Comments on: “Non-Partisan” Think Tank Issues Pork Report

By: Eric T

Eric T — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:28:06 +0000

Any city parks where Kim and Ben live?

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:45:51 +0000

AMEN KIM!

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:22:30 +0000

Eric T – all I want to be taxed for is police, fire, sewer, garbage and roads. All else is just building government kingdoms.

By: dog

dog — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:21:20 +0000

I’d like to see Hoffman’s like minded friends in agriculture refuse to take farm and ranch subsidies. Why doesn’t he suggest they set an example for us?

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:20:12 +0000

Eric T: … do you want a zero tax society?

As a matter of fact, that’s a valid viewpoint, even if it’s unattainable. Practically every citizen sees the need for certain government functions.

Another viewpoint, that seems popular these days: “Government should take care of every citizen’s every need. After all, we’re entitled!”

I appreciate groups like the Freedom Foundation, for at least starting the conversation (shouting match?).

Pretty much every government expenditure, from soldiers without legs to bike lockers to cow research, has a consituency that believes in it. And if money were no object (at the FEDERAL level, for example), all of those expenditures could continue forever and ever.

Unfortunately times are tough at the state, county, and local levels. Budgets must be balanced, and cuts are inevitable – even to cherished programs like Mahogany-for-Bureaucrats and catered legislative luncheons. NOTHING is off the table, except perhaps for Butch’s highways.

Remember that guy, about 50 years ago, who said “Ask not what your country can do for you”? What a quaint and old-fashioned notion, huh? (Must’ve been a right-wing crackpot, that guy!)

By: cyclops

cyclops — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:50:08 +0000

Actually Eric, I am a flat tax guy! Very simple. No deductions, no credits, no special rates, no exemptions. As far as Hoffman is concerned,there is no question that Sali is most assuredly a jerk and living proof that if you espouse the “party line” you can get anywhere in politics. But I can also be a jerk.(just ask my wife) Does that mean that everyone who has worked with, or for me, is also a jerk? It seems to me rather childish to disregard the message because you happen to not like the messenger. Are the points Hoffman makes valid? If so, they need to be addressed.
I firmly believe that government should be kept to a minimum. Funding for schools, prisons, roads are necessary. Not carte blanch funding though. What I am vehemently against are school districts that perform duplicitous functions, roads that are built only to be torn up the day after they are completed. All the boards and commissions that taxpayers are forced to fund while they serve no meaningful function! If government would inject just a little “common sense” into the process, I would be a happy camper.

By: cyclops

cyclops — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:53:50 +0000

Wow! Angry woman. Did Santa bring you a new thesaurus for Christmas?
Yes, I will own all those descriptions you have bestowed upon me. I don’t believe that big government is the source of our ills. WE are the source through the unbelievable level of apathy we have as a society.More importantly, as big government is not the source of our ills, it is also not the solution! It is not the government worker I have a problem with. It is the policy makers that seem to thrive on bloated, ineffective budgets that do nothing but waste money. It is with the bureaucracy that insures the inability to “glean” poor workers from the system. It is with the leadership that feels our tax money is their personal play thing to fund any little pet project they deem worthwhile. My biggest frustration is with people such as yourself who blindly accept some of these idiotic bureaucratic policies in place. You obviously have a modicum of intelligence, exhibited by your writing abilities. How can you justify supporting programs and policies that are so completely out of tune with the citizens desires? The time has come to get real with government. A mayor does not need three assistants and a press “kid” to converse with the city! Road departments, School districts, County commishioners,police departments, fire departments, and such don’t need ex-media types to speak for them. We didn’t vote for all those “talking heads”. The people we DID vote into office should have the “stones” to report to us directly.If an administration doesn’t have the ability to speak to the citizens and keep them informed of the current status of the government, while relaying to the citizenry their vision for the future effectively, it would seem we elected the wrong damn people!
As our President says, “Change is coming! Change is needed! Change is here!

By: Eric T

Eric T — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:19:45 +0000

I didn’t make the edit time…..

In 2002, Sali angered colleagues when he said in a deposition that he was still “better than most” legislators despite his claim that he suffered from “brain fade” and impaired memory as a result of a car wreck.

“How shall I say this?” Sali said. “Much of the time in the Legislature, critical-thinking skills are not necessarily needed.”

By: Eric T

Eric T — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:13:11 +0000

Cyclops et al: do you want a zero tax society? I’m just asking because that is how you are coming across to me.

As for Hoffman, I have a hard time listening to someone who carried water for Bill “legislators don’t need critical thinking skills” Sali.

http://idablue.blogspot.com/2006/10/salis-lawsuit-long-post.html

By: Alva Couden

Alva Couden — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:32:21 +0000

The Statesman’s editorial board and others seem to like beating up on Hoffman for some reason. But, despite this he keeps producing yeoman’s work in the area of accountability. The Bible says that you can judge a man by his fruit. The ad hominem attacks are unnecessary. I suppose the Guardian would like to go back to complaining about being the only one who cares about government accountability?
The political matrix is all very confusing. Let’s simplify and produce a feng-shui government. Simplify, simplify, simplify, and cut the pork.

EDITOR NOTE–Alva, why the mean tone toward the GUARDIAN? We have linked to IFFA and offered the forum. Our disclaimer acknowledges we share some of the IFF goals. We certainly are not alone in seeking to defend the constitution and the right of citizens to vote on long term debt.