Repairing California

California, the Golden State, is literally falling apart. The streets, freeways, levees, and even the water distribution system are all breaking apart. The Los Angeles Times reported 34 breaks in the Los Angeles city water distribution system. Add to that the deteriorating educational system, the high taxes, the over budget government systems (city of Los Angeles and state government), and the legislative deadlocks and you begin to understand the depth of our turmoil.

The city and state districting has been so gerrymandered that there is little opportunity to unseat incumbent legislators without an extraordinary uprising of the electorate.

District boundaries are merely a symptom of the overall management of California. Republicans and Democrats have carved up the state in a manner that ensures that when an incumbent retires his successor will be in the same party.

Two examples help to tell the story: 1. The 30^th congressional district held by Henry Waxman. His primary constituency is West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, and all the immediately adjoining areas. For reasons that will forever remain a mystery his district boundary includes the west end of the San Fernando Valley.

2. The second and sixth council districts in Los Angeles are a perfect example of the no reasonable districting philosophy that has invaded cities as well as state districting nonsense. Clearly these districts were devised to ensure the re-election of candidates based upon the ethnic backgrounds of the constituents rather than neighborhood needs.

The state constitution has 522 amendments and is 110 pages long. To make it useable the regulations in the constitution have been organized into topic “codes” to enable understandability. Many laws have been included in the constitution rather than simple state law to prevent them from being overturned. Thus the Public Housing Project Law is Article 34.

To pass a budget in the state legislature requires 2/3 vote. Thus 1/3 of the legislature controls the budgetary process. Only two other states have this requirement. It is the reason that budgets are rarely passed before their due date. The result is this year’s issuance of I.O.U.s by the state treasurer.

It is the same reason that bond issues are approved by the voters rather than the legislature. The same reason a typical state wide ballot has 10 to 12 initiatives. The legislature can’t agree on most laws and puts the questions to voters who usually lack adequate information to make wise decisions. Voters are influenced by special interest groups that spread lots of lies.

BusinessWeek has just reported that a new state commission to recommend an overhaul the tax system has been established by the legislature. The legislature will abdicate its responsibility and the plan will appear on a future ballot. Voters, with limited knowledge, will be encouraged to vote yes or no by various special interest groups that will try to frighten the public. It’s how this state got into so much trouble by using initiatives to pass property tax regulations, governance laws, bond initiatives, and other laws that should have been determined by the legislature. That is a group that has refused to take responsibility.

The solution is a state constitutional convention. The Bay Area Council, a business group in San Francisco that includes the surrounding bay area, has taken on the leadership role in this endeavor. Through a group called Repair California they have been holding town hall meetings throughout the state and have met with the editorial boards of many newspapers for their support. The Los Angeles Times has become an enthusiastic supporter of this idea. They have published six editorials supporting the idea of a constitutional convention. The first of those editorials appeared on August 16, 2009. The most recent appeared on September 20, 2009.

Moving to Oregon is not an option for me. We have to get this done.

Obama is not Afraid of Public Opinion

Many in the American public hold views that are very different from our new president. The honeymoon is not only over, the divorce proceeding is now in full force. It’s obvious that President Obama came to office with the intent of making over many things that Americans hold dear. Conservative commentators have successfully upset the public on many issues that are not well understood. We didn’t understand the meaning of his campaign words. Too few asked what “change” meant. The color of the president’s skin has only added to the fear.

He is determined to reform health care. He wants to convince the majority that his views are the best for this nation. To accomplish this end he will appear on television networks that are at least not openly opposed to his ideas. The result is his media appearances this Sunday, September 20 on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, ABC‘s “This Week”, CBS’ “Face the Nation” and CNN’s “State of the Union“. Fox’s “News Sunday” is being skipped because the entire network opposes the president on every single issue. Fox’s commentators have repeatedly expressed their hope for Obama’s failure.

Nancy Pelosi is correct in being concerned about the president’s safety. In a nation where people are murdered for expressing their views the secret service needs to be extra vigilant. Protection for the president ought to include banning of guns at town hall meetings where he will appear.

The president’s appearance on many shows is not overexposure. After all he is the person we elected to lead our country. He is doing an outstanding job of conveying his ideas on a variety of issues. It’s not just health care. He is responding to public concern. His appearances on a variety of programs and answering questions is precisely what the country needs. He is someone who is not afraid of public opinion.

Society’s Responsibility to Senior Citizens

Personally I have had more medical treatment since turning 60. It’s no fun getting old! I am not alone.

I do not need a study to tell me that the people receiving the most medical care are senior citizens. All I have to do is go to local medical care facilities and this fact is quickly verified. Most of the handicapped parking is full. Seniors are more prevalent in the hallways and elevators. So it is no surprise that Medicare is an expensive program.

This week’s Newsweek cover story is “The Case for Killing Granny.” I think it accurately tells the story of most elderly people who have reached the end of life. Families are trying to make the correct decisions and where possible respecting the wishes of that loved one.

The article fairly identifies the fact that doctors and hospitals in the big cities do have high earnings. The fees they charge are not posted anywhere and that is causing government programs to put caps on fees. I do not know any middle income doctors in Los Angeles. Their cries about high malpractice insurance costs run afoul of their propensity for living in high income neighborhoods and driving high end cars.

My own mother is now in a skilled nursing facility. It’s really an extension of the hospital where she stayed for four nights. She has dementia but that is really her only disease. Her entry into the hospital was the result of neglect at a board and care facility. She weighs 96 pounds and that is an improvement from last week’s weight of 93 pounds. She really doesn’t want to eat more food. She is on an intravenous line that hydrates her. This is most likely the end of her life. Her medical power of attorney says take no extraordinary steps to preserve her life. She seems to be happy and so we are visiting her daily. My sister hopes she will recover but that is an unlikely event. A higher power will decide when she will take her final breath.

If we are the highly moral society that is our claim then it is essential that each family decide the measures to be taken to preserve life. This cannot be a determination of government. The federal government took on the financial responsibility when Medicare was implemented. If Medicare, or Social Security, runs short of money then it is society’s responsibility to ensure we are all provided a comfortable retirement and health care too.

Health Insurance for Illegal Aliens

The debate about no health insurance for illegal aliens is too one dimensional. This issue has many implications that have not been discussed at all. Even a non-expert can ask some very important questions that are not easily answered.

1. An illegal alien has a communicable disease. One member of the family comes to a hospital looking for care. In the process of treatment a doctor concludes that the entire family is most likely infected. The family has already come in contact with many other people. Who will the government treat and who will pay for the treatment?

2. To ensure that no medical care is given to illegal aliens everyone will have to be issued an identity card. Won’t those who oppose national identity cards see the issuance of these medical ID cards as a step toward systems of identity that so many Americans oppose?

3. A female illegal alien is pregnant and has no money for health care. Will the government provide the care needed for the mother and later for the child or will they be put out onto the street?

4. If an illegal alien child comes to a hospital with a broken limb or other non- communicable ailment will he/she be turned away?

5. Will public clinics and hospitals that now do not ask about citizenship not provide services to illegal aliens?

6. If we provide a “path to citizenship” for illegal aliens, will those following regulations be included in a national health insurance plan? If they are low wage earners where will the money come from to pay for their care?

These are all difficult moral questions that will be debated long and hard. Local government agencies throughout the country are now providing these services. Where is this situation going? Who wants to say “no” to the least able among us?

The 21st Century World Economy Has Arrived

The United States was not interested in the rest of the world until WWII. Our nation kept up its protectionist and no alliance philosophy until that war thrust us (were we dragged?) into a position of leadership. Exceptions to that basic idea did occasionally occur. There was the famous bombardment of pirates off the north coast of Africa in the early 1800s. That was an independent action that led to know alliances. WWI is the outstanding example of working together with other countries to defeat a common enemy. At the end of that war the United States did not join the League of Nations. Instead the country reverted to its no alliances philosophy.

The idea of no alliances apparently dates back to Thomas Jefferson. He extended Washington’s ideas in his March 4, 1801 inaugural address: “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.”

A Cato Institute article on free trade confirms the philosophy of high tariffs. The article provides a U.S. Department of Commerce graph that shows 30% import duties on durable goods until WWII. Pat Buchanan, the conservative talk show host and former presidential candidate, still contends that the United States would be better off economically if trade barriers were in place. He repeated that position on the McLaughlin Group on Friday August 21, 2009. When was the last time he went shopping? Walmart, Target, Sears, Best Buy, etc. are all part of the global market place.

It’s understandable why Buchanan and others believe that protectionism is the salvation for the United States. We can’t compete with other nations for many goods and services. Our cost of living is just too high.

Listed on President Barack Obama’s top five books to read this summer is Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat. It’s a book that tells us something we already know but in horrifying detail. This book tells us about the interdependence of every nation in the world. The quote “President Obama will probably learn of the operation from CNN” evidences how well we have connected everyone. Even Mayanmar’s (Burma’s) secretive government has been unable to keep events in that country a secret from the world. Neither 10th century Muslims nor Asian dictators can stop the interconnected world. Visit Toronto, Canada and it’s like visiting the United Nations. You will realize the world cannot be turned back.

The answer to our dilemma is innovation and invention. This nation gave birth to assembly line manufacturing (Henry Ford’s factories), the telephone, the computer world, and the internet. It was Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb and the first recording devices. The largest and most successful aircraft manufacturing companies were built in the United States. It’s that creativity that will revitalize this nation.

What will it be? I don’t know. It could be new car batteries or new ways to generate electricity or something else.

The new world has arrived. Get excited!

There is No New Direction for Our Economy

I am mystified about the economic direction of our country. Despite the optimism in the stock market there really is no new direction for the nation’s economy. It may be accurately reported that net income of many companies has increased but it was mostly the result of reduced labor costs and reductions in inventory. Cash for Clunkers was a great idea for clearing dealer lots but who will buy a car now that the program has ended?

With credit card interest rates up and with far fewer offers from the banks for new credit card accounts there has been an obvious reduction in card usage. Most of us are burdened with too much credit card debt to buy very many new things. After all we consumers had a total outstanding bill of almost $1 trillion. The reduced card use is a good thing for the individual but bad for an economy that relies on consumer spending.

The $768 billon stimulus bill was a great idea to jump start the economy. The problem is that only $89 billion has actually been paid out. That is about 12% of the allocated money. This is particularly maddening to me when I see streets that need resurfacing all over my city. Other projects are talked about but there has been no action.

We are left with actions by private enterprise to invigorate the economy. The wealthy are too happy to care and the rest of us really are praying.

We need more than prayer and hope. The world is changing faster than ever before. Other nations have economies that are far better managed than ours. Even our next door neighbor, Canada, is more successfully managed than the United States. China and India are both reported to having seen a turn around in their economies. Unless there is an inspired government that isn’t involved in political infighting or industries that quickly step up to the table, and that means within the next 12 months, the United States will follow Japan into a longer downward financial spiral.