Things are looking fowl

Somebody must have turned on the lights in the hen house. Cluck!

How about pay as we GO?

So Governor Bob McDonnell wants to help pay for transportation in NOVA and Hampton Roads by taking General Fund monies from K-12, from public safety (state troopers are already understaffed; ditto for police/deputies in some localities), and from public health. I guess that reflects his priorities - get a transportation merit badge by any means. Beg, borrow, steal?

Transportation should be paid by the users thereof... including those out-of-staters rambling through the commonwealth on I-95 and I-81. Tolls? Maybe. Raising the gas tax? Seems like a user fee is a fair way to go. Raising license fees for those big trucks that put such demands on our road and bridges? Yeah, they should fully pay their way? And while we are at it, shouldn't electric cars have to pay for the roads, too? Maybe we need to rethink the gas tax and move to a taxation per mile plan- that would certainly face potholes in the political road!

Question is... why is the chicken paying for roads by being the fox in the hen house of K-12, of public safety, and of other core state services?

Conservative Constitution of the United States

We, the Real Americans, in order to form a more God-Fearing Union, establish Justice as we see it, Defeat Health-Care Reform, and Preserve and Protect our Property, our Guns and our Right Not to Pay Taxes, do ordain and establish this Conservative Constitution for the United States of Real America.

Read the rest of the Conservative Constitution of the United States in David Cole's Washington Post column.

Pundits, Republicans, and other fools

I am growing tired of stupid pundits on MSNBC and Fox. The Repubs and Fox nearly always piss me off. What am I talking about - all the absurd commentary on the new jobs numbers that came out today. A big part of our economy's problem is the Bush (and yes, Clinton) "go-go" economics that tossed regs out the window and allowed out of control "capitalism," spiked with greed, to totally f*ck us over. Pundits like Chris Matthews on Hardball think it will be five years before jobs return. And fools like the new House Majority Leader give zero credit to President Obama for the (rather anemic) job growth we've have since Bush policies tanked the economy. But, with his appointments today is the president kissing up to big business and forgetting the people who elected him?

Huge global structural changes have fundamentally changed the US economy. Chris, I doubt those jobs will "return" in five years or ever. Eric, instead of partisan BS like calling every Obama initiative "job-killing," how about some real thinking, some real ideas for moving America forward. I suppose that is far beyond your capabilities.

In the meantime, the most insightful commentator on jobs and the condition of working folks in the USA was, and is, Bruce Springsteen, who in My Hometown, told us "these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back." Springsteen was absolutely right - the manufacturing jobs of the 50s, 60s, 70s are gone to China, India, Indonesia. If Chris Matthews thinks they'll come back in five years he's a yapping fool. But, if Eric Cantor thinks cutting spending and rolling back health care reform will fix things, he's clearly just another partisan fool on the hill.

Gasland: The Movie

The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. (From the producers of Gasland)

The Shenandoah Group of the Sierra Club, in cooperation with the JMU Earth Club, will present the film Gasland: The Movie in the auditorium in JMU's Memorial Hall at 7:00 PM on January 18, 2011. Following the movie a panel of local experts will discuss hydrofracking and answer questions about its implications for our area.

Memorial Hall is the former Harrisonburg High School located at 395 S. High Street, Harrisonburg. Directions. The event is free and open to the public. More info.

Random acts of vacuous behavior

Okay, this post is vacuous behavior itself, but here goes...

The other day I was in Harrisonburg and spotted or heard on the radio, the following:

• At the Lowe's there is a small bike rack. I suppose that is a nice touch, but wonder if it is often used? It is a cold day in Hell when I come out of Lowe's with such a small load that I could carry it on a bicycle! Then again, when in Beijing, we saw bikes with carts hauling everything from snow to small livestock... if gas prices keep rising we may see more "work bikes" here.
• A Cash Advance store has a sign on the door saying "No Cash On Premises." Huh?
• A radio ad for a funeral home wished everyone a "safe and healthy New Year." I like the sentiment, but it wouldn't be very good for business.

This one is more of a pet peeve. Like many folks at this time of year, we've made some charitable donations. Three were to local organizations helping people with genuine needs and whose work we admire because they touch lives and make us a better community. All well and good so far, but here's what irks me a bit... within two weeks all three had mailed additional solicitations to my home. Perhaps that is strategic marketing, but it seems almost rude and, to my way of thinking, a waste of resources. We'll donate to these organizations again in the future, but couldn't I get the thank you note first?

Governor to state employees... you'll have to pay for state's mismanagement

According to a recent study commissioned by the General Assembly, the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) is underfunded by $18 billion. In his budget proposals, Governor Bob McDonnell will likely tell state employees to pick up some of the tab for restoring the system. With pay raises unlikely, that will be a pay cut for the Commonwealth's workforce.

One might ask why the VRS is ailing. Well, the simple and honest answer is because for several budget cycles the General Assembly and governor have cut the state's, local governments', and school boards' contributions below what was prudent to maintain a viable system able to meet its obligations. They've also borrowed from VRS to patch holes in the budget. They assured everyone that these actions would not endanger VRS' balance sheet. Due to policymakers' own actions the VRS is in some difficulty and those same policymakers want someone else to pick up the tab.

If that sounds unfair... it most definitely is. A quarter century ago the state (also most local governments and school boards) picked in the employees' 5% share of the contribution in lieu of a pay raise. In response to some skepticism, policymakers promised it would be permanent. Then last year legislation passed requiring new employees to pay that 5% themselves. At least newbies understood the deal when they took the job. Now the governor wants all employees to pick up (as yet undisclosed) some of the so-called "employees' share." If the state does so, it is probable that local governments and school boards will follow suit - like state employees, most teachers, police, and other local employees would effectively face a pay cut after several years without pay raises.

The governor's proposal is bad policy that breaks faith with the men and women who perform valuable services for the citizens. The General Assembly should reject this idea, restore rational contribution rates for VRS, begin paying back money borrowed from VRS, and delay funding new pet projects of the administration until current obligations to VRS are met.