With every new Congress we get this call: reform the budget process. We all know it is not working, it never seems to get done. New House leadership might make us begin to take a harder look but the issues are the same--cut somebody else's project not mine, not my state, not my district. Bartlett's points in the below article are a good review of the arguments. Worth reading.
Time to Reform the Budget Process - TheFiscalTimes.com
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Gov. Christie Defends 'Disney World' Trip During Blizzard
This story is about "all politics is local". This governor has been out there talking about government needs to be run like a "business" and needs to be ALL about serving citizens with good state and local services that are efficient and effective. Well the recent snow storm put him in a real jam when he did not return to his state from Disneyland. Citizens demand to know why he would not come back to NJ and do what he was saying he was doing--being the CEO of NJ. Well the question is would a business CEO really stay on vacation while her/his business faced a crisis or a collapse of services to their customers? Is that not what happened in NJ? Now the governor and the legislature are battling over local services guaranteed by the state and did the Governor and his team deliver. A classic Executive and Legislative branch conflict. Two lessons: be careful about what you say because in todays world of internet and 24 hour cable everything you say will be repeated over and over again. Second, all politics is local.
Gov. Christie Defends 'Disney World' Trip During Blizzard
Gov. Christie Defends 'Disney World' Trip During Blizzard
Peter Luke: Gov. Rick Snyder has the right goals; can he make the Legislature accomplish them? | MLive.com
"Fixing Michigan will not be easy". Gov. Snyder's choices are going to be very difficult. It is easy for all of us to say we will work with the new Governor to find new solutions. But when he and the legislature have to cut some of the things each of us have supported over the years or we spend our time supporting now we will react with a normal human reaction: opposition and fear. Everyone has a pet project and/or a pet issue-including every member of the state legislature--both parties. The Lt Gov was not even sworn in a few weeks ago and he was trying to get the legislature to approve funding of a program important to him and his family--and thousands of others. He was trying to use his new upcoming title/office to get something done he could not get done just as a regular legislator. That is normal and ethical behavior by him. It did not work but we should all remember that this is what will happen everyday, every minute as the new legislature and Administration tries to cure our failing economy, state system and society in Michigan. Article below is a good review.
Peter Luke: Gov. Rick Snyder has the right goals; can he make the Legislature accomplish them? | MLive.com
Peter Luke: Gov. Rick Snyder has the right goals; can he make the Legislature accomplish them? | MLive.com
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Rick Haglund: Look at the positives of Michigan's population decline | MLive.com
Looking for some positives in Michigan's population decline? Well this article helps you find some or at least think about some.
Rick Haglund: Look at the positives of Michigan's population decline | MLive.com
Rick Haglund: Look at the positives of Michigan's population decline | MLive.com
Reapportionment Impact on the Midwest
The Midwest and specifically Michigan are facing huge implications from the loss of many congressional seats and resulting power that will have a major impact on state and local government budgets and operations.
The region's economy has been struggling for decades - the Great Recession just worsened problems.
Midwestern manufacturing employment has been declining since at least 1980. Michigan hasn't had a year of net job growth since the Clinton administration.
No state between Minnesota and Pennsylvania has gained congressional seats since the 1960 Census.
Will the Midwest matter in Congress and in the 2012 Presidential elections with such huge gains in populations in the south, southwest and west?
The region's economy has been struggling for decades - the Great Recession just worsened problems.
Midwestern manufacturing employment has been declining since at least 1980. Michigan hasn't had a year of net job growth since the Clinton administration.
No state between Minnesota and Pennsylvania has gained congressional seats since the 1960 Census.
Will the Midwest matter in Congress and in the 2012 Presidential elections with such huge gains in populations in the south, southwest and west?
Snyder Inaugural Address today
What will he proposed that is dramatic or will it be a motivational address getting Michiganders to come together to make tough choices?
what were the most intriguing proposals? The most dramatic? The most troubling?
what were the most intriguing proposals? The most dramatic? The most troubling?
Happy New Year
Today is 1.1.11
This is going to be a very traumatic year in the political and public policy arena.
We are going to see so much proposed change that it may bring about a lot of discord and maybe civil service.
Below is an interesting observation by a DC based political consultant and observer (from today's Washington Post)
Topic A: What will be 2011's biggest political surprise?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Post asked political experts to predict the biggest political surprise of 2011. Below are responses from Ed Rogers, Jennifer Palmieri, Douglas E. Schoen, Robert Shrum, Dan Schnur, Dana Perino and Catherine A. "Kiki" McLean.
ED ROGERS
Chairman of BGR Group; White House staffer to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush
The biggest political surprise in 2011 may come in the form of the shock produced by public-sector labor strikes and demonstrations that could stray into civil disorder as state and local governments cut budgets. Government workers could be laid off by the thousands, and millions of the beneficiaries of government-supplied salaries, pensions and benefits could see reductions in pay and program allowances they have been told to expect.
The same kind of protests that have rocked Paris, London and Rome could erupt in California, New York and Illinois.
We are heading into uncharted political territory as state and local governments face the reality that promises can't be kept. Will the unionized government institutions go down without a fight? Will the dependent class of Americans that government has created just shrug and accept the spending-cut medicine?
The schism between the governed and those governing could become greater than ever as the government tries to protect itself for its own sake and not for the public good. The millions of Americans who have lost jobs or face increasing economic uncertainty resent the relative posterity and security that government now provides for itself. President Obama will say he is for more "stimulus," but even the money-making printing presses in Washington are at their limits.
Besides, with a Republican majority in the House and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell having veto power in the Senate, there will not be a bailout from Washington.
Fasten your seat belts; there is trouble ahead.
This is going to be a very traumatic year in the political and public policy arena.
We are going to see so much proposed change that it may bring about a lot of discord and maybe civil service.
Below is an interesting observation by a DC based political consultant and observer (from today's Washington Post)
Topic A: What will be 2011's biggest political surprise?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Post asked political experts to predict the biggest political surprise of 2011. Below are responses from Ed Rogers, Jennifer Palmieri, Douglas E. Schoen, Robert Shrum, Dan Schnur, Dana Perino and Catherine A. "Kiki" McLean.
ED ROGERS
Chairman of BGR Group; White House staffer to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush
The biggest political surprise in 2011 may come in the form of the shock produced by public-sector labor strikes and demonstrations that could stray into civil disorder as state and local governments cut budgets. Government workers could be laid off by the thousands, and millions of the beneficiaries of government-supplied salaries, pensions and benefits could see reductions in pay and program allowances they have been told to expect.
The same kind of protests that have rocked Paris, London and Rome could erupt in California, New York and Illinois.
We are heading into uncharted political territory as state and local governments face the reality that promises can't be kept. Will the unionized government institutions go down without a fight? Will the dependent class of Americans that government has created just shrug and accept the spending-cut medicine?
The schism between the governed and those governing could become greater than ever as the government tries to protect itself for its own sake and not for the public good. The millions of Americans who have lost jobs or face increasing economic uncertainty resent the relative posterity and security that government now provides for itself. President Obama will say he is for more "stimulus," but even the money-making printing presses in Washington are at their limits.
Besides, with a Republican majority in the House and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell having veto power in the Senate, there will not be a bailout from Washington.
Fasten your seat belts; there is trouble ahead.
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