A Modest Suggestion

Dennis Byrne is a writer; a good writer. He writes op-ed columns for the Chicago Tribune and also does a variety of other important tasks that can be viewed at his website http://www.dennisbyrne.net/

If you would like to correspond with him you can contact him at dennis@dennisbyrne.net

He is also a blogger and his postings are available at http://dennisbyrne.blogspot.com/

Earlier this week, he wrote a column which was printed by the Chicago Tribune entitled “Chop the salaries of ‘public servants.’ Pretty bold stuff in a union town dominated by a political machine which places a rather high value on its captive employee power base.

It’s available at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-oped-0406-byrne-20100406,0,4232144.column  We encourage you to read it in its entirety.

The position in Mr. Byrne’s article has been promoted, favored and supported by TheFundamentals for some time. Our suggestion for starting to deal with the deficits and debt at both national and state levels is our modest 5 + 10 + 15 = -5% program which simply means a 5% reduction in entitlement payments plus a 10% reduction in government employment plus a 15% reduction in all other government spending will produce enough funds to start a 5% debt repayment program.

Let’s take a minute or two at this point to grasp the significance of Byrne’s message. Mr. Byrne's subject is advancing the position that employees who self describe as “public servants” must embrace the full meaning of that role including sacrificing remuneration, benefits and pensions when circumstances dictate. TheFundamentals has been preaching “sacrifice and frugality” since its inception and practicing it since childhood. We fully support the thesis advanced by Mr. Byrne but we also recognize the real fact that public payrolls are bloated and public employee remuneration has accelerated way beyond private sector levels. It is way beyond time to realign this disparity. Darn few taxpaying voters would oppose it; darn few elected officials have the spine to even whisper it.

Back to our 5 + 10 +15 = -5% program. This program, of which Mr. Byrne’s suggestion could play a key part, would launch the United States on an economic rebound that would be unrivaled in our very competitive world market. There would be a brief period of adjustment, most of which would be dedicated to the whining and weeping and gnashing of government employee union teeth. But then, watch out. American business would ramp up employment and the rivalry between the states for new jobs, expanded businesses and healthy economic growth environments would send a message to the world that the United States is not going the way of European style protectionism. The United States is not going to shutter its manufacturing capabilities in favor of financial services and so-called derivative products and other forms of non wealth producing shenanigans. The economic power of the United States is nothing short of spectacular. Lousy political leaders and horrible government involvement have led us to doubt our own power. Let’s face it folks, Mr. Byrne knows of what he speaks. The public employee unions know how fragile is their fear based hold on the voters. They depend on their political sycophants for cover. Byrne has the courage to say what most of us are thinking. Let’s support the modest suggestion in Mr. Byrne’s article. Let’s demand that our politicians either implement this suggestion or let’s help them move on, to coin a phrase. Let’s unleash the power of this wonderful country!