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An Embarrassment
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- Created on Thursday, 03 September 2009 06:18
That Montana should fare so poorly in regard to transparency regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is embarrassing. (See article on front page.)
For all the bragging we hear about Montana’s public information laws, supposedly so much better than any other state (I’ve heard this ever since the state adopted its new constitution in 1972), how can our state government rank only 43rd in the nation in providing transparency?
This should be of grave concern to every citizen.
I suppose we can take solace in the fact that only six states scored more than 50 of a possible 100 points in the survey conducted by the Good Jobs First Policy Research Center in Washington DC. Montana scored 20. Then again maybe every state should be wondering what has happened to accountability in government in our country. Maybe we should be wondering how much more responsibility we want to relinquish to government.
When it doesn’t make sense, follow the money.
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- Created on Monday, 24 August 2009 09:52
The number of people who don’t know what “cap and trade” is all about is dismaying, especially since it will so profoundly affect everyone. Especially, people most disenfranchised and least capable of living with it – or perhaps the more appropriate way is to say “dying with it.”
An exaggeration? Not at all. Just think of the food shortages that were so quickly felt a year ago as subsidized gasohol markets started sucking up the supply of corn that had previously gone to food. This unintended consequence was the result of but a minor market manipulation and its impact was miniscule compared to, what is not only possible, but is actually the goal of the massive market manipulations inherent in “cap and trade.” And, all this coming from that faction of the political spectrum that holds itself out as being far more considerate of the downtrodden and helpless. They are only concerned about those poor people so long as they don’t stand in the way of political power, because that’s what “cap and trade” is all about.
People seem unwilling to recognize what “lowering the standard of living” means in practical terms. Just like nationalizing health care, we are talking about real life and death issues, whether it’s being able to afford health care, having fuel to warm your home or the amount and quality of food on your table. The incomprehensibleness of this legislation is that these things are not unintended consequences, they are the sought –after goal. That is what people have trouble accepting as a truth – so evil is the very idea.
