Tom Honig erroneously writes: “the problem really comes down to an essential flaw in any democracy: voters want government services, but they don’t want to pay for them…” (Good Times, May 21, 2009)
No, Tom. Voters want SOME government services and they want to CHOOSE which ones they want to fund. When times are tough, voters are likely to be even more careful about their choices. We all have less money and it has to do more.
For example, grandparents with 1/3 less money for retirement because of the meltdown still care about the education and quality of life of their grand-kids. They still will spend money on their grand-kids. So how do they stretch what they have?
There are a lot of statistics that suggest that California school test scores are at the bottom of the pack. And that California teachers are paid at the top of the pack. So why should those grandparents – and other voters – throw more money to the teachers’ unions? The unions protect the worst teachers from being fired. The unions, so far as I know, do not support merit pay for the best teachers.
Maybe there has to be a “meldtown” to get our priorities straight? Perhaps the “worst of times” can become the “best of times”?
How about a way that registered voters sitting in their living room can click a button and let law makers know yea or nea. The technology already exists. Professors are using it in their classroom for instant feed back. Let’s use the technology to let voters CHOOSE.
By the way, Tom, this is going out as a TWITTER. Yes, I know per last week’s article that you think TWITTER is for the birds. I think TWITTER has interesting possibilities other than answering, “what are you doing”. Why not answer, “what are you thinking that matters?
Cameron Jackson www.freedomOK.net/wordpress 831 688-6002
