A Terrible Way To Run A Government

Imagine deciding today what you would include in your household budget ten years from now. 20 years from now. That's exactly what those behind the so-called Legacy Amendment ask you to do. The bill will increase the state sales tax by 3/8ths of a cent and dedicate the money to environmental projects. 20% of the money will go for supposed 'cultural heritage', unnamed, undescribed, unimagined arts projects paid for with your tax money. For the next 20 years. Whether we need them or not. At least those behind the environmental project have a committee in place to decide what activities should be supported. Those behind the arts projects have not formed advisory committees yet. If the constitutional amendment passes, it will be up to next year's legislators to decide. Imagine your worst arts project nightmare and think about including it in next year's state budget, and next year's and next year's and not allowing state legislators the discretion to raise, lower or delete it. The Amendment is a bad way to run a government.

Seven Years Ago

Seven years ago today, I was walking from the news studio to the main broadcast studio to update the PSA file or check the log or make sure the radio signal wasn't fading, just another day at the radio station, when I looked up at the television monitor. Smoke was pouring out of one side of one 100+ story tower of the World Trade Center in New York. Unbelievable! Most network commentators were saying that a small plane must have drifted off the flight path and collided with the big building. No one was suggesting that a huge jet airliner would have caused the damage. At that moment, the damage looked minimal, one small fire on the side of a huge building. The coverage continued. And then television images showed the second plane slamming into the second tower. And the world changed.

Those images will stay with me for the rest of my life, like the mental pictures from South Vietnam, like the Challenger exploding in mid-air, indelibly seared on my brain. Take a second at 8:46am and remember.

We Need Jobs!

A recent post from a pro-big government web site said recently that Minnesota had the 7th lowest employment growth rate in the nation for the years 2006-2007. The state's economy needs help. The conclusion writers for that site reached was to spend more on government, not less. Yesterday, I talked with a young man on the front lines of that particular battle. He's a small businessman and told me in no uncertain terms that small business supplies more than 90% of the new jobs in the state and what would I do to encourage that. I asked him what he had in mind and he listed a number of ways governments get in his way, slow him down, distract him from making a living, and adding a tax or two now and then for no more reason than to take from him to give to someone else. All of us know of examples of companies that have down-sized, closed or moved out of state because of international economic changes. Business people don't make those changes whimsically but to make a better profit, make more money, make their enterprise expand. And hire more people. There is a difference between government jobs and private sector jobs but more about that in another post. Meanwhile, the government has to help or get out of the way. The sooner the better.

Two School Problems

A short visit to what's called the Washington Administrative Building on Oak Street in Brainerd brought back a lot of memories. My parents and brother lived three blocks south of the school. My sister was born when I was a senior and my brother and I used to walk her around the block after we came home from school. I even took a couple of minutes wandering through the old band room and then stopped in at the superintendent's office. If there's anything I regret, it's that I didn't apply myself and get even more from my years as a Washington High Warrior, looking forward to the next encounter with any sports team carrying the maroon and white of the C-I Rangers.

Things have changed, and I'm not talking about just the water fountains.

Minnesota schools continue to offer one of the best educational experiences in the nation but the rest of the world has caught up. Mr. Fox' typing class and Miss Torgerson's math have left lasting personal benefits and I've always wondered why. If we could bottle what they offered and make sure every young mind got the same treatment, perhaps our global standing wouldn't be so tough to talk about. Hopefully we can figure it out soon.

Meanwhile, there are two problems we could fix and perhaps within the near future. Unfunded mandates and equitable funding.

State and national governments should not be allowed to tell local schools what to do and then not pay for it. That practice has to stop.

And education for all students in Minnesota should get the same funding. In other states, lack of equal funding is close to reaching the courts and then we won't have the flexible to find a workable solution. Equal funding has to be achieved soon.

There are more problems to be solved but these two should be on the front burner. Perhaps then we can ask Mr. Fox and Ms. Torgerson for their suggestions on the others.

A Fantastic Radio Moment

To all the 3WI listeners who joined, Mary Koep, my opponent and I, thanks for the great questions. It was a good chance for voters to hear the two of us at the same time, talking about the same subjects. I hope it happens again, on 3WI or any other station. Perhaps our closing statements offer a good contrast; I said I was looking forward to becoming a citizen legislator to lower taxes and reduce government; my opponent said he was working hard and wanted to work year-round for the people of Minnesota. Working hard has pushed Minnesota's state budget to nearly $40-Billion, so far. Wonder how much my opponent believes is enough?

63 Days and Counting

Election Day 2008 is a little over two months away and the phone is starting to ring. Voters will now become more engaged in the issues of this election and I welcome that. I believe the best way to govern is to establish principles and use them as your guide. Lower taxes, less government and more personal liberty is a good place to start. And hard principles to argue against.

Civic Fest A Must See

Civic Fest at the Minneapolis Convention Center runs through the end of the Republican National Convention this Thursday and if it doesn't mess up your life a lot, don't miss it. Highlights include an exhibit of historic American flags, most from the 18th and 19th Centuries from the days before the specific design was passed into Federal law in 1912. One has the design of an eagle surrounded by stars. And don't miss the exhibit of the 14 Presidents before George Washington. A miniature White House, a 60' White House and Rose Garden, and a traveling Abraham Lincoln exhibit. Add the Sarah Palin announcement and you feel really proud to be an American and a Republican. Enjoy.