The early skirmishes are developing into minor conflicts. Pushing matches. Threats. Can real confrontation be far behind? We shall see soon enough. Here are a few of the beginning, real opportunities to start making a difference.
Wisconsin says no to most public employees belonging to unions. This is a position supported by TheFundamentals and it is a necessary step to reining in the excessive employment; excessive salaries; excessive benefits and the outrageous pension programs that are now routinely funded by taxpayers who have no representative at the contract bargaining table with public employee union negotiators. If you are a resident of Wisconsin you can contact your governor and your state legislators and tell them to support the elimination of union representation for public employees. If you are a resident of another state, contact your governor and legislator(s) and let them know that you want them to introduce similar public employee union terminating legislation in your state.
Florida, Ohio and now Wisconsin have told the federal government to stop annoying them with promises of federal cash for high speed train travel in their states. They know that this newest “investment” concept of Mr. Obama and the rapidly failing party in power is nothing other than an attempt to put lipstick on a pig. The pig? The failed stimulus spending plans. The failed job creating plans and the failed indirect state bailout plans. They are costly. They are ineffective. They add terrifically to the national debt. And they are designed to provide federal taxpayer funds for the constituents of the party in power. These politicians will do anything to extend their spending spree and they will call it anything to garner support. Obama now calls them investments. Here is how to call their bluff. Ask them to invest their own funds in the investments. Ask them to put their money, not other people’s money, where their loud caterwauling mouths are. Just say no to the Obama Investment Plans, be they high speed rail, green jobs, alternative energy, local battery plants or government funded Internet availability. Let your federal congressmen and senators know that you oppose all these “investments.”
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Better known to most of as PBS. This gang is running scared and it is about time. They receive substantial federal funding - $420 to $450 per year million in recent years and similar amounts going forward. This broadcasting network raises substantial public donations and substantial grants from very large and very wealthy foundations. You all know this because you see and hear their names regularly if you watch any of their programming. This broadcasting network also portrays politicians and event through their own screening process even though they are receiving taxpayer funding from working Americans who may see issues and events through different eyes and different screening mechanisms. PBS will survive without hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds and borrowing that the taxpayer must, someday, repay. There is one more compelling reason to stop the funding. It has to do with a very important fundamental. Many of the PBS and NPR personalities are now engaged in using taxpayer funded broadcasting time to advance their position of continued public funding. Such behavior is a conflict of interest and it violates any conflict of interest standard. For this reason alone, they should lose their public funding and their qualification as a charitable activity.
Speaking of conflict of interest? Read this report about the priorities of the Madison Wisconsin teachers: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/article_e3cfe584-3953-11e0-9284-001cc4c03286.html It seems they are of the mind that their job is to call in sick; close the schools; kids have no classes as a result and, apparently the head of their union cajoled them to do this so they could go to the state capitol to lobby against the changes. Public servants? Hardly. Self interested, union members? Not much doubt when you see how they behave. TheFundamentals agrees 100% with the Madison parent of two school age children who is a supporter of teacher unions still observed, “"That's not acceptable to me," Billings said.”My tax dollars pay for the teachers to teach and not to protest."
If you wish to work for the public, you forgo your privileges to join unions. If you wish to broadcast your opinions and your chosen topics, don’t expect the taxpayers to pay for it. If you have good investments, there is plenty of money available to fund those investments. Just ask for it. You may have to show how the investment will work and how it will pay for itself but surely you can support your investment ideas. Can’t you?
These are the simple beginnings of a movement back to fundamentals. Please support them. Get engaged. Stop watching TV talking heads and start talking to your elected officials. Write them. Email them. Call them. Support these early skirmishes. Let’s get a few successes; a few wins and then we can move on to real change.
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