kids to check out instead of books, but they can't build let alone staff a much needed fire station. How about those priorities huh?  Government is obligated to entertain us?  Not just no, but hell no!  That’s your money *leaders* are spending.

 

Iowa City Council member Connie Champion is in favor of passing a local income tax in which she stated the city will need the additional tax to pay for fire and police services.  Are City Council budget decisions inept actions by officials, or is it just arrogant spending?  You decide.

 

In the words of a caveman, "Build roads good. Clean water good. Police, fire protection good. Fund theatres, dog parks and video games bad, very bad." 

 

Deficit spending everywhere, bailing out repeated business and non-profit failure, government going socialist in policy, taxes skyrocketing........  Oh, and by the way, Iowa City - run by Democrats.  Johnson County - run by Democrats.  Iowa - run by Democrats.  U.S. House and Senate - run by Democrats. 

 

How did we find ourselves in such a mess? 

 

Voter ignorance is one reason.  Another cause for this mess is that too many people have a sick, twisted belief that the government is supposed to provide for our every whim in life.  Buying into every notion that our elected officials try to sell us is dangerous folks!

 

Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan wrote the following in a recent edition of his newsletter, 'Sullivan's Salvos':    "... I frequently take this opportunity to defend government. I firmly believe that government is inherently good."

 

The road to hell is paved with good intentions Mr. Sullivan.  And of course he’s going to say that, we give him more than $49,000 a year for his “government is inherently good” part time job. 

 

In the words of a caveman, "Build roads good. Clean water good. Police, fire protection good. Conduct $18,000 surveys, give elected officials another raise, increase budget for pet projects but not take care of roads bad, very bad." 

 

We would do better to trust the GEICO caveman to vote with more wisdom than does Connie Champion, Rod Sullivan and their liberal Democrat cohorts.