I might be young, but I’m still allowed to have an opinion

Fact: In 1675  King Charles II, banned Coffee Houses proclaiming they were places where people met to plot against him.

Opinion:

As I was reading this article earlier (it’s about students organizing a walk out to protest proposed education cuts in NJ)  I got a little mad. Then, as I thought about it, I started to get angry then more thinking and I got even angrier. While the budget cuts are striking, deep, and, in my opinion, the wrong place – it was this section of the article that sent me over the edge. Michael Drewniak, the governor’s press secretary, released a statement on Tuesday saying that students belonged in the classroom. “It is also our firm hope that the students were motivated by youthful rebellion or spring fever,” Mr. Drewniak said, “and not by encouragement from any one-sided view of the current budget crisis in New Jersey.”

Students organized and protested, or should I say using constitution speak – the peacefully assembled to petition their government. A reasonable argument could be made that instead of a “walk out” during class they could have assembled before/after school or on a weekend. But, hey these kids are smart and they know that to be effective you have to do it when people are paying attention(they got coverage in the NYT – woot! woot!). To dismiss them as only having one side and saying they would be better served by staying in the classroom risks sending a greater, harmful, message to our youth “you are young so your opinion doesn’t matter.” Which is the complete wrong message to send.

We should be encouraging more civic participation from students, not less. Insert plug for comprehensive civics education here. As some of the students pointed out “this is our future” which is why providing means for students to stand up and speak out should increase not decrease. States all across the country are facing tough budgets, services have and will need to be cut and education is sadly on the table – and students are the ones most directly impacted by it, so why not listen to them. I also doubt that the governor’s spokesperson would have been so dismissive if the students supported the governors position – or am I being too cynical.

Speaking of education policy, we can all agree that the Texas Board of “Education” is crazy and I’m scared for the future knowing what will (and won’t) be in textbooks – who knew history was that easy to rewrite.

Ok back to topic, I suppose. We really need to stop dismissing the voice of youth. It happens all the time. Need a refresher – 2008 election. Yes, I am young and yes I supported Obama (couch:: Kucinich:: Biden:: cough). I did not do this because it was trendy, or that’s what all my friends on facebook were doing. I did it because I have beliefs and convictions and his polices most closely aligned with these beliefs, values, and convictions. The trend to dismiss the opinions/beliefs of younger generations needs to stop. If we are going to care about the future we need to encourage our youth to learn about the world around them, the polices that affect them and to get involved. If we, as a society, continue to discount them and their beliefs we risk creating a generation of apathy and cynicism.

Why is it perfectly acceptable for a bunch of old people, who seem to be poor spellers, ill-informed, slightly racist, conspiracy theory believing, etc to get together and call themselves a “Tea Party” railing against higher taxes (that were actually cut), but students who organize and protest cuts to education funding is a bad thing.

Maybe I worry too much. But I think a more appropriate response should have been “we disagree with their position, here is why, and we feel that this should have been done during non-school hours, we are encourage that these students are taking an active role in public policy …” Is that really too much to ask?

If we, the youth (I’m only 25 I still get to qualify myself as youth right?) are good enough when you need to understand how to find something on the Internet, then we should be good enough when we take a stand on an issue. Oh, and seriously older people, just because I am young, it does not mean I know everything about computers , try figuring it out yourself first – I don’t ask you for the recipe for malteds and black and white television was like, I google it.

I have a love/hate relationship with the interstate

Fact: The colony of Massachusetts was the first to issue paper money in America

Opinion:

The smart growth movement has been undermined by many things, however none more so than the interstate highway system. Smart growth has had its political challenges and been challenged by academics. However, the hidden detriment has been the interstate highway system that has become an institutional barrier to the principles of smart growth.

Smart growth aims to direct development to areas already served by existing infrastructure, provide for an equitable and predictable development pattern, conserve open space, provide for mixed transportation and end sprawl while revitalizing existing urban neighborhoods to livable and thriving communities.

The success of each of these principles has been and will continue to be undermined by our current highway system. The interstate highway system has many benefits and should be heralded for the wonderful way it connects the country. However, it has made us too auto dependent and facilitated urban sprawl. The ability to move rapidly from location to location by automobile utilizing a safe, well maintained and designed roadway system has facilitated the rapid outgrowth seen in the post-WWII era, just as the highways were being built.

Just as they facilitated the outgrowth that smart growth tries to undo, the highway system puts a barrier to these goals. Transportation funding and subsidies is disproportionately skewed to roadways and away from mass transit. Mass transit must them struggle to set prices to remain viable, without pricing out the very customers they want/need to serve. While those not served by mass transit complain that they do not want to subsidize transit systems they do not use, they miss the point that mass transit riders are subsidizing a transportation system (highway) they do not use through their taxes.

The highways that rip through urban cores dividing cities make the reconnection of neighborhoods and communities difficult. It makes residents reliant on mass transit, which has issues as described above. Having an interstate highway rip through a neighborhood in a city, does not make walkable communities a viable option.

The ability to build a new road and connect new developments removes green space and adds to the problems of sprawl. Until we have the political leadership to halt the facilitation of interconnecting everything with a road we will continue to grow out, not in and become auto dependent. Until there is political courage to end the inequity of transportation subsidies, mass transit will continue to struggle and residents of cities will become increasingly auto dependent.

If we want to really revitalize the urban core, make existing communities thrive and while containing outgrowth and promoting infill we need to address the highway system. We have become a victim of our own success. The interstate highway system has many benefits and made economic prosperity possible in the post-WWII era, however, it also has many drawbacks. We as a society need to admit them and work to address them if we are committed to achieving sustainable and smart development in the future.

The end is really just the beginning

I usually reserve this space for (somewhat snarky) opinions. However, today is special and I am going to use it differently. I’m not sure how many of you have read this before, as I usually don’t post the link when I make new posts, but welcome and read some past opinions if you like. I recently submitted the final paper of my graduate school career. Now, assuming I passed, the only thing standing between me and my degree are a few short days.

I entered grad school two and a half years ago bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready to take on the world. My final semester of undergrad had reinvigorated my love of learning, I had so many  questions that  needed answers and I thought I finally found a direction in life (some of you may remember the pre-med thing), and nothing was going to stand in my way. The first semester was interesting between the old Irish professor who could namedrop all the way back to pre-Revolutionary America and the Rush touting guy, oh what an introduction.

Through the annoying class discussions, to the comments from fellow students (“I think the Federalist Papers were advocating against a strong central government.” Really?!? Yeah, it someone actually said that.) to the copious amount of papers I have written, it has been an interesting journey. I may have lost some of my passion, but that will come back, but as Hillary said, through it all I found my voice. I am no longer the timid one in class afraid to disagree with the professor or another student. I have my beliefs, I have them for a reason, I want you to challenge them but expect me to defend them and challenge yours.

When I hit “send” on that final email I was torn between jumping out of my shoes and finding a way to recall it. Not because I didn’t want my time at Penn State Harrisburg to end, that couldn’t come fast enough, but because I didn’t want my time as a student to end. Since kindergarten every summer ended with a new school year, and now it’s over.

Someone asked me earlier if I learned anything, and I said of course I had but I couldn’t tell you what. I still can’t, but what I do know is that I am definitely not the same person I was in the fall of 2007 when this journey started. Especially in the past year and a half I have begun to realize who I am and what makes me happy. I’m not sure that an MPA degree was for me, but as much as I wonder “what if” I went to ASU, I can honestly say coming home for this brief time period was the right decision.

Which brings me to the purpose of this post. I want to express my sincerest thanks to all my friends and family. As much as I dislike Harrisburg, it will always be home. The family has had some big ups and downs over the past few years, and I’m thankful I was around. The group of friends I have developed since moving back have meant more to me than they can ever know. The ones who I have fallen in and out of touch with from GW have inspired me to take new risks and challenges and embrace life and all the changes that come with it. I thought the four years we spent together was the best four years of my life, but in reality it doesn’t compare to the last few. (Although I could definitely use more Andre-w, chanting, and random wondering in my life). The few friends I have bonded with at PSH (mostly through a shared rage/hate) thanks for giving me hope in an otherwise gloomy place.

Wow, I can’t believe I got that sentimental. As you know, emotions are not my thing (I think it’s an allergy), so this is a big step. But I think the occasion warrants it. For those of you got one too many “you won’t believe the stupid thing that happened in class tonight” calls on my drives home, or the “I just want this f***ing paper/program program to end call/conversation/text/gchat, etc, Thank you! At one point, probably last January (graduation debacle) I gave serious consideration to quitting, but your support and encouragement made me reconsider.

I have no idea what’s next. A few months ago I thought I settled the whole “what to be when I grow-up question” but knowing me that didn’t last long. I am open to ideas and suggestions. If you are able to read this, it means I value your friendship and possibly your opinion, so contact me if you have any ideas (no really please tell me what I should be). In writing this I am reminded that I will never not be a student. The world has too many things to teach us, and I have too many questions to ask.

If you made it this far, what the hell is wrong with you? Just kidding, thanks again.

Voting is the easy part

Fact: Only 10 of the original colonies participated in the 1789 election of George Washington. New York chose no electors and North Carolina and Rhode Island hadn’t ratified the Constitution yet.

Opinion:

A response to Must you Vote

They are right. But like “Rock the Vote” it misses the broader point. Telling people to vote on issues they have little to no information on is not the solution, but the solution is not to abstain from voting it is to foster better citizens.

We need the people engaged in their communities, taking active, meaningful and committed roles. When citizens are engaged in the world around them they won’t need to be reminded to vote, it will be a natural extension of what they are already doing.

This piece talks about how we are allowing a small minority of citizens select our officials. While true, it forgets to mention that no matter how small the turnout, the elected official holds power over all the people. Mayor Bloomberg may only be selected by 1/6 the populace but his decisions affect all NYC residents. As President Bartlett once said “decisions are made by those that show up.” I’ll add that they still affect those who don’t.

“In our defense, politics is a complicated business, and few of us have the time or training or inclination to become sophisticated about all that we are asked to vote on.” So because it’s complicated we shouldn’t worry about it? One, it’s not that complicated; two, really?

This is why civics education needs to be a core class like Math, Science and History, if can’t be an afterthought. We need to teach our children what it means to be a citizen, the rights and responsibilities and educate them on how their government works and the role they play in the system. When people begin to realize that the vote they cast for mayor probably has more of an affect on their day-to-day lives than the vote they cast for president (or electoral college electors), then there will be no “off year elections.”

Early and consistent civics education that teaches the next generation the roles they play in shaping their communities is the real answer. Why we continue to shrug off ignorance in our government (at all levels and branches), the policies it undertakes baffles/frustrates/angers me. It should unacceptable everyone that a substantial portion of the populace has no idea Medicare is a government run health care program for seniors. Or more would notice that with little fanfare the president signed a $630 billion defense appropriations bill, but spending $90 billion a year to ensure every American has health care is apparently too much. Or that the bill brings our total commitments to Afghanistan and Iraq to over $1 trillion, health care would approach that in 10 years. We also need to get more people involved in their communities, voting is not the only way “we the people” can express our opinions.

And while we’re on it can we please have some election reform. The whole “running for dog catcher” thing seems silly, but yesterday I cast a ballot for coroner. In Pennsylvania, trust our county commissioners to run human services but not to hire the coroner? Is the Republican coroner going to tell me that someone died of “socialism” and the Democrat coroner going to tell me they died of an “over reliance on free markets and tax cuts to the wealthy”?

The right to vote is one of the great freedoms we have, and we should never forget the struggles of past suffrage movements. The ability to vote in a free and fair election is one of the great things about this country, need a reminder look at Afghanistan. However, voting is just one of many ways to be a good citizen. “In any case, voting is not an ethical obligation.” But civics should be.

(don’t be) tardy to the party

Fact: 80 years ago today, 10/29/1929 stock prices collapsed on the NYSE – next came a panic, then a depression. (mini opinion Yay capitalism!)

 

Opinion: I was pleasantly surprised to see the following tweet from Senator Specter the other day, “Just as we were finally able to pass hate crimes legislation, it’s time to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.” Then he went on to write an opinion piece for the HuffingtonPost.  Where he also calls for a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

In case you forget, DOMA states that individual states do not have to recognize a same-sex marriage even if it is recognized in another state – basically, selectively opting out of the “full faith and credit” clause of the pesky Constitution.

While I was glad to see that Senator Specter has decided to become vocal advocate (even giving a speech on the Senate floor) for the repeal of DOMA; I was, as they say, perplexed. It was a mere 13 years ago that Senator Specter voted Yea on DOMA. Which he fails to mention.

I know the senator has been a long-time supporter of expanded hate crimes protections for LGTB individuals, finally signed into law. However, I still wonder if his newfound voice is in anyway a strategic effort to gain some “progressive” support as his poll number slip and he faces a persistent primary challenger in Representative Joe Sestak (also a recent vocal advocate).

 

I’m hopeful Senator Specter’s position is because he has had a genuine change of heart, and not a political calculation. Not that it really matters, a vote to repeal is a vote to repeal – but still is it too much to ask.

I would be less skeptical if he acknowledged his original vote. “The time has come to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Enacted 13 years ago when the idea of same sex marriage was struggling for acceptance, the Act is a relic of a more tradition-bound time and culture.” I agree completely, then again I didn’t vote to enact it in the first place and maybe the struggle would have been easier if more senators/representatives took a stand against legalizing discrimination in 96. Yes, we are a different country now, one that is more open and accepting, 1/10 has legalized same-sex unions and to the chagrin of many the world kept on spinning and the sky didn’t fall. The forests didn’t burst into spontaneous fire (hrmm, well that always happens in California – don’t blame the gays).

We all make mistakes, lots of them – and our opinions evolve over time. However, when your past opinions are matter of public record the noble thing to do is acknowledge them. Here’s to hoping the Senator is fashionably late and not tardy to this party. (Cheers!)

now with book reviews

Fact: The Washington Redskins were the first NFL team to have an official marching band.

Opinion:

I recently read Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol – why? it seemed like a good idea at the time.

A few things that made me really angry:

1. The Washington Monument is not the center of the city. In fact the Washington Monument isn’t even centered on the National Mall – (nerd alert: it is 11 feet off center, there was supposed to be an additional portion but funds ran low).
   1. The observation deck is not 555 feet in the air! The structure is 555 ft 5 1/5 inches tall – the observation deck is at 500 feet. If you take the tour, it says “500” on the floor! (I have pictures)
2. The Founding Fathers could not have hid the ancient secrets there because
   1. they didn’t design the National Mall to include monuments to themselves
   2. the construction of the Washington Monument took place circa the Civil War; asshole
3. The Washington Area Metro Transit Authority Metrorail system is referred to as “the metro” NOT “the subway”
   1. stand on the right WALK on the left
4. The Redskins in the playoffs? Maybe if this was written in the late 80’s
   1. DC a football town? Really?
5. You think a YouTube video of the leaders of the free world performing Masonic death rituals will bring down the government. A larger than healthy portion of the country thinks the current president faked his birth certificate; just under half the country thought Sarah Palin was qualified to be V.P. but Masonic rituals is what is going to cause a legitimacy crisis and make the American public lose faith in their government?
   1. I could really go on about actual things that have caused people to question the legitimacy of their government, only to remember that we have a government of, by and for the people and can therefore change it, but I won’t justify this book with my idealism in the Constitution.

So, it wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t great. It was a novel. I just got a little mad at some of the above mentioned points – I don’t know why I just do. If you want something to do for a few hours, have at it. However, be warned I stand by my threat when the book was released: If it makes it to your “favorite books” section on facebook (or anything else) I reserve the right to defriend you. Note: I judge you if The DaVinci Code is in that section as well (I pretended to understand a few years ago, but now? really? favorite book?) – Harry Potter is perfectly acceptable but Dan Brown books are a no-no in this section.

In case you want to know what happens in more detail and you read The DaVinci Code or Angels and Daemons – simply replace Rome/Paris/Vatican City with Washington, DC and Catholic Church with Masons and Pope with Director of CIA.

I’ve given it some thought

Fact: Frogs are unable to live in the sea or any salt water

Opinion: I’ve given it some thought, and decided that I will accept a Kindle as a gift but not buy myself one. They seem wonderful, I like technology/gadgets, and eventually electronic readers will be the norm. However, at this point I can’t give up the wonderfulness that is a printed book.

 Pro:

1. saves paper
2. could read trashy romance novels without anyone knowing
3. saves space (and books are heavy, I dread moving mine again)
4. also includes digital newspapers (I am not embracing the electronic newspaper)
5. can now upload pdfs
6. cheaper
7. easily read 2+ books at a time without carrying more than the Kindle

 Cons:

1. not a real book
2. no lending library
3. can’t impress people with my full bookshelves
4. cannot buy used electronic books
5. ink on paper, typography, binding glue, cotton fibers, etc all make holding a book worthwhile
6. books are sexy
7. electronic screen induced eye strain
8. would read trashy romance novels (in public) now that no one would know what I was reading
9. don’t have to boot, charge or plug-in a book
10. nostalgia
11. cannot write in margins
12. the voice creeps me out

 You may be asking why accept it as a gift. Well I wouldn’t ask for one (but feel free to send me one), but the pro list is still strong so I would give it a no risk shot. But for the money, I’d rather spend hours in a bookstore wondering around looking for accidental discoveries.

loud doesn’t mean right

Fact: Early this morning (8/11/09) Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away. Founder of the Special Olympics and a dedicated and tireless public servant we are better served because of her efforts. I am lucky to have come of age in an era where special needs did not mean social outcast. I am lucky to have been able to go to a high school where a Best Buddies program could not only be established but thrived, and to learn from first grade that just because someone was “different” it did not make them any less of a person. It seems strange that this was not the norm some 50 years ago.

Opinion: Unless you are living under a rock you’ve most likely heard of recent town hall protests. If not, here is a recap, some angry people go to a town hall style meeting, typically held by a member of Congress, and yell at them and beg them to stop the dismantling of America. Oh, these town hall meetings are usually on the topic of health care – it is kind of a big policy issue at present (not that these protestors care, they are there for different reasons).

If the protestors were there to actually debate, question, or learn about health care reform they would be laughed out of the hall, and they would get no coverage. Instead, they have forged a movement that ensures that Arlen Specter’s meetings are televised live on cable. Here is how you know they don’t actually care about health care.

Claim: socialized medicine. Reality: single-payer isn’t an option in any of the major plans being debated. Even a public option, which would take decades to remotely resemble a single-payer system is not socialized. Socialized medicine would involve the government owning all segments of the market, owning the hospitals and facilities, directly employing the doctors, and be the sole source of payments or “insurance” – kind of like the VA system.

Claim: death panels. Reality: not even close, read the bills, providing incentives for doctors to talk to patients to determine a patients wishes and create a living will. No mention of any type of social utility test there.

When presented with the facts, it seems these protestors ignore them, or claim to know better. Which makes me wonder, do they have access to some secret service that allows them to read proposed legislation before actual members of congress? If so, how do I get access to that service? Is it the CIA, they routinely do things without fully briefing congress, are they now in charge of health care? If so, well played Mr. Obama, well played.

In short, and I realize this is not as thought out in words as it was in my head. These protestors don’t care about health care. They don’t care about civil discourse, and they don’t care about Democracy. They care about yelling and screaming. Because, as they have proven, you don’t need facts or even semi-informed opinions to get noticed you just need to make the most noise. This is why Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, O’Reilly, Olbermann, Matthews are successful.

There is plenty of room to debate the particulars of health care reform. But these people, and their corporate backers don’t care about them. They want to use lies and gross distortions to make noise to make it seem they have more support than they really have.

They are so worried about the Constitution, that they stood by for eight years when it was dismantled, a fourth branch of government was created just for the Vice President, civil liberties were disregarded and the executive decided that the only checks and balances that mattered to government were from corporate lobbyists and the balance sheets of the top one percent. Yet, reforming health care is the danger. Cut me a break, be honest. Unlike a few years ago you can go to a town hall without being prescreened, your question is not provided for you and you can yell, the Constitution is not being dismantled, it is protecting your right to be stupid. (Which is why I love it – but can’t help but hope for a working educational system)

It makes me long for the days of wall-to-wall MJ coverage, at least that involved good music.

That’s a lot of change

Fact: On March 31, 1968 LBJ announced he would not seek nor accept the Democrats nomination for another term as president. (Not that he was likely to get it, but still a shocking announcement at the time)

Opinion: Is possible to be overloaded with change?

Little story, back in the day (high school) I once tried to pay a “rebinding” fee with $6 in pennies. The tear in the spine was so small, and the pennies too much that the fee was waived. Moral: change is good, too much change is well too much.

Now on to slightly more serious topics. Talking to a fellow person the other day over the semantics of the GWOT more commonly known as the Global War in Terror sparked this little opinion dandy. I’m not quite sure how it came up, but I think it went Floods → FEMA → DHS → Terrorism → GWOT → Change → These words
Me (sarcastically – and always on message): I believe we call that overseas military contingencies or something like that
Other: that’s just stupid, call it what it is. Why can’t we say terrorist
Me: you can say whatever you want
Other: apparently we can’t say terrorism
Me: Global War on Terrorism, there is a difference between terrorist, terrorism, GWOT, it’s a techocrat budget term now – yay for honest budgeting!
Other: just call it what it is

I get the point, why not go for the simple easy to remember GWOT. It’s like ordering with numbers at the drive through instead of words, it rolls of the tongue and is easier. But I also found the “call it what it is” to be a dumb rationale. Maybe it was the obvious “silly Democrats are soft and we are all going to die” I detected in his tone (it was more overt in the actual conversation than my transcribed version). Which follows along the Hannity logic that was spouted last week, that we can stop calling it a war on terror when we beat them and declare victory, otherwise Obama = bad and we are going down the drain.

Well first, “Democrats” are not soft, ask the Germans how soft FDR was, and Japan about Truman. Second, want to declare victory in the GWOT, here goes: it is now against the law to be afraid. Done. Terror is a tactic, a strategy it is not something that can be defeated through military force in some “global war.” Having a war on terror is like having a war on people whose strategy to win Monopoly is to only by properties in the blue color family. It sounds nice, but it doesn’t work.

Anywho, that was a little unintended tangent. I think the real problem is this fella, and many others, are experiencing too much change. (Granted, this fella is not an Obama fan at all.) But we all just need to take a breather, order some water and let our liver do some work for a few minutes. It hasn’t even been 75 days and we had some change, more than 600 pennies worth. Let’s highlight some of the big changes.

Presidents no longer always old white dudes, expansion of SCHIP, banning torture (and meaning it), having an exit strategy/ plan for Iraq, having strategy for Afghanistan (that is not just send more guns), develop plans to turn economy around, economic stimulus package (maybe it was too small but it was something), organic vegetable garden, two prime-time press conferences, swing set, working with Detroit to save domestic automakers, outline health care plan that actually involves health and care, a real budget proposal, and so much more. It is a lot for such a short time.

Granted all administrations start fast, but this transition has been especially fast. Maybe it is because the overly long campaign left the last president an especially lame duck even earlier than normal, and the declining world economy shaky confidence of the American public, et cetera et cetera. Coupled with the media’s obsession of “the first 100 days” and measuring everything as if it were a continued campaign it’s all very tiring.

I’m a supporter of over 90% of what President Obama has attempted. I’m a news junkie, I live for current events, but even I’m burned out. I can see why changing the name of some stupid abstract concept that never should have been called GWOT can set someone off. I think we all need a vacation. CNN, MSNBC take a week off (FOX can take longer, just kidding, but seriously do we need CNBC to return?). Just put a nice soothing fireplace scene on for a week. I’ll watch the local news it will be nice. Then after we all take a week to decompress and digest all the change -we’ll be much happier.

Change is good. The Akins Institute supports piggy-banks, have several of them, to collect change, but lets slow the flow. We need change, drastically but we still have a long time; let’s slow down and enjoy the scenery for a few miles (days? hours? minutes?).

–
From the reading file:

Who Knew it was so complicated
City of the Sun?

In need of stimulation

Fact: The Eisenhower Standard (Interstate highway system) requires that one of every five miles be straight in case it is needed to be used as an emergency airstrip. [Don’t you miss the days when mass infrastructure spending was sold as national security?]

Opinion:
Dear Congress,

This is the future of America speaking. You know, the generation you are all the sudden worried about co-signing a trillion dollar (give or take a few hundred billion) loan for. We must say this would have been a valid concern a la 2002-03 you know when you were granting tax cuts and authorizing a misguided war- anyhow, unlike then, when this should have been a concern, now is not the time to worry. In fact, the Akins Institute would advise you to spend like you are the finalist on Supermarket Sweep. Load up on the frozen turkeys!

So now a group of moderate senators spent some quality time this weekend “cutting the fat” from the Senate’s version of the newest economic stimulus package. Because you know the about 1% of the bill that was “earmarks” and is just bad and will destroy the fabric of our democracy, and the Republicans did not get enough tax cuts (which cure everything from hangnails to depressions). So you cut billions in direct aid to states? States that are dealing with collective budget deficits of around $300 billion, cutting services and laying off workers.Well, now is not the time for moderation.

We needed moderation the past 16 or so years when we let Wall Street go unregulated, the housing market balloon to the point where its popping affects a global marketplace, when wealth began to concentrate at the top in a fashion only seen immediately preceding the Great Depression, and steroids in baseball. However, now the whole town is on fire and it is not the time to worry about conserving water.

I don’t know if you get newspapers in the Capitol, but if read them all these economist people (they study this stuff for a living – so I tend to trust them) say the real risk is not doing too much rather, doing too little. This advice would come from economists of all stripes; so, let’s try this listening to experts thing. It just might actually work.

But how shall we stimulate the economy? Spending. If you want to stimulate the economy you need to hand out cash like beads at Mardi Gras (last simile –maybe). The Akins Institute thinks you should make investments in education, health care, infrastructure and start-up capital to green technologies/ businesses. These categories are just the start. You also need to hand over money to states and localities, give them block grants (in the above mentioned categories and in other areas i.e. community development) Yes, the Akins Institute just advocated expanding a Reagan-era favorite BLOCK GRANTS. Let them make the decisions on what is best for their communities. A hundred million for ‘city x’ and a billion for ‘state y’ step right up and put your hand out, don’t be shy.

Then allow each and every member of Congress (all 435 give or take a Minnesota senator) an earmark or two. Yes, your pork is someone’s economic stimulus. Imagine if every member got to pick a project in their district or state that would provide jobs and an immediate and long-term boost to the local economy. Sure limit it to something that is “shovel ready” but do it. It would be an immediate shot of caffeine to towns large and small across the county.

Coupled with investments in health care (finally, electronic medical records), education, much needed Medicaid funding increase, repairing our crumbling bridges and roads, maybe modernizing the electrical grid, providing startup capital to new green business and giving the states and cities large sums of money to buy what they want. I know it sounds crazy, but times are tough and crazy is what the doctor ordered.

Now if you want to include some tax cuts go right ahead. As long as they are focused on the middle-class (if you can find it) and not the wealthy who are still doing surprisingly well in these tough times. We all know that tax cuts will have only a fraction of the stimulating affect that pure government spending will, so make it a fraction of the total package (a small one). We have tried this tax cut thing before, and most Americans are still waiting for the much promised trickle form the 1980’s, so no one hold your breath.

So Congress, your parents’ generation has been named by Tom Brokaw as “the greatest generation” which is all well and good. But despite all the good things they did, they gave us you and all your Boomer friends. So, if you ever want the Brokaw of my generation (still TBD)to lavish some praise on you, try doing something. We can return to moderation later. We can fulfill campaign promises for post-partisanship and bipartisanship later too. For now, use the majority and political capital (remember that election we just had) you have built and spend, spend, spend. But just remember, learn from the past and unlike FDR don’t decide that at the first sign of dawn to ease off and try to pack the Supreme Court. (We’ll talk about SCOTUS at a later time).

Sincerely,

The Akins Institute
on behalf of future generations