What We Can Change Right Here, Right Now
The plethora of evidence regarding the irresponsible spending and arrogant management of our government on a local and state level is truly stunning.
Listening to the Sunday morning pundits yammer on about the financial pain we are and are going to suffer on a national and global level for the next 5-15 years, depending on who is talking, is a very sobering message to most of us.
How many of us can really get our heads around the numbers being thrown at us? $700 Billion dollar bailouts and $12 Trillion dollar deficits seem a bit surreal to most. What control of these issues do we really have on a personal and local level? The answer is next to none. All we can really do is cast a vote for someone we think might have our interests at heart and hope for the best while we try to weather the storm and helplessly watch the events as spectators.
On the other hand, things that are absolutely within our immediate control seem to be ignored by the citizenry. This is largely apparent right here in Woodstock. As one example, the 20 or so people currently involved in forming the Citizen Audit Committee are working diligently to change the irresponsibility of the management of our schools and ultimately our town government. As another, one citizen has come forward with a very detailed and documented case regarding the obvious illegal circumvention of Prop 46 resulting in millions of dollars of over taxation, and is currently working with attorneys to bring suit over the issue.
So, what is the motivation of these people? There is no personal gain involved. Being vilified by the sock puppets for trying to do the right thing isn’t much of a reward. None I have spoken with are particularly interested in political careers and those who are run away from such initiatives. You know who you are and so do I. Why? The answer is easy. The status quo is a much easier political road to travel for their purposes as long as the masses keep their heads buried in the sand. I believe all of that is about to change.
I don’t think there is much doubt that we are in for a very tough squeeze for a protracted period of time- and that goes double for local and state governments. Raising taxes and continued irresponsible spending just won’t fly in the here and now or the foreseeable future. The revolution has begun.
Those who are getting out in front of these issues and continue to fight for responsible spending and transparency at all levels are the real leaders; not those who seek the status quo or are waiting for the next level of bureaucracy to fix it. Dr. Fusco is a prime example of this. Rather than rest in his retirement, he has started a revolution that is spreading across the state. His passion is contagious. As Mr. Rosendahl correctly remarked in a recent Villager article, "this has the power to change education as we know it". Where are your local and state elected officials? Hiding and stonewalling on your dime, that’s where. These initiatives and the people behind them deserve your respect and support.
While we’re thinking globally, we must act locally as the saying goes. This means questioning the authority of your public officials and listening to those who have been carrying the load in the face of the bureaucratic doubletalk and shell game.
Want to make a difference? This can be fixed, right here, right now, and not by waiting for your elected officials to do so. The “trickle up” effect can and will change the world.
Listening to the Sunday morning pundits yammer on about the financial pain we are and are going to suffer on a national and global level for the next 5-15 years, depending on who is talking, is a very sobering message to most of us.
How many of us can really get our heads around the numbers being thrown at us? $700 Billion dollar bailouts and $12 Trillion dollar deficits seem a bit surreal to most. What control of these issues do we really have on a personal and local level? The answer is next to none. All we can really do is cast a vote for someone we think might have our interests at heart and hope for the best while we try to weather the storm and helplessly watch the events as spectators.
On the other hand, things that are absolutely within our immediate control seem to be ignored by the citizenry. This is largely apparent right here in Woodstock. As one example, the 20 or so people currently involved in forming the Citizen Audit Committee are working diligently to change the irresponsibility of the management of our schools and ultimately our town government. As another, one citizen has come forward with a very detailed and documented case regarding the obvious illegal circumvention of Prop 46 resulting in millions of dollars of over taxation, and is currently working with attorneys to bring suit over the issue.
So, what is the motivation of these people? There is no personal gain involved. Being vilified by the sock puppets for trying to do the right thing isn’t much of a reward. None I have spoken with are particularly interested in political careers and those who are run away from such initiatives. You know who you are and so do I. Why? The answer is easy. The status quo is a much easier political road to travel for their purposes as long as the masses keep their heads buried in the sand. I believe all of that is about to change.
I don’t think there is much doubt that we are in for a very tough squeeze for a protracted period of time- and that goes double for local and state governments. Raising taxes and continued irresponsible spending just won’t fly in the here and now or the foreseeable future. The revolution has begun.
Those who are getting out in front of these issues and continue to fight for responsible spending and transparency at all levels are the real leaders; not those who seek the status quo or are waiting for the next level of bureaucracy to fix it. Dr. Fusco is a prime example of this. Rather than rest in his retirement, he has started a revolution that is spreading across the state. His passion is contagious. As Mr. Rosendahl correctly remarked in a recent Villager article, "this has the power to change education as we know it". Where are your local and state elected officials? Hiding and stonewalling on your dime, that’s where. These initiatives and the people behind them deserve your respect and support.
While we’re thinking globally, we must act locally as the saying goes. This means questioning the authority of your public officials and listening to those who have been carrying the load in the face of the bureaucratic doubletalk and shell game.
Want to make a difference? This can be fixed, right here, right now, and not by waiting for your elected officials to do so. The “trickle up” effect can and will change the world.
More folks are behind you than you know.
We are taking it to them in our way.
And we are not going away!
The whole issue here is that our government picked the wrong person to explain how much $700 Billion is. Mrs. Paul could have put it in such a way as comparing bananas to apples and presented it in such a way that we would have all kicked in a extra billion because 700 wasn't enough.
Your last two articles have been fantastic.