Dover Citizens Rally Against Same Sex Marriage 28 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Uncategorized.add a comment
The issue of Same Sex Marriage brought out a crowd even larger than the Comprehensive plan. People were not in agreement with the notion that our city should push for marriages of people who by definition can’t be marriage partners. Some opponents seemed a little over the top. “This world is on its way to destruction if you allow this to pass,” stated one young, 18 year old gentleman who just started what will hopefully be a journey of activism. Ok. Fortunately, I doubt that I will get to see if he is right because the outpouring from the community killed this issue. Even if the commission manages to pass the resolution, it would be dead on arrival to city council.
In my opinion, the stars of the evening were not mentioned in the news story. Nicole Theis of the Delaware Family Policy Council was incredible. Her talk produced the greatest applause of the night and reminded us all of the importance of family and the value its unity gives to children. One the other side was an 18 year old young lady (senior from Polytech) who claimed to be who claimed to be bisexual. She did not intend to speak but gave a very effective impromptu speech. She calmly expressed her wonder on how her choice of love would destroy the world. Rev. Anthony Wallace rallied the pro marriage side with insights and facts which definitely inspired the commissioners to start taking notes. I was told that my testimony was impactful by some members of the commission (most importantly) as well as members of the public, but I was not left out of the news story.
Rep. Darryl Scott gets it. 26 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Revolutionary Reform, State.add a comment
In a meeting today with Representative Darryl Scott D- Dover, I got the feeling that he gets it. He seems interested in pursuing some fundamental reforms in the state financial management system. Three Cheers to Rep. Scott.
The Lastest Wisdom from Thomas Sowell 26 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Economic Policy, Tax Hikes.add a comment
From Thomas Sowell’s Random Thoughts column.
If increased government spending with borrowed or newly created money is a “stimulus,” then the Weimar Republic should have been stimulated to unprecedented prosperity, instead of runaway inflation and widespread economic desperation that ultimately brought Adolf Hitler to power.
Just days after Colin Campbell (Powell) informed us that the American people were willing to pay higher taxes in order to get government services — and that Republicans therefore needed to stop their opposition to taxes — California voters resoundingly defeated a bill to raise taxes in order to pay for the many government services in that liberal state.
Sad, but I was right 22 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Uncategorized.add a comment
My concerns about the spending spree of local and state governments have come to fruition. Since 2001, I have been steadily showing how this problem would one day cost us. It has cost us the last couple of years in increased electric rates and fees in the City along with this year’s painful furloughs which will ensure elimination of some policing programs downtown. Even so the city is better managed than most governments in this state.
At the county level, we are going to have a tax increase as if on cue after the election. Proposed reforms by Commissioner Eric Buckson were not adopted even though they would have avoided a tax increase on an already hurting population.
At the state level, we have a crisis. While most of the attention has gone to huge proposed pay cuts, senior centers are facing a loss of a third of their funding, and taxpayers are facing significant increases. As Sussex County showed, not going wild in the good times means that you can not panic in the bad. With governments at all levels raising taxes in the next couple of years, the state has a responsibility to use our money wisely. It is not.
The Delaware Financial Management System has been shown to be highly inefficient to say the least. It may very well be siphoning 10% of our tax money through its inefficiencies. Its inability to pay vendors in a timely, but quick system is costing us more in fees. Its incomprehensibility is costing us unnecessary paperwork. Learning the system is like learning a foreign language. Its bulky nature is forcing workers to do expensive work arounds. Its inefficient structure is so burdensome that the cost of writing a check is estimated to be $50 by comparison it is $6 or less in the private sector. The dealings with vendors alone have been documented to cost $200,000,000.00 a year by the Wilmington News Journal. A patch on the vendor portion was suggested in 2004 and it will not go live until 2010. That is 1.2 billion dollars tossed away,
A financial management system is designed to save money not cost more money. This system has literally cost us Billions of dollars. DFMS is Bernie Madoff of financial accounting. The best budget reform legislation that anyone could introduce would be a joint resolution to establish a commission to find a new financial management system. Whenever I hear a hybrid approach being discussed, I get concerned. Let’s study this and see if we can go world class instead of poverty class.
Remember When President Obama thought taxing health benefits was wrong 21 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Action Item, Healthcare, Tax Hikes.add a comment
Will President Obama be able to fight off Congressional Democrats’ effort to tax health benefits? They all seemed to agree with him during the campaign now he seems to be moving their direction. I would advise that you contact your delegation on this before the White House caves.
Who was it that said voters want higher taxes 20 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Tax Hikes.Tags: California Tax Revolt 3.0, Nation's largest tea party
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California voters did not get the memo which said higher taxes are great. They are suppose to want more taxes and every increasing government. I guess the tea party folks have a little company.
The demagogues who promise that government can solve every problem for free are partially to blame for the mess that is California’s 42 billion dollar shortfall. The irreconcilable unions that demand unsustainable benefits instead of looking at other options which will serve there needs are partially to blame. California voters are to blame as well.
The voters had a chance to enact reforms supported by the governor and opposed by the special interests. Governor Schwarzenegger warned voters that this was in their future if they did not support his reforms. Instead voters approved more spending in the next election. Now some blame him for bowing to their demands. We as voters have to understand that it is our government and we are ultimately responsible. Forcing the state lawmakers to reform California government without running to the tax well and cutting off their pay raises until it happens may have been the first step.
Congratulations, on waking up California. May this be the first step in a journey to an economic renewal of a beautiful state with terrific people.
If DFMS were a criminal, it would be son of Madoff 20 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Budget, Revolutionary Reform.add a comment
The Delaware Financial Management System has been shown to be highly inefficient to say the least. It may very well be siphoning 10% of our tax money through its inefficiencies. It’s inability to pay vendors in a timely, but quick system is costing us more in fees. It’s incomprehensibility is costing us unnecessary paperwork. Learning the system is like learning a foreign language. It’s bulky nature is forcing workers to do expensive work arounds. It’s inefficient structure is so burdensome that the cost of writing a check is estimated to be $50 by comparison it is $6 or less in the private sector. The dealings with vendors alone has been documented to cost $200,000,000.00 a year by the Wilmington News Journal. A financial management system is designed to save money not cost more money.
This system has literally cost us Billions of dollars. DFMS is Bernie Madoff of financial accounting. How is the state so mismanaged that electric bills go unpaid by the central system month after month forcing us to pay expensive fees. Electric bills are not a surprise. That is the tip of the iceberg. Wholesale mismanagement is costing us more money than anyone knows because no one can get a handle on it with the current system.
The best budget reform legislation that anyone could introduce would be a joint resolution to establish a commission to find a new financial management system. The reform of the vendor system started in 2004 and will not even go live until 2010. Whenever I hear a hybrid approach being discussed, I get concerned. Let’s study this and see if we can go world class instead of poverty class. Fixing part of the problem and introducing new complexities doesn’t seem like change that excites me. Let’s get a blue ribbon commission on this now.
Prosperity Killers 18 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in federal.add a comment
This could be the beginning of the end of American Prosperity. The new CAFE standards are the first step to establishing a new anti-carbon regime. It slams the already ailing auto industry. It is accelerating the 100 billion dollar mandate that almost sank the industry in the Democrat led energy bill of 2007. The government agreed to lend the industry 25 billion and demanded a pound of flesh for it. Then the government acted as if it was the industry savior and the evil auto execs were the villains.
This is just the beginning. The evil coal companies, the evil oil companies, the evil power plants, and whatever else had better watch out. The new regime being proposed would hike energy prices artificially and permanently. It would redistribute wealth to the corporations favored by the government not those who earned their place in the market. This type of central planning has always led to devastating inefficiencies and corruption. It is almost like we are purposefully modeling the nations that can’t hold a candle to our economy.
It could be that we are seeing the end to prosperity as we know it.
State of Waste 18 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Budget, State.add a comment
A two month investigation by the News Journal has uncovered well over a 100 million dollars and up to 200 million dollars in procedural waste. It seems like the state employees may control their own destiny. If they stop wasting our money and follow procedures then they won’t need such a dramatic pay cut (96 million).
How is HB 100 sub 1 (the gambling bill) Constitutional? 17 May, 2009
Posted by David Anderson in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Table games are not lotteries under the state constitution and the current bill seems blatantly unconstitutional.
§ 17. Lotteries and other gambling.
Section 17. All forms of gambling are prohibited in this State except the following:
(a) Lotteries under State control for the purpose of raising funds,
(b) Lotteries (other than slot machines, roulette, craps and baccarat games) provided that each is sponsored and conducted under the limitations of Section 17B by companies, organizations or societies which have been in existence for at least 2 years; provided, however, that no person who shall not have attained the age of 18 years shall participate in any lottery (where money is the prize) otherwise authorized by the article,
(c) Wagering or betting by the use of pari-mutuel machines or totalizators on horse races conducted at racetracks within or without the State, provided that such wagering or betting may be conducted only either:
(1) within the enclosure of any racetrack licensed under the laws of the State to conduct a race meeting, or
(2) within the enclosure of any racetrack licensed under the laws of the State to receive and accept wagers or bets on electronically televised simulcasts of horse races.
(d) Bingo games as conducted under the limitations of Section 17A.
The General Assembly shall enforce this Section by appropriate legislation.
Stop overTaxing Our People 