Their actions have resulted in major unresolved issues that persist over many decades, a crushing $16 TRILLION national debt, declining respect for the nation's political and government processes, a substantial loss of freedom, and a heavy tax burden for nothing in return.
However, there is a glimmer of hope. For the first time in what seems forever, we actually came across some rational, sane, and worthwhile activities and actions of the political class. Be warned: these small positive steps will not solve the issues listed in the previous paragraph. However, as we discussed yesterday, the road to sanity has to start somewhere, so let's begin with these small steps to a rational, minimalistic government operated by dedicated, courageous, and unselfish leaders.
1) Like most local governments over the past few years, the town of Milton, Washington has also suffered. According to Reason magazine, the town's tax base has shrunk from $4.9 million in 2010 to an expected $3.9 million this year. Rather than try to do what it did when its revenue base was 33% larger or raise taxes on already overburdened residents (typical political class responses), the politicians in Milton decided to do less, eliminating non-vital government services to meet its tight budget.
Milton cut deals with neighboring towns to share firefighting and library services, it eliminated the position of "activities director," and when an insurance consultant pointed out that unenforceable laws are a huge liability risk, the city council repealed many of its unnecessary laws, laws that were vague or unenforceable. One of the laws it repealed was the one that required bike riders to wear helmets.
From a freedom perspective, the reason why they killed the helmet law was very refreshing. The politicians realized that riding a bike without a helmet and doing other dangerous activities could lead to injury but that it was not the duty of the government to intrude on personal decisions.
A council spokesperson summed it up quite nicely: "Of course you should wear a helmet. But this is a parents' issue - parents need to be supervising their children, making sure their children are well dressed and have helmets on. Wearing flip flops and shorts and no helmets on skateboards and bikes is just stupid." And the government, no matter how hard and how expensively it wants to intrude into our daily decisions and freedom, cannot cure stupid.
Better to focus on the most important issues and resolve them than try to enforce many unenforceable rules and laws and get nothing resolved. Kudos to Milton, Washington politicians for recognizing reality: focus on the important issues, get creative with limited resources, and trust citizens to understand what is best for them.
2) Until recently, if two friends were using illegal drugs and one of them overdosed, the other friend faced a tough dilemma: if they called police and EMTs for their overdosing friends, they faced the real possibility of being arrested for illegal drug usage. If they did not call for help, their friend would suffer further damage and possibly death. Just another perverted consequence of our lost war on drugs: citizens die for no reason because of our existing drug laws.
Fortunately, there are some scattered politicians across the country who recognize that protecting the lives of citizens, even if they are using illegal drugs, is more humane and passionate than boosting drug arrest statistics. Starting with New Mexico in 2007, followed by seven other states, a series of 911 Good Samaritan laws were implemented. These laws offer immunity from prosecution laws that arise during emergency response situations.
Thus, in our example above, the non-overdosing friend could feel free to call for help for his endangered friend without worrying about being prosecuted for illegal drug use. Since Reason reports that there are over 40,000 overdose deaths a year, the spread and publicizing of these types of laws would go a long way to reducing the death rate.
This is how politicians and government should work. Rational laws that provide a tangible benefit to its citizens at minimal cost. Kudos to 911 Good Samaritan laws.
3) Earlier in August, the state government of New Jersey enacted a far reaching, positive first step in reforming what ails our failing public education processes in this country despite what had been one of the more stubborn, state wide teacher unions in the country. Politicians dealt a heavy blow to the oldest teacher tenure law in the country:
- Democratic State Senator Teresa Ruiz spent two years drafting a bill to reform the 103-year-old teacher tenure law and tie teacher job security to student performance, legislation that was signed by the state's Republican governor, Chris Christie.
- This cooperation proves that bipartisanship is actually possible in our divided nation.
- Under this legislation, all teachers will have to undergo annual evaluations based primarily on student performance.
- Any teacher who receives two consecutive negative evaluations can lose tenure.
- The hope is that these evaluations and repercussions will not only lead under performing teachers to seek other career options but also encourage talented, tenured teachers to maintain strong teaching performance.
- The legislation also changes the process for gaining tenure. Under the current system, all teachers, regardless of performance and talent, receive tenure after only three years of employment.
- The new law stretches the amount of time teachers must teach beyond three years before being awarded tenure, and teachers must achieve two positive evaluations in their first three years in the classroom to stay in the good graces of the process.
Now, it does not get rid of the other major stumbling block to improving public education. New Jersey, like most other states, allow their teachers' staffs to function under a seniority process, i.e. first in, last out. When teaching staffs need to be reduced, those teachers with the longest tenure, regardless of how lousy they are at their job, get to keep their jobs vs. younger but possibly better teachers on staff.
But this legislation is a great first step. Kudos to the Democrats, Republicans, and teachers' union in New Jersey who have come up with a rational, logical, and fair solution to a major problem. Rational, logical, fair: three adjectives you rarely associate with any American politician.
Three pieces of good news, politicians delivering value added services with minimal cost. Its a small start towards sanity but it is a start.
We invite all readers of this blog to visit our new website, "The United States Of Purple," at:
http://www.unitedstatesofpurple.com/
The United States of Purple is a new grass roots approach to filling the office of President of The United States by focusing on the restoration of freedom in the United States, focusing on problem solving skills and results vs. personal political enrichment, and imposing term limits on all future Federal politicians. No more red states, no more blue states, just one United States Of America under the banner of Purple.
The United States Of Purple's website also provides you the formal opportunity to sign a petition to begin the process of implementing a Constitutional amendment to impose fixed term limits on all Federally elected politicians. Only by turning out the existing political class can we have a chance of addressing and finally resolving the major issues of or times.
Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at www.loathemygovernment.com. It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.
Please visit the following sites for freedom:
http://www.cato.org/
http://www.robertringer.com/
http://realpolichick.blogspot.com/
http://www.flipcongress2010.com/
http://www.reason.com/
http://www.repealamendment
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