Root Causes

Trillions for symptoms, but not one dime for root causes. Back in the early 1800’s there was a saying “millions for defense but not one cent for tribute”. It spoke of America’s determination to stand strong in the face of terror and extortion. Unfortunately today, we are seeing that we would rather throw money at the economic problems we are facing than address the root causes of these problems. Some of the solutions do not even cost money to implement. It was a fool hardy approach taken by the Bush administration and it seems like the Obama administration is willing to continue it. I guess it is more of the same instead of the change we need.

There are many myths about the economy including that the last stimulus bill and its payments didn’t work. They did. They worked in 2002 and they worked in 2008. They helped delay the downturn by several months and should be part of a new package. The problem is that unlike 2002 this downturn was more than cyclical. It had some stubborn root causes which went unaddressed.

This writer called for us to address the housing crisis back in February 2008. It is still not done. We don’t need to buy toxic assets. We need to give the banks compensation for modifying mortgages and entice them to mass modify ARM’s and troubled mortgages of people who are not literally on the block. Economists estimate that federally guaranteed 4% mortgages done this way would cost us 300 billion dollars. Yet it would save the average family several hundreds of dollars a month for as long as they keep that mortgage. That would do more than any one time check. Let’s do it. We could use the second half of the TARP or use it in the stimulus bill. We should also extend the temporary credit to first time homebuyers. It would cost 20 billion but as an interest free loan paid back over 15 years it would really cost us nothing but the interest we pay.

We should give aid to the states so they don’t raise taxes and layoff workers which would worsen the economy. I would say pick up 95% of Medicaid for two years and give block grants for “shovel ready projects”. We should also pick up unemployment, federally mandated student testing, at 100% for two years federally.

Energy policy should be in the stimulus because it will help create a long term recovery. It is also a national emergency.

Cut the corporate tax rate and give accelerated depreciation to small and medium size businesses. Give a $1000 a person rebate this summer and cut the payroll tax for two years in half so businesses are rewarded for each person they keep and people have more money every week.

Taken together these steps would save and create millions of jobs without socializing and regulating the economy beyond recognition.

Tell me, would that type of policy work better than putting down new sod, giving out contraceptives, and funding starving artists?

Thanks

It didn’t work this time. The blue tide was too strong. I thank everyone who put their time, money, and heart into this race.

Congratulations to the winners. I have National Guard make up Thursday so I will not be at returns day. None the less I say may God give you wisdom as you continue to serve us Mr. Angel.

David

A Significant Endorsement

Audio radio ad of Anderson endorsement-by Ray Clatworthy
Mr. Clatworthy requested that I post this. I gladly comply.

David, below is the letter that I sent to both the DSN and to the Dover Post. You are going to win!
RC

Dear editor:
I enthusiastically endorse David Anderson to be the 3rd Levy Court district commissioner. I have known David Anderson for a many years and he has one of the sharpest public policy minds in our state . He has been featured as an analyst on local news. He was one of the advocates who helped keep the wind farm issue alive when it appeared dead in the Senate. He has been a leading voice for common sense values and taxpayer’s rights.
Just as importantly, David Anderson is a good person. He is a man of deep faith, patriotism, and love for his family. His qualifications are outstanding by any measurement.
David has been involved in our community in many different ways. He has been involved in education issues for years including serving on two school boards. He has been involved in church groups such as Kent County Coordinator for Meet at City Hall National Day of prayer. He was part of the save Lamb Jam committee. He has been a vital part of food distribution efforts for organizations serving the needy. David was a Read-a-Loud Delaware participant. He has been a supporter of the Pregnancy Help Center. He worked with Compassion Ministries in order reduce the recidivism rate for prisoners.

The case for change

 

I believe that local government is a vital but often overlooked factor in our daily lives. It will be even more important in the troubled times we now face. I don’t believe our county government is serving our needs today. It has failed us in managing our money, emergency/disaster management, providing a positive business environment, and even failed in following its own procedures.

 

Unemployment has soared even faster than the national average, up by a third. We have lost 40% of our manufacturing jobs over the last decade. The banks are suffering, yet we have slashed the economic development outlays from $1.6 million to $73,000 in the last two years since Mr. Angel and company have taken over Levy Court.

 

I propose an entire agenda laid out on these websites, which include tax credits to new and expanding businesses. I want to use the unique position of the county to allow local businesses to access federal grants to help them with exports and other activities (businesses cannot apply directly—a local government has to participate). I want us to coordinate with existing business development programs better so people will have a one stop information resource. I would like to follow also some of the recommendations of the study we paid to get.

 

Now is not the time for tax reassessment. It would slam our seniors when they can least afford it. Everything else is going up. Can’t Kent County look out for us? I also oppose a property tax increase. My opponent has a record of raising taxes 43% while on the Capitol school board and stated at a Levy Court budget hearing that we may need to raise taxes.

 

I believe we need to manage our money better. We need to partner with the municipalities throughout the county to expand libraries accessible to all citizens of the county. We don’t need to go it alone. It makes no sense to duplicate the expenditures when we can be partners. The same is true of parks. I was glad to be part of helping save taxpayers 10 million dollars by opposing the original 13 million dollar Schutte Park facility. I was a vocal advocate of a metal building which fit in the budget. As part of the parks and recreation committee, I participated in the change. I see the same spendthrift instincts with the county. It is seen in the spending of 12,500 on trips by Mr. Angel to Hawaii and elsewhere when everyone else did it for a fraction of the cost. We need to reform our thinking.

 

Disaster response is a disaster. We remember the Reichhold spill debacle, and the poor flood responses. The untold story is that Mr. Angel approved County Emergency Management Agency goals which said that It would strive to notify us 90% of the time and respond 80% of the time. I think 100% is the only goal when it comes to my family’s safety.  (One of my friends who is a first responder wants me to make it clear that as in previous writings here and elsewhere that I am not referring to the first responders or people on the ground but the lack of coordination and planning at the higher levels such as not marking the roads properly before the flooding or the lack of timely notification to Bay-Health and the Red Cross in the Chemical leak incident.) 

 

Please allow me to make Levy Court work for you.

The Pace is quickening

I am pleased with the way the campaign is going.  We are getting ready to print our first mailing.  Lit Drops are starting.  Events are getting a great response.  The press has been positive.  Why?  The message is simple and profound.  In these troubled times, you can’t shelve economic development and raise taxes.  My opponent is fighting the last election.  The landscape has changed.  We need to look forward and plan to be a friend to our small businesses and entrepreneurs.  We need to keep the few large employers we have.  We need to become a player in the alternative energy field.

I am the only one with a plan to do it.  I feel an urgency to this election.  I feel like we have to win for the sake of our community.  Please join me.

9/11 Remembered in Prayer

Noontime, September 11th 7 years ago, found almost all of us praying. There is a movement to pray in all 50 State Capitols and D. C. called Cry Out America. The gathering for Delaware is on the Green. Those so inclined are hereby invited.

It is time to put aside partisanship–I invite the Lynn supporters to join the effort for change

It was a close campaign. Some very important issues were raised. I praise Mr. Lynn for his hard work to bring valid concerns to the people. The haphazard way the county makes policy has opened us up to million in liability and 38 lawsuits. The job base is shrinking not expanding. We need a better way to address the future of the county.

I welcome Mr. Lynn and his supporters. All of those who still believe we need change are welcome to join the team. I also believe we need to address issues of emergency preparedness, a positive business climate, and affordable housing. We need to win because we can not stay in put. Mr. Angel has accomplished what he sought to do. Now it is time to move forward. I welcome Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and everyone else in this campaign to improve our county.

I am On WHYY Tonight.

Get the best in Primary analysis on channel 12 or WHYY.org. You also can get my perspective between 8 and 9:30.

Our Emergency Preparedness is a Disaster waiting to happen

It will be three years since Hurricane Katrina woke up America to emergency preparedness, and Kent county still isn’t ready for an emergency. It has been two years since the Dow/ Reichhold accident and we are still not ready. They couldn’t even handle the recent minor flooding in Kitts Hummock and Bower’s Beach. What if we had a chemical spill with toxic chemicals? What if we had a major storm and had wide spread flooding?
Tell me there is not a critical failure of leadership. The sad part is I doubt Kent county is alone. The state has made improvements but they didn’t filter down to the counties very well.
The lack of emergency preparedness concerns me. The Reichhold Chemical incident was our wake up call and our county leadership seems to have hit the snooze alarm. I testified before the state and city governments about our concerns, but I don’t see enough movement on the county level. The notification system is still not sufficient. The county needs to take charge and make sure the citizens are protected.
I know from my duty providing Katrina Relief with the National Guard that local government matters. Whether the relief operation went smoothly or was a source of frustration was directly related to the competence of the local officials. I saw elected officials who rose to being local heroes selflessly serve their community. They were models of leadership. I saw others get in way, and even divert aid to their friends. I saw first hand that local government matters. My family lives here and I am not comforted by our lack of coordination between first responders and the local government.
Each person needs to take responsibility for themselves and their families, but we still need government to keep us informed and help us when we need it. It is crazy for there to have been a chemical spill and the local hospital not be informed why people are coming in when the government is on site. It was beyond belief that people were going to shelters and Red Cross not be notified that the shelter was open let alone to stock it. It is absurd that there are no sirens to go off during an emergency because they are loud. It is sad that a recent storm came and people were stuck in their homes because the roads were flooded and the government didn’t even invest in marking the roads so emergency vehicles could find them. Every year we still have failures. It is like we heard the wake up call and hit the snooze.
We need at least one person to bring up these issues for the sake of your families. We need real change.

This week we finally paid for our government–federal, state, and local

…At least we paid for this year. Cost of Government day came this week. “Cost of Government Day (COGD) is the date of the calendar year on which the average American worker has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of spending and regulatory burdens imposed by government on the federal, state and local levels”, according to Americans For Tax Reform. Congratulations, my fellow Americans, you are now free to look out for yourself and your fellow man.

The worst part of the sad fact that Americans work the equivalent 197 days to deal with the economic consequences of government is that it will likely get worse. The entitlement bomb is crying out for reform. According to the Concord Coalition we face 53 trillion dollars (present value of money terms) of unfunded liabilities if we don’t implement reforms. That is about the equivalent of the world’s economy. If you took every dollar earned in the world this year, you could pay the promises Congress has made the people. That should be a wake up call.