Dec 19 2008
Bringing the Power Back to the People
During this last election period, there were a number of city and state budgeting issues that were voted on in addition to the candidates seeking public offices. Of these issues, perhaps the most common to be raised in the realm of public finance is the never-ending cry for tax increases.
I am always intrigued at the need for higher taxes, for the simple fact that the level of tax revenues rises along with the population. Why is it, then, that a rising population is always the foremost reason cited for raising the percentage of taxes that the people should have to pay?
Understandably, crime rates do rise with population numbers, creating a need for a larger police force and better equipment, but I also understand that there are a number of public programs and expenses that we could do without. Certain salaries are exorbitantly high and there are always just a few bucks here and there that dissappear with no accounting for it.
So here’s my proposition. Since we love to spend so much tax money already, why not create a kind of council, or budget reform board if you will, from the existing citizens in each city or county that continually rotates and renews its numbers by random selection. This could be done in the same fashion as jury duty, and the positions would be paid for all who participate.
The budget reform board will be solely responsible for investigating and either approving or vetoing the spending of public funds, and because it consists of a constantly changing group, it will only focus on a few issues at a time, and will be much less susceptible to the corruption that holding a public office seems to bring about.
Not only do I believe that the public would learn a great deal more about where their money is going from this, but also that the number of frivolous spending projects would be greatly reduced as a result of this knowledge. There is currently a severe need for this kind of budget reduction and monitoring, most especially during this latest economic crisis, and we have been given numerous reasons to believe that the job can only be performed properly if we do it ourselves.
In essence, we have a desperate need to bring decision making power back into the hands of the people instead of allowing it to remain in the hands of those who generally misuse it. This is a call to arms, and I openly welcome any other ideas or debate about the issue. Our consitution guarantees us the right to reform our government and it’s about time we started using it.
Now here’s a rant and rave I can really get on board with. Great idea, and great post.
Cheers
Thank you skw. With enough notice and perhaps a bit of blessing, an idea such as this might become a large enough grassroots movement to be put into action, or at least reformed to a point that makes it possible.
@David: Yes, the idea sounds a bit strange at first glance, but consider the fact that our taxes are already paying for budget oversight committees that are filled with politicians and regular insiders, which makes them easy to pay off-or make donations to if you want to split hairs. By replacing these people with regular citizens who are chosen in the fashion outlined, we could help to prevent this kind of corruption as well as spread the word about where our money is really going.
Of course, all things and all people are susceptible to corruption, but it is our job as taxpayers and American citizens to do everything we can to prevent and eliminate it before it can do major harm to the system.
I am a firm believer that we can more than adequately get the necessary jobs done with no new taxes. The problem lies in the multitudes of spending programs that take money away from those roads and law enforcement, etc. until they are insufficient to operate and another tax increase is proposed.
Just look at what New York is going through because of their belief in increased taxation: now they have a soda tax, gym membership tax, increased road taxes, and the list goes on… eventually, it will cost money just to breathe their heavily polluted air.
I think what the New York tax system needs is a review board filled with people who are sick of paying ludicrous taxes in virtually every aspect of their lives!
The MAIN problem is that we have a Congress that NO longer represent the interests of the American People. They only serve the interests of Corporations, the same corporations that get no-bid contracts paid for with our tax money. This happens at all levels, local, state and national.
I have been proposing rotating “citizen” panels to in effect, replace the non-working Congress and local governments. Government is supposed to be a ‘rotating panel’ but, with long/lifetime terms, etc… the only thing that rotates is the influence of corporate interest. Without money, it’s impossible to run for office. The higher (or…lower, depends how you look at it…) the office the higher the expense. This has given corporations a huge advantage since candidates who receive financial support legislate in favor of those who supported them.
Our system is broken and, even worse, has been hijacked by powerful, greedy people who do NOT have the interest of our Country or its People at heart. WE MUST change this or there will be a final blow at some point in which things will get horribly worse that they are now.
Note how, WE THE PEOPLE, are blamed for ANY and ALL problems:
1) Insuracne companies claim higher rates on “insurance scams”
2) Bush based his “bankruptcy reform law” on “people abusing the system”
3) Credit card companies blame people for spending more than they can and use that to justify the obscene interest rates they charge, with the approval and blessing of OUR Congress
4) Now, financial institutions blame people for bad mortgages.
5) Local gov. blame people for expenses that require tax increases
It’s a never ending game, and they will always win, save for drastic change. In the past, changes of this magnitude had to be brought about by civil unrest and/or civil war. Hopefully, things won’t get that bad.
@ Giovanni Delgado: Here here, you have put it succinctly. The question now is how do we convert a small grassroots movement into something with a strong enough voice to make a real change? I think the first step might lean towards a petition and I’m working on getting one up and running. Thanks for your comments Giovanni.