State Budget Crisis

We're 58 days into a new fiscal year with no approved state budget except for funding to pay the salaries of most state workers and all venders.  The question I have is this: does anybody care that we have no budget?  I sure haven't been affected by the lack of one; have you?  And that begs the question: what is the role of state government?  Having worked in the state Senate for many years, I've come to the conclusion that the first and foremost responsibility our legislators have is to adequately fund the needs of state government agencies, boards, commissions and departments.  Those needs are first prioritized by the governor during a January/February budget message, followed by House and Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings, and finalized by the crafting of a bill to fulfill those needs.  When the executive and legislative branches are controlled by one party the passage of a state budget is fairly easy and usually done by June 30th.  However, when the legislative branch is split as we have today, you get exactly what we have - stalemate!  From my "centerist" point of view, my heart is with the governor and House Democrats when they say that we must temporarily increase spending during rough economic times to help those individuals, groups and governmental entities with unmet needs.  However, my mind is with the Senate Republicans who say that we shouldn't increase taxes during difficult economic times and either cut or hold the line on spending until better fiscal times emerge.  So, where does that leave us relative to the passage of a state budget?  Absent sufficient outside pressure to pass one, it leaves us in a state of limbo.  But, there's one budget line item - ESBE - that will most likely cause a compromise.  The Equalized Subsidy for Basic Education is the largest single budget line item and is the driver of state taxed dollars back to the 501 school districts.  As the new school year begins, there's no reimbursement checks heading to them.  And the pain will be great as programs will be curtailed, layoffs will begin and/or taxes will have to be increased on the local level to adequately fund their budgets.  Then you will hear a louder cry to "get it done!"

Health Care In America

The debate on Health Care has been hijacked by the extreme left and right through their media outlets, Talk Radio, MSNBC, FOX, etc.  The circus atmosphere is so pervasive  and the carnival barking so loud and shrill that it's nearly impossible for this issue to be properly debated.  I'm so tired of listening to people talk over each other, screeming at the top of their lungs to drown out the other person.  Where is the civility, the manners, the courtesy that our mothers taught us as youth?  From a "centerist viewpoint" I'm a strong believer that all Americans have a right to some kind of health care that provides access to doctors and hospitals.  I just don't know how to get there from here, especially when our nation is impolding as a result of debt so crushing that we and future generations may never recover from its effects.  If I were president, I would adopt the Teddy Roosevelt approach.  I'd call in representatives from the insurance industry, the hospitals and doctors, and lawyers, put them in a room and tell them not to come out until a compromise has been agreed to.  The carot and stick is simple: if the private sector doesn't create the solution, government will intrude and most likely muck it all up!