Thomas Jefferson tells us that there can be no such thing as government for dummies, yet we are but one election away from proving him wrong. This is what he said. “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” I believe we are dangerously close to that tipping point of ignorance. Jeffersonwent on to say “. . . whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right.” The time is upon us to “set them right” however many of us are woefully uninformed, so a review is in order.

Governance of theUnited States, as originally conceived, was meant to be very limited. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are to be respected and protected via government. This requires a nation of laws. Those laws give government the tools to insure that the actions of men and nations are kept in check so as not to unduly interfere with the lives and liberties of others. Our founders, and the foundation of knowledge from the great philosophers that they built their ideals upon considered liberty, justice, the possession of personal property and freedom to be rights inherent to men by virtue of their very existence, not granted by men or by government. These core rights supersede governance and are inalienable. Accordingly these rights have greater authority than any law or any government.

John Locke, famous 17th century philosopher and guiding force to our founding fathers said that property rights, including “lives, liberties and estates, is the great and chief end” for which governments are founded. Locke also stated that no law is just when it simply seeks to protect us from our own deeds. Locke said, “ The individual is not accountable to society for his actions in so far as these concern the interests of no person but himself.” In other words, laws that dictate behaviors because of their perceived goodness or value are not sufficient cause for enactment. The acid test to the necessity of a law is that it provide for the protection of others and not simply the best interests of each.

Justice, domestic tranquility, common defense, general welfare and liberty are the order of importance as written in the preamble of the US constitution. The founders were clear in their desire to make sure that government was limited. Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution, commonly referred to as the Enumeration Clause spells out with specificity those precise actions that the federal government must undertake. What section 8 is silent on is defined by the 10th amendment as specifically reserved to the will of the people and or the states. In other words, if it is not enumerated then the federal government is prohibited from doing it. It is into this area that today we find ourselves as having perilously strayed.

In an ironic twist, many individuals governing today do so after swearing allegiance and adherence to the same Constitution they know dreadfully little about while making laws and regulations that misinterpret, disregard or ignore that same sacred text. The modern day “nanny-state” we find ourselves encased by was never the vision of our founders.  We do well to heed the words of Thomas Jefferson, when he said, “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” Future happiness lost.  Jeffersonwent further, “A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities.”

I think it fair to say thatJefferson, along with his brethren scarcely even considered what passes today as a significant welfare state. The concept of “rugged individualism” and self-sufficiency were accepted tenets of what it meant to be an American. The policies and philosophies behind the concept of a government that has expanded the role of original intent to address notions of social engineering and the conveyance of privileges to some at the expense of others has bastardized the very underpinnings of our nation.  This has happened because the citizenry has allowed it through neglect and ignorance.  We are fast approaching that point in our society where there are more people in the wagon of government dependence than are left to pull it. James Madison gave us this somber prediction, over 200 years ago. “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

We are at a time in our history as the greatest surviving example of a representative republic, where it is up to us to face some harsh realities. We have allowed and encouraged government to grow into the monster it has become today. If we are to survive in any semblance of what our founders envisioned, and that history of greatness once true, then we have to reform, reject and repel the over-reach and invasiveness that we have not only allowed, but in our neglect fostered. We have arrived, unfortunately, at the spot in history that Thomas Paine so vividly reminds us of when he said, “Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one. Our continued tolerance of the intolerable will mark theWaterlooof theAmerica, once the strong and shining beacon of light on the hill, fast flickering, at risk of fading.

No, not on this, our watch. Instead, we would be wise to embrace the suggestion of President Ronald Reagan. “Let us be sure that those who come after will say of us in our time, that in our time we did everything that could be done. We finished the race; we kept them free; we kept the faith.” To do otherwise will forever immortalize the words of French philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville who said, “In democracy we get the government we deserve.” I think we deserve better.

Robert Kingsley

“Most people can’t think, most of the remainder won’t think, the small faction who do think mostly can’t do it very well.   The extremely tiny faction who think regularly, accurately, creatively, and without self-delusion… in the long run, these are the only people who count” — Robert A. Heinlein

Seems to be a lot of “self-delusion” thinking at all layers of government

Local school districts are sending the message through news reports that a cliff year for school budgets are upon us this year.  Trial balloons are being released by school boards testing residents interest in approving school budgets that exceed the 2 percent tax cap.  The whole point of the recently passed tax limit legislation is to bring needed relief to New York State property tax payers.   Some would argue, in my view, that school property tax bills are a component of our states job and housing stock decline.  Look around Broome County and see how many property owners have demolished or abandoned commercial and residential properties to avoid paying property taxes.

Going through the local school districts web sites, as of the writing of this post, I find only 3 districts even bothered to mention the budget crisis.    Maine Endwell Central Schools is the only district that has asked the residents in survey form what they think about exceeding the 2% tax cap.   Union Endicott has asked it tax payers to send a begging letter to Albany for more money.    Susquehanna Valley (which I am a proud graduate) has posted several pages that go over the limits and questions of the property tax cap law.   I suggest you read them over.

As we get closer to budget votes in May, there will be many more news and horror stories about how our kids education is being gutted.    School budgets are getting squeezed and school boards are going to have to make, what seems like some tough decisions.    However, the status quo of 4 to 5% yearly budget increases can not go on.   Albany can not increase the amount of aid, so any increase to budgets have to fall on local taxpayers.   The 2% property tax cap was passed to bring the administrations and school boards back to economic reality.

Two thirds of the school budgets are labor, pension and healthcare costs, which are off limits for the 2% tax cap law.  Go read the ME resident survey and see what area school boards are proposing to cut.   Why don’t the school Boards ask the various labor bargaining units in each district for some give backs and more health insurance participation?   Why aren’t school boards pressing for school district consolidation?   I see crocodile tears being shed for the kids by school administrations and school boards.   Most blame Albany, well they are probably right is some ways, but that does not change the local school budget situation for the next few years.

We will see in May what Broome County residents think about schools exceeding the 2% tax cap.

Good start here

Please forward to your elected NY representative

Let NY Work Agenda

1)  Make the Pension System Affordable - the State of New York, for both state and local employees, should offer two retirement options to new employees.  A reduced defined benefit plan or a new defined contribution plan that is controlled by the employees, is portable, and does not weigh down taxpayers.

2)  Redefine Compulsory Arbitration

- Define Ability to Pay – contracts cannot force government to exceed the cap or cut services

-  Prohibit Consideration of Non-Compensation Issues

- Limit Access to Binding Arbitration

- Add Transparency to the Arbitration Process – let taxpayers hear the terms before they are voted on

3)  When Contracts Expire, Freeze Step Increases

4)  Reduce Costs of Construction on Public/Private Projects

- Support alternative project delivery (e.g. design build). DONE

- Wicks Law-increase threshold to uniform $10 million across the state

- Use Unemployment Insurance (UI) Prevailing Wage tables to determine regional prevailing wage rate for projects

- Pass legislation to apply a comparative negligence standard under the Scaffold Law where a recalcitrant worker-one who refuses to use required safety devices, or engages in other reckless or negligent conduct-is injured [A.2835 (Morelle)]

5)  Establish Minimum Health Insurance Contributions Level for Employees and Retirees

- Employers should cover no more than 85 percent of a single healthcare premium or 75 percent of a healthcare premium for families or retirees.

6) No New Mandates!

- The state should not impose any future mandates on municipalities, school districts and taxpayers.  Enacting the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act (S.5379/A.8150) and requiring a super-majority to add new unfunded mandates would be beneficial.

The struggle in Albany between the New York State public work force and taxpayers is moving to the front burner.    All the low hanging fruit of budget gimmicks and more tax increases is off the table.   Now real cuts and changes are going to have to be implemented to just to try to stay the rate of budget growth to inflation.   With the state’s public schools starting the apology surveys and public meetings of why they can’t meet the 2% property tax law, more attention is going to be placed on Albany to make some real changes.    Are they up to the task of easing the tax burden on New York State taxpayers?

Cuomo’s push to control pension costs gains support from business advocates

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s push to control state pension costs is getting support from area business advocates.

Cuomo’s plan, known as Tier VI pension reform, would apply to state workers who are not yet hired and would not affect current workers’ benefits. The governor says the plan would save an estimated $123 billion over the next 30 years, but leading public employee unions are criticizing the proposed changes  more here…

The following is from a Zero Hedge post.   The small and insignificant blogger that I am, with good intentions, it is a little disconcerting that I would end up on a goverment database.

The State of US Surveillance

One of the most ominous developments for us personally crawled out from under its rock in November. Again without any public debate, DHS unleashed its National Operations Center’s Media Monitoring Initiative. Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like: The NOC’s Office of Operations Coordination and Planning is going to collect information from news anchors, journalists, reporters, or anyone who may use “traditional and/or social media in real time to keep their audience situationally aware and informed.” Thus Washington, D.C. unilaterally grants itself the right to monitor what you say. Doesn’t matter if you’re the New York Times, Brian Williams, a basement blogger, an online whistleblower, or known government critics like ourselves. They’re gonna take note of your utterances and file them away for future use. Journalists are not the only targets, by the way. Also included among those subject to this surveillance are government officials (domestic or not) who make public statements; private-sector employees who do the same; and “persons known to have been involved in major crimes of Homeland Security interest,” however large that umbrella might be….The larger speculation is: what’s the endgame here?