Column for August 12, 2010

For those who are on the internet a lot, like myself, you probably get a good amount of "spam" email. For those who are not inclined to be in the cyberworld, spam is not just processed meat, it is a term used for junk electronic mail. I got what I consider a spam email from Congressman Bob Etheridge.

I opened the email to see what old Bob "Who are you?" Etheridge had to say this time. Here is some of what he had to say.

"My top priorities in the U.S. House of Representatives have been jobs, jobs, and jobs. Specifically, I support common sense policies that will create an economy that works for the middle class so every North Carolinian who is willing to work hard has the opportunity to make the most of his or her God-given abilities."

Well, I have a hard time disagreeing with him so far. Is a Democrat allowed to say "God-given"? I would have thought that would be viewed by liberals as a "separation of church and state" issue. What else did Bob have in store?

"We need to rebuild America and restore the American Dream. Economic recovery in our country will be powered by small businesses. I have been working to enact eight separate tax cuts for small businesses to jumpstart hiring and boost the economy."

He is correct. We do need to rebuild America. Small business is indeed the engine that keeps America going. I find it amusing that both a man and a political party that have been supportive of massive spending and tax increases would recognize that tax cuts are what stimulate the economy. Tax cuts worked for John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. Why then do Democrats feel the need to pass Cap and Trade, health care legislation, and financial regulation packages that will only increase taxes, increase federal spending, and increase government intrusion into the economic and business sector?

This is simply talking out of both sides of one's mouth. You can not have it both ways. Either you are for tax cuts or you are for tax and spending increases. If tax cuts are so beneficial, then why does Congress propose these piddly little tax cuts while refusing to make the previous tax cuts under the Bush administration permanent? The answer is easy to find further down in the letter.

Congressman Etheridge continued, "The recent recession cost us 8 million American jobs—and years of policies that favored the special interests cost us 4.6 million American manufacturing jobs. Although too many people are out of work and family budgets are getting squeezed, bold action to correct the failed policies of the past has started to turn our economy around."

This is a classic case of blame everything bad on George Bush. In fact, the current recession is primarily because of the direct involvement in the economy by the Democrat controlled Congress in conjunction with a willing President Obama.

Don't get me wrong, I am not letting the Republicans slide on this at all. Republicans had control of Congress for years and did not act like they were in power. They were also corrupt and spent money in huge quantities, as well. I blame them just as much as I blame Democrats for the huge borrowing and spending problems that eventually led to an economic crash. These spending issues were hugely magnified and sped along under President Obama and his far left, socialistic agenda. Etheridge is claiming he is working to solve the very problems he helped create.

Since I only have so much space in which to critique, I will choose one last item. Etheridge wrote, "Long term, we need budget discipline and smart investments like Pell Grants and higher education assistance and school construction."

I wholeheartedly agree that we need budget discipline, but we will never achieve it when congressmen like Bob Etheridge vote for spending programs that will cost trillions of dollars. As to Pell Grants, education assistance, and school construction, I have yet to find anywhere in the United States Constitution that gives the power to Congress to either spend money on these things or regulate them.

Bob Etheridge's letter is unfortunately typical of most politicians in office today. They take credit for things they did not do, blame others for their own failings, try to "have it both ways" in order to look good, and attempt to tickle the ears of a predominantly ignorant constituency. Remember this when you vote in November.

Column for March 5, 2009

Here is your chance to sound off or get involved in your town

I wrote recently that "Selma is a great town but…" seems to be a familiar phrase I hear. I had one email conversation recently in which I was asked for a list of things I felt needed attention or were problematic.

I figure that it is time that we hear from some of our citizens as to their concerns here in town. I strongly encourage each of you to write the newspaper and take advantage of the "letters to the editor" section and express your thoughts, complaints, compliments, problems, suggestions, and desires for your home town.

For the sake of brevity, I will share just some of my own recent list.

1. Selma leadership seems fixated on expanding the town through forced annexation rather than attracting people to move and/or build here. Forced annexation is unethical, it is confiscatory in nature, and past efforts have been expensive as well as illegal.

2. The town neglects some simple and inexpensive things that will enhance its image such as fresh paint on flag poles, no parking zones on curbs, town facilities, and the like. Not all improvements are expensive. Let's take care of the little things we can do on the cheap before pursuing dreams of grandeur.

3. Almost three years ago, the town worried about liability over a free standing water tower that was abandoned and left alone for years but ignores the broken, uneven sidewalks that are used every day. Common walking surfaces are a much greater liability risk. Why strain at a gnat and swallow a camel?

4. We have sewer lines that are 100 years old and in disrepair and yet the town seems to want to add more area to the town that will require additional infrastructure including water and sewer lines. Why seek to add area to the town and yet ignore the upkeep of existing infrastructure?

5. The town attempts to exert undue influence on people who live in the ETJ, outside the city limits. I have written on this extensively.

6. We have over 60% renters in the town. That leaves the primary property tax bill on absentee landlords who do not care about the town in which their properties are located. A minority of citizens actually own property, live here, and have a stake in the town. This leads to little pride in the town and attracts a low quality of citizenry. Though this was addressed in the Strategic Plan, I am not convinced that the action of outlawing duplexes that limits freedom and ran contrary to the Planning Board's wishes was the best method of stemming the tide of rentals.

7. By and large, the town council and mayor disregard what the citizens express at public hearings or what may have been recommended by citizen advisory boards, and have even been openly critical of those opinions. This does not instill the desire for serving the community or to get involved with one's town. I will say that Councilman Eric Sellers, in general, is courteous enough to read and respond to emails. Thank you, Mr. Sellers. I believe in contacting my elected officials.

8. I have witnessed bullying and intimidation tactics employed on council members and on citizens, which is just unacceptable behavior. I have also witnessed pontification of one thing at town council meetings and then a pontiff's turn around vote for exactly the opposite.

9. Selma is full of illegal aliens. At town hall, employees must cater to those who are here illegally and/or do not speak the common language of the land. Failure to discourage immigrants from moving here results in low quality renters and neighborhoods, raises our crime rates, costs money for the time and materials in two languages, and just plain needs to stop with the drain on our budget. This problem is even greater at higher levels of government and affects our taxes, our education system, our health care system, and our culture. If we had sufficient resolve even at the town level, we could make a difference in this problem.

These are just some of the items I shared, but with a little sanitizing of content for public consumption and space constraints. What would be in your list? Write the newspaper and let the town know. Get involved. Speak out. Exercise your freedoms. Here is my one suggestion in pondering your items. Be prepared to offer items for which you believe there to be a viable solution.