This entry will be rather short for two reasons. The first is that this plan requires further development before it can be successfully implemented, and I wanted some feedback from you about its potential efficacy. The second impetus for this abbreviated column is that we are developing a new format for “Littlestuff-minoosha” that will feature an executive summary at the beginning that will be followed by the “fleshed out” portion. Symbols and words have meaning. In our efforts to communicate concepts and ideas, we often rely on symbols to capture the essence of our thought processes. Symbolic action serves a similar purpose. When undertaken free of cynicism or hypocrisy, a symbolic gesture can create a tone or provide a worthy example for those who observe it.
One of our more recent examples of symbolic action would be when the President of the United States jets overnight to serve a holiday meal to our troops in harm’s way. The action itself has no intrinsic value because there are military professionals who can do a much better job of carving turkey or ladling gravy. The value lies in the symbolic nature of the President’s empathy for the troops in the field. We know it’s stupid. We know that it is unnecessarily costly. We know that at its base, it is a meaningless endeavor, but, nevertheless, we experience an element of “feel good” that the leader of our nation engaged in the symbolic action.
This lengthy preamble is the “set up” for my germinating idea that members of the Ohio General Assembly must take the lead for restoring liberty and fiscal sanity to our state. My nearly two-year old grandson has provided me with some valuable insights about human nature. When there is limited structure, his curious mind and busy hands will seek something to explore. Legislators are similar. They will continually search for little problems-real or imaginary- to be solved. “Idle hands are the Devil’s tools.’ Personally, I believe that the expansion of the Buckeye version of Big Brother coincided with the “need” for a “full-time” General Assembly. If we are ever to put the bloated monster back into its rightful place, then let’s begin by placing the Legislature back on a “part-time” basis.
Modern technology has provided the means for State House members and State Senators to “stay home” while fulfilling their legislative duties. They can be gainfully employed in the private sector while using the technology to complete their legislative tasks. In my view they should be limited to one week per month, and nine months per year of assembly in Columbus. The remainder of the time could be spent in their districts with the electronic umbilical cords uniting them in common purpose (geesh!). Clearly, some constitutional and legal hurdles must be overcome, but the welfare of our state is at stake.
In addition to encouraging them to communicate electronically, I would reduce their pay from the current $60,584 per year to $24,000 annually. As each member is elected and assumes office, the taxpayers would provide her or him with the $5000 package of technology and software to allow them to function. Just on the salaries alone minus the start-up costs, the savings would approach $9million every two years. This is without adjusting the benefit packages and the mileage reimbursements. Admittedly, $9 million is peanuts, but the symbol would be priceless. The greatest advantage, though, is the dispersal of the legislative body from the central location where they are accessible to lobbyists and other entities who survive on the government teat. This is merely a seed of thought and requires more development, but check the link for the current pay scale and mileage reimbursement.
An Ohio Plan.docx
Comments: earl4sos@gmail.com or cearlwriting@hotmail.com
www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label smaller government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smaller government. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
If I were king...
If I were king,…you’d probably move. Nevertheless, I shall share with you a few of my actions as supreme sole (or soul) ruler of the U.S. of A.
Dismiss Congress.
Establish new elections for 6 months later and ban any House member with more than 8 years service and any Senator with more than 12 years in office from running ever again.
Require that all budget bills include a 5% surplus and be zero based.
Demand that Members live under every law that impacts the general populace.
Eliminate 75% of the Committee and Congressional staffs (I choose who goes, who stays).
Raise the price of bean soup and haircuts. Charge fees for other perks such as gym.
Cancel every Department, program, bureau and agency. Require new authorization for each Constitutional one that is radically pared down with super majority of 75% to implement any new line item.
Every new law or expenditure must have a sunset provision—not to exceed 3 years. Re-authorization to require 75% and a maximum 10 year sunset proviso.
Elimination of mandates to state and local governments. If the proposal is Constitutional and merits federal action, then the federal government should fund it and enforce.
Restructure the tax code by creating 3 classifications @ 0%, 7% and 13%. This would be a modified flat tax with NO deductions. Reduce corporate income tax to 20%.
Eliminate capital gains (you’ve already paid income tax on invested capital). Eliminate inheritance tax and gift tax. Eliminate payroll and Medicare taxes, but grandfather everyone over age 50 for contributions and means-tested benefits.
Re-evaluate all fees and licenses levied by government. If fee is for use of citizen-owned property or privilege, then adjust it for equitable purposes and reasonableness. If the fee or license is generated from activity that is private in nature, then eliminate it.
If other nations want to trade with the United States, then insist on absolute open and free markets without subsidies. If a country violates this provision or refuses to engage in absolute open trade, then tariffs and taxes will be placed upon their products upon entry.
Eliminate funding of all non-essential (non-Constitutional) programs, grants and awards. For example, public broadcasting is not required in a digital age. Eliminate the subsidy. While the arts are a vital component of the culture, the government should not assume the role of judging whether or not particular art is worthy of support. That is the duty of critics, galleries, collectors and consumers.
For grants and awards in the realms of theoretical and applied science, the general principle should be that the free market will generate necessary support based upon perceived needs. There may be instances when there is a compelling national interest for underwriting scientific research. The criteria for such actions should be concisely written with minimal opportunity for abuse.
In essence, the Constitution, interpreted as literally as is practicable in the 21st Century shall be the immovable guiding document for governmental involvement in the affairs of the nation and its citizens. All so-called “gray areas” shall be decided in favor of freedom for citizens and restricting government. Clearly, this little column addresses but a few of the issues between a free citizenry and a legitimate governing structure. But, hey, I’ ve only been King for one day.
As always, your comments are coveted or email: cnpearl@woh.rr.com
Dismiss Congress.
Establish new elections for 6 months later and ban any House member with more than 8 years service and any Senator with more than 12 years in office from running ever again.
Require that all budget bills include a 5% surplus and be zero based.
Demand that Members live under every law that impacts the general populace.
Eliminate 75% of the Committee and Congressional staffs (I choose who goes, who stays).
Raise the price of bean soup and haircuts. Charge fees for other perks such as gym.
Cancel every Department, program, bureau and agency. Require new authorization for each Constitutional one that is radically pared down with super majority of 75% to implement any new line item.
Every new law or expenditure must have a sunset provision—not to exceed 3 years. Re-authorization to require 75% and a maximum 10 year sunset proviso.
Elimination of mandates to state and local governments. If the proposal is Constitutional and merits federal action, then the federal government should fund it and enforce.
Restructure the tax code by creating 3 classifications @ 0%, 7% and 13%. This would be a modified flat tax with NO deductions. Reduce corporate income tax to 20%.
Eliminate capital gains (you’ve already paid income tax on invested capital). Eliminate inheritance tax and gift tax. Eliminate payroll and Medicare taxes, but grandfather everyone over age 50 for contributions and means-tested benefits.
Re-evaluate all fees and licenses levied by government. If fee is for use of citizen-owned property or privilege, then adjust it for equitable purposes and reasonableness. If the fee or license is generated from activity that is private in nature, then eliminate it.
If other nations want to trade with the United States, then insist on absolute open and free markets without subsidies. If a country violates this provision or refuses to engage in absolute open trade, then tariffs and taxes will be placed upon their products upon entry.
Eliminate funding of all non-essential (non-Constitutional) programs, grants and awards. For example, public broadcasting is not required in a digital age. Eliminate the subsidy. While the arts are a vital component of the culture, the government should not assume the role of judging whether or not particular art is worthy of support. That is the duty of critics, galleries, collectors and consumers.
For grants and awards in the realms of theoretical and applied science, the general principle should be that the free market will generate necessary support based upon perceived needs. There may be instances when there is a compelling national interest for underwriting scientific research. The criteria for such actions should be concisely written with minimal opportunity for abuse.
In essence, the Constitution, interpreted as literally as is practicable in the 21st Century shall be the immovable guiding document for governmental involvement in the affairs of the nation and its citizens. All so-called “gray areas” shall be decided in favor of freedom for citizens and restricting government. Clearly, this little column addresses but a few of the issues between a free citizenry and a legitimate governing structure. But, hey, I’ ve only been King for one day.
As always, your comments are coveted or email: cnpearl@woh.rr.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
