Political Speech and Money
Many political reformers will tell you that money corrupts politics. But how do we get through to voters without an aggressive effort to reach them, which nearly always involves money?
Despite being the talk of California’s political world with over 700,000 views on YouTube, the Demon Sheep created by the Fiorina for U.S. Senate campaign was unknown to most of the very involved community group members I spoke to in Los Angeles this week.
The Sacramento echo chamber sometimes make you believe that the political stories being discussed all around you are also spreading far and wide and having an impact. In our great state of 36-million people it takes quite a lot to have an impact, especially when politics is not very high on the average citizen’s ‘things I like to do’ list.
The Online Tax Revolt: New Technology and the Age Old Rally
Using new
technology, everyone in America can join the Online Tax Revolt, and March for
America. There is no cost; it is
an old-fashioned protest march in the street with signs and the symbols of
protest and even "real" streets.
It ends in Washington on Tax Day April 15 where each participant’s
avatar and team will join in the live rally taking place in the Capitol that
day.
Today the
Online Tax Revolt makes its soft launch at the CPAC
meetings in Washington DC, on Neal Boortz’ Nationally syndicated Radio Talk
Show and with announcements here
in Fox and Hounds and selected other sites. On March 1 the hard launch starts with aggressive buys on
talk radio, emails, social networking sites, direct mail, banner ads and such.
We know
there are millions of Americans who sympathize with Tea Party activists. The Tea Party is currently more
popular than either major party.
But most people, for one reason or another, cannot or do not turn
out. Who among us is not now
picking up a mental pitch fork, at least from time to time? Who among us is not, to one extent or
another, cheering on the Tea Parties?
Is LA’s Online “Budget Challenge” for Real?
In another sign that California’s city governments are finding new and creative ways to engage their residents on excruciating budget decisions, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been attempting to drum up participation in the city’s, Los Angeles Budget Challenge website. Utilizing the “Budget Challenge” software developed by Next Ten, the website is a facile survey-based platform that asks budget cut and revenue questions while it tracks the actual fiscal impact of your choices.
As Mayor Villaraigosa recently encouraged, “I believe community participation in the city’s budget process is essential." But is the “community” really participating in this process? After going through the site myself, there are definite “Good”, “Bad”, and “Ugly” aspects to the initiative.
Bureaucracy Hurts Education
I retire this year as a speech pathologist for the public school system with a heavy heart knowing how low education has sunk.
I am passionate about my work and am very accomplished in my field. However, since the creation of the Department of Education and the Federal Government involvement in local school districts our education system nationwide has declined. From establishing Law 94142, now called IDEA, to No Child Left Behind, special and general education teachers are drowning in unnecessary paper work.
We are constantly told that if we don’t dot our Is and cross our Ts we are opening ourselves up for a lawsuit. There is a whole cottage industry that has grown around lawyers and advocates milking parents and school districts for money or they will seek a resolution in a court setting. Some do a good job of advocating for students’ rights, but there is always the threat of a lawsuit. Countless hours are spent in meetings when we should be teaching students.