Your Government...My View 8/28/08

By: Ernie Padgett
It seems like every time we turn on the news these days we hear about the national deficit. I believe there is another area where we have an even larger deficit. There is a tremendous LEADERSHIP DEFICIT at all levels of government. It’s especially true at the federal level and state levels, and at a lesser degree, the local level. At the local level, citizens have easy access to their elected officials and communicate with them directly. The effect is that local officials tend to be more responsive to the needs of those they represent. On the federal and state levels, big money, special interests groups, and lobbyist are at center stage. It takes huge amounts of money to be elected and then re-elected to higher offices. The elected official has to keep those certain groups happy so that the money will continue to flow. How else can they get into office again? They console themselves for doing what they know is wrong, thinking…….I can only help the people if I get back into office…….so I have to do and say these things in order to get re-elected. Hence, the LEADERSHIP DEFICIT. I think some of them really believe that if they get replaced, government will start to crumble. What will crumble is their very inflated opinion of self importance.
Let us look at some examples of LEADERSHIP DEFICITS.
● Federal budget deficits are caused by the federal government spending more money each year then it takes in. The USA Today reported in July that a record deficit of almost $500 billion dollars is expected for 2009. This is the highest deficit in the history of our country. The Tampa Tribune, in August, reported that "a free-spending Congress and an extravagant White House will give the nation its largest budget deficit ever next year - $482 billion dollars. The Pensacola News Journal said "Bush, Congress fiddle as budget melts down."
● Social Security and Medicare - There is little or no effort being given to address the dire situation of preserving Social Security. The reason being is that the solutions are not politically pleasing. Congress raids the social security fund every year in order to say the large federal deficit is less than it really is. In about eight years the revenue from Social Security taxes will not be enough to pay out benefits to those on Social Security.
● No Energy Policy - There is no short term or long term energy policy because of the competing interest groups. Politically, Congress and the Administration elect to do nothing.
● Dishonesty in going to war - The American people were told we could go to war in Iraq with very limited troop deployment, that we would be there for a short time and that we would be greeted with open arms and viewed as hero’s by the Iraqi people. None of which has happened. We were also told that the Iraqi oil money would pay for the war. Hardworking American people are paying for that war…..billions of dollars a month. This should be enough in itself for the American people to rise up against the White House and Congress and say… We The People……will take no more.
● Lack of Congressional oversight - The St. Petersburg Times recently reported that a confidential draft of an inspector general’s report says that the amount of improper payments made by Medicare for medical equipment such as wheelchairs and oxygen tanks was $2.8 billion in fiscal year 2006. Congress fiddles while fraud is rampant.
● Lack of Insurance reform - The Governor and Legislature promised citizens of Florida meaningful insurance reform. There has been no significant reduction in insurance premiums. To the contrary, since the Legislature refused to properly fund the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, the state is forced to do something that is hard to believe. Florida will pay $224 million dollars to Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet’s company) for a guarantee that the state can borrow up to $4 billion dollars if necessary to help cover future losses by its emergency hurricane insurance fund. Essentially, Buffet agreed to cover the state since politicians and the insurance industry couldn’t. Buffet keeps the $224 million dollars whether the state borrows a penny from him or not. It’s a good thing that Gov. Crist and the Florida Legislature aren’t handling your personal finances. The bad thing is that they are in charge of your tax dollars.
● Decisions and Policy made in secret - The Tampa Tribune recently reported that "Some of Florida’s U.S. House members complained about being kept in the dark during the state’s secret negotiations of a $1.75 billion dollars proposal buyout of U.S. Sugar Corp". Our U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd has raised the issue that the price might be too high for the 187,000 acres. The U.S. Corps of Engineers was unaware that talks of a buyout were ongoing. The University of Florida / IFAS thinks that over 10,000 jobs will be lost statewide. It may be a good deal or it may not. The Governor should never have participated in secret talks. This behind closed doors approach to the negotiations of the public’s business is not a good approach to sound decision making. It was this type of action that resulted in Florida’s Sunshine Law.
● Unrealistic budget cuts - The state, without solid planning or forethought, forced budget cuts on state agencies and county governments that will create long term problems in Florida. Education is being under funded. Public safety is beginning to feel the impact. Social services and an array of preventive programs have suffered. It’s so easy to take the position of cutting taxes if no consideration is given to the long term negative results. These are just a few examples of the LEADERSHIP DEFICITS that adversely affect us all. Increased citizen involvement is our only hope of doing anything about this situation which is getting progressively worse. We need to let our elected representatives know that we will be fooled and hoodwinked no longer. Plato wrote, "The punishment of wise men who refuse to take part in the affairs of government is to live under the government of unwise men."

Note: The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and are not necessarily those of Hatcher Publications.