Archive for November 15th, 2006
United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was in town today looking at our bridges to Canada. He was here to announce just $900,000 in new spending here to combat human trafficking.
We have a Customs and Immigrations department. Isn’t that their job? This is exactly the kind of duplication of services that costs the taxpayers too much money.
The U.S. Attorney General position was created by the Judicial Act of 1789, Section 35. The original duties were “to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give her advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the President of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments.” There was no Justice Department to support this position until 1870. Now, the Attorney General rarely handles cases in front of the Supreme Court, he has a Solicitor General for that purpose.
On March 9, 2006 President George W. Bush announced the new position of Assistant Attorney General for National Security in the Department of Justice. By combining the Counterterrorism and Counterespionage Sections of the Criminal Division and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act experts from the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OIPR), this reorganization will enable a more vigorous effort to combat terrorism and other threats to national security. The National Security Division will further improve coordination against terrorism within the Department of Justice and with the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and other intelligence community agencies. We are committed to preventing acts of terror and protecting the security of the American people at home and abroad.
Apparently the current duties of the U.S. Attorney General are heading a large government bureaucracy and issuing opinions for the President that subvert the meaning of the Constitution. As government grows, so does its quest for power.
Bill Online Easily, Fast & Free with PayPal. No Software Needed. Sign Up Now!
Requiring bouncers at bars located within the City of Buffalo to register with the City is just another form of taxation. Paying a $35 annual fee raises money for the City coffers but does nothing to affect the performance of bouncers. Wearing a badge is not necessary either.
There are laws on the books that already protect customers. The laws against assualt and battery. The $35 fee does not make enforcing those laws any different. Many of the larger clubs and bars already have their bouncers identifed by wearing t-shirts with the word “SECURITY” boldly displayed. The customers in the smaller establishments know who the bouncers are, a badge is not necessary.
The law also requires the Bufalo Police to perform background and moral character checks before issueing the bouncer’s permit. Would their moral character have to be better than the moral character of the Buffalo Police officers who planted drugs in a tavern in Riverside before arresting the owner?
This is just another regulation that makes operating a business within City limits less attractive.
Netflix Delivers DVDs to your home. NO LATE FEES. Try for FREE!
Last night Eliot Spitzer was interviewed on Channel 7’s news while touring the Buffalo area. He was discussing the economic doldrums here. While stating that the State would need to take steps to turn around our economy, he said “it is going to be difficult.”
Isn’t that why he was elected? He promised to make the hard choices, the choices between right and wrong that are necessary to “rightsize” government in this State.
Mr. Governor-elect, if you are listening, you are right, it will be difficult but it needs to be done. The following are some of the steps necessary to improve our economy:
- Eliminate pork
- Reduce the size of the State government
- Reduce the cost of Medicaid to the Counties
- Eliminate the wasteful plethora of Public Authorities
- Repeal the laws favoring Public Service Unions in contract negotiations
- Change NYS’s status as the Cadillac of social service programs back to the Chevy Impala of social service programs
In short, you need to significantly reduce the size of NYS’s budget. Popular speculation says that you have presidential aspirations. Spending the next 4 years accomplishing the goals outlined above would make you eminently qualified for the position. It would be a clearcut example of what cutting spending can accomplish. You would then be poised to subject the Federal government to the same agenda.
