April First

Well, I find it difficult to read the news today… sometimes I doubt what I’m reading, and seeing that it is April Fool’s Day, I guess I’ll wait until tomorrow and check everything again.  For example, I read a piece that said that Norm Coleman had finally conceded to Al Franken in Minnesota.  While I found this really hard to believe, I was taken in for a  brief moment… and sure enough “April Fool’s!”  It is hard to understand how the Minnesota senate race can still be up in the air, but the legal battles go on. 

The Republicans submitted their budget today, and it seemed like another joke — even more tax cuts for the wealthiest amongst us, and cuts on spending for the poorest.  I’ll have to check on this budget tomorrow, because I don’t know what to believe today.  I mean, would they really offer up a budget that was so similar, and in fact in my mind worse than what they have given us for the last 8 years?  Isn’t that what got us in this mess in the first place?  I have never had any faith in trickle down economics, called “voodoo” economics by another president Bush, who also believed that you don’t give tax cuts unless the budget has already been balanced.  In other words, you don’t give tax cuts when you already have a deficit!

Once again the concept of why a nation or state has taxes seems to be misunderstood.  When a nation is formed it creates a social compact.  In the midst of every nation is the area we call “The Commons.”  The Commons is that which belongs to “We the People” and is for the common good of everyone of us.  What is to be decided is what are those things that belong in The Commons.  Once that is decided, then it is up to the people to contribute toward the common pot (the nation’s income) to pay for those things.  As a Nation we have agreed that transportation, education, defence, the arts, libraries, national parks and recreation centers, postal services, national forests and reserves, prisons, courts, and such things are part of  “The Commons.”  At one time we also thought that hospitals were part of The Commons.  What has happened over time is that those things which belong in The Commons have been sold off to private owners, and these owners than make a profit from the rest of us.  I mean, private owners are even running prisons these days.  If we are not careful private owners will take possession of more and more of those things that belong to “The Commons” in order to make even more money from us.  We could end up having to pay a toll to drive on the freeway, for example.  It has happened in some areas already.

When things are privatized it is never for the common good, but is always for the profit of the owners.  We must beware of losing more of ”The Commons” in the years to come.  Those who represent the owners in our government will try to convince us that the owners will do a better job.  They don’t tell us the real cost of privatizing what should be held in common for us all.  Our Commons has been steadily shrinking over time.  If we are not careful we will end up with a very small Commons. 

Those who want less taxes want a smaller and smaller Commons.  They would like to privatize nearly everything except defence.  I think this loss of “The Commons” is much to be regretted.

Tags: privatize, the commons, voodoo economics