Archive for January 5th, 2007
I would have government defend the life and property of all citizens equally; protect all willing exchange; suppress and penalize all fraud, all misrepresentation, all violence, all predatory practices; invoke a common justice under law; and keep the records incidental to these functions. Even this is a bigger assignment than governments, generally, have proven capable of. Let governments do these things and do them well. Leave all else to men in free and creative effort.
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January 1, 2007 — Gov. Spitzer has granted George Pataki
24-hour-a-day State Police protection, a shockingly expensive security detail that’s never been offered to a former New York governor, The Post has learned.
Democrat Spitzer reluctantly agreed to Republican Pataki’s last-minute security request, despite misgivings that such an action could violate the same law that led former state Comptroller Alan Hevesi to plead guilty to a felony, a source close to the new governor said.
Hevesi had claimed security concerns justified his using state employees to drive his wife around and run personal errands.
Spitzer was also uncertain as to what, if any, threat Pataki might face, and has ordered an investigation to find out.
The special security for Pataki could cost taxpayers $20,000 or more a week if it is limited to four round-the-clock State Police officers, who can each earn $80,000 or more a year.
It could cost a whole lot more if Pataki receives the far larger security detail - sometimes numbering a dozen or more - to which he’s been accustomed.
Source: New York State Taxpayers Union
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The governor vowed his budget will not propose raising taxes, but said the state still can afford to pump significantly more money into schools, cities and health care by making “hard choices” to cut other spending.
Pumping significantly more money into a failing public school system is a classic example of throwing good money after bad. The system fails because it is a virtual monopoly immune from competitive pressures that lead to improvement and efficiency. The most effective and beneficial method to deal with the schools is by giving a real choice in education.
Much of the same can be said for the current condition of the health care industry. As government involvement has increased, so have the costs of health care. The health care industry is suffering from the loss of direct accountability between users and providers. This has occurred from the tremendous overhead costs of government provider programs and HMO’s.
Cities are suffering from over-taxation that robs the private capital necessary for investment and economic growth. It is not a lack of government spending programs, it is the plethora of government programs, already in existence, that is strangling our cities.
The governor just does not get it. Not proposing increased taxes is not good enough, drastic slashing of taxes is necessary. Spitzer is using sleight of hand techniques that will not work. The only way he can implement his programs without a tax increase is by large increases in debt.
He called for a $2 billion borrowing, to be put before voters this fall, to fund stem cell research and other ventures that would lead to commercial applications; he did not specify whether it would include embryonic stem cell research.
Spitzer needs to address the cause of our economic woes instead of relying on more failed symptomatic solutions.
The people elected the Sheriff of Wall Street, it appears that they were short changed and ended up with the Sheriff of Mayberry. I take that back, we really ended up with Deputy Fife.
Charlie Rangel was sworn in as the Chairman of the House Ways and Means committee.
Democrats already set an ambitious agenda for the first 100 hours of legislation, including to implementation the outstanding 911 Commission recommendations, raise the minimum wage and provide more federal funding for stem cell research.
The giant sucking sound you hear is the money flying out of your wallets. Our only hope is the veto pen of George Bush. I never thought I would be relying on Bush as our only hope for anything.
