Causing Progress

While considering a speech by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) promoting a Constitutional Amendment elevating banner worship above the principles of democracy, I thought I could hear the familiar dismissal; “There’s no difference between Republicans and Democrats.” Too often the similarities obscure the differences. Often, I suspect Feinstein and even Howard Dean of being Rockefeller Democrats, refugees from an intolerant, theocratic Christian-Republican party.

But, then, I consider Warren Buffet’s decision to give well over $30 billion to the Gates Foundation to fight diseases worldwide and improve education in America. And, compare Larry Ellison’s decision to welsh on a $115 million pledge to Harvard for medical research. Two billionaires dispensing their wealth as personal, not community, property. Is there a discernable difference between them? Yes. While anyone would reasonably consider Bill Gates a monopolist and plutocrat, Buffet’s decision demonstrated a committment to wider concerns than Ellison could envision. One demonstrates a global vision, the other focuses on petty personal cronyism.

I also hope the White House and members of Congress listened carefully to Buffet’s arguments to maintain the aristocracy tax (a.k.a. the estate tax). He displayed a concern for his country and the world that extended beyond the privileges of his class and heirs.

While I have your attention, go make an online contribution…now.

One axiom of Christian-Republican faith holds that government cannot deliver high-quality , low-cost services to a community. The faithful argue that only a for-profit business can ‘deliver the goods.’ So, it’s interesting to see what happens when a city turns over the task of maintaining public property to a business owned by a Christian-Republican, who is also a member of the city council.

City threatens to yank councilman’s contract reported JournalStar.com in Lincoln, NE.
Ken Svoboda’s business holds the contract to maintain the medians on the streets of Lincoln, Nebraska. Perhaps he believed his position on the city council would protect him from complaints from a dissatisfied customer. Maybe it did, for a while. When the Public Works Director threatened to terminate the contract, the councilman finally fulfilled his obligation. Of course, he blamed his failure on others; his employees (“When I’m not there, things don’t get finished.”) and the general public (“This is a casualty of public service.”).

So, does your city outsource the maintainance of public property? To elected officials?