Natural Philosophy, Reason, and the Connecticut Budget

In the earliest documentation of western civilization we had the Greeks describing what we now call "natural philosophy". Early writings describe nature as the basis for all acts and a civil society rooted in the so called nature of mankind.
As we passed through the emergence of Christianity, the Enlightenment, and the Age of Reason to our more modern thinking and philosophy we accomplished a number of major breakthroughs:
1. Moral Codes- Aristotle, Ten Commandments, Chivalry, Golden Rule, self evident rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
2.Higher mathematics as the language of the universe, God, truth, and foundation for reason
3. Extensive scientific discoveries based upon the scientific method
4. Documented and proven laws of nature that are universal and epistemic to our moral society
5.Breakdown of philosophy into disctinct disciplines like political philosophy, ethics, morality, free will
With many examples we can witness the interpretations and outcomes in our contemporary society in the form of secularism, diversity, and moral relativism. We see many times how our society increasingly pursues a social justice goal at the expense of individual rights and undermines the freedoms that we recognize from our definition of a civil society as articulated in the Declaration of Independance, and supported by our Constitution and Bill of Rights. The debates over Eminent Domain , for example, are about just such conflicts over what constitutes the "common good".
The so called culture wars debate the relativism of many topics, but often overlook the foundations of our country and its grounding in moral codes, individualism, and capitalism.This baseline allows us a civil discourse, but balance among these influences is dependant upon their relationship to each other. Capitalism is greed, but socialism does't work and never achieves the economic growth that raises the standard of living for all. The "reason" and rationale that we can apply today comes from advancements made largely because of capitalism combined with a benificent social responsibility of motivated individuals.We should know by now how to be inclusive and respectful of all citizens.
As the entitlements grow to a larger base you have to wonder when the scale tips and more people are receiving from those that are giving. With a majority vote the receiving population outweighs the productive population who works to support everyone else, Utopia? Capitalism collapses and our society is at odds with overall security in jeopardy. As Hobbes described in his "Leviathan" we then need a superman, a messiah to promise protection when we agree to relinqush all authority to him. This is the tyranny that haunts the planet and plagues the populations.
As Connecticut considers its budget dilemma the political elite seem to be in denial of the situation and rely upon the special interests and other fantasies to make the decisions. With a lame duck governor and candidates who are likely to remain silent of solutions until the last moments of preelection, if they say anything at all, we are stuck with the Democratic controlled legislature.
Reflecting upon what hasa been stated so far in this blog it would seem reasonable to to:
1. Categorize state general funded programs in the context of Regulation and Protection,Public Safety, Social Services, Public Health, Education
2. Individualize the programs to understand what is defined and what is included. A "safety net" is social justice at work and can include many enlightened factors, but a basic package for basic needs, as justification is warrentred, may be all that can be accomplised, now.
3. When the "what" of the program is defined by mathematics and a scientific method, the "how" the program is executed becomes the next interest.The appropriate mix of providers, contracts, direct state employee involvement, and performance metrics becomes the focal point. Measurements are key to an optimal portfolio for delivery that is cost effective.
4. Government administration assessment provides an opportunity to review the strengths, weaknesses and conflicts of interest tha create fiefdoms, accountability issues, and self serving governance.The "how" a program is executed review should also include this assessment which can address:
* Union contracts and their real contributions to desired program outcomes
* Consolidations to minimize overhead, but more importantly, maximize collaboration and delivery coordination at minimal cost
* Sharing of infrastructure or utility like approaches to address common needs

Why do we have so much government and so many private non profits serving overlapped needs and clients with overlapped budgets, staff, and programs?
As a concerned Connecticut citizen, I hope this helps and perhaps inspires a more thoughtful approach to our fiscal crisis.

If Connecticut Earmarks Could Speak!

If Connecticut's earmarks could speak, what would they tell us as voters? The Connecticut legislature speaks when they propose bond money awards to towns for various undertakings that include such recent actions as:
1. New tennis courts in Seymour and Middlebury
2. Walkway along a stream in Watertown

The governor chairs the bond commission and therefore controls the agenda with the monies and items to be considered. Garnering the governor's favor is necessary, but there may be other hurdles if we could only understand the language used by the legislative speak, "earmarkise"? From the awards presented above you might ask:
1. How much did my town get in the last 10 years?
2. Compared to all towns, how did the formulation work: equitable per population by town, equitable by net worth, income tax,local property tax weighting, or what??Is there even any index?
3. What is the target per town over 10 years, assuming equitability?
Another series of questions may help justify why the state should pay for some items of dubious value, or, more importantly,those likely to be used only by a favored group. Does everyone play tennis?
Elected legislators use this bonding largess to impress the local electorate of how much care and what they have accomplished on their behalf as measured in dollars.This compassion may also come from the party leadership of the legislature for a job well done in keeping silent as the leadership exercises its agenda without the need for individual legislator contribution: keeping silent has a cost. Comparisons by towns may show an equitable distribution or not, but that is not the point. Each town can see what they get and be thankful to their elected benefactor. We may even put up a sign to memorialize their action.
If earmarks spoke more loudly we may be able to see of the monies awarded to towns:
1. Was any particular bill passed through the purchase of legislative votes by bonded projects?
2. What special interest group benefitted?
3. Can we trace awarded monies to any campaign financing mischief?
4. Are there any contractors favored locally or statewide?
5. What are the long term costs for maintenance, usage, staffing, insurance,..etc for these projects initially funded by the state?
6. How does this project's priority merit funding when the town has other priorities?
7. Has the legislator synched his sponsored project to those of the locally elected official who is closer to the town's real interests?
This potential corruption is silent because nobody really pays, the State does this for free. But, if the earmark had a louder, understandable voice we may find some surprises.The sunshine laws (freedom of information) offer a realistic approach.

Appeals and Petitions

In the November 2008 Connecticut election the voters authorized a Constitutional amendment proposed by the legislature to allow 17 year olds to vote in State primaries if they turn 18 by the next election, November 2, 2010. This means that all 17 year olds should register NOW to vote.This will enable you to vote in (one or more depending upon party rules} primaries to be held in 2010. You can then also vote in the general election.
In the mean time, to exercise your new found freedom to vote why not become politically active by starting a petition to change the State's Constitution? My one day school wide (400 kids) civil sit down boycott of the high school cafeteria eliminated the daily repetitional use of raisins and peanut butter from the federal foods program. We did not have choice of menu as is the case today and a daily dose over an extended period of culinary creations for the same price was just too much to bear. Who would have known you could make so many things from these two ingrediants? One day and one detention later the menu was fixed.To this day I often wonder if I suffered long term effects and whatever happened to all those raisins and peanut butter? My mother would say the hungry children in China got the surplus.
In this petition you can cite the need for laws that you think are worthy with such examples as:
1. Choice of online education option for courses you need or would like to take and get credit in your local district.
2. The ability to play a sport or join an after school group in another district because your school does not have such a program.
3. The ability to take a course elsewhere for credit assuming transportation is available and scheduling permits.
4. More vacation. shorter days, no homework,... NO NO NO!!!!!!!!

Your petition would cite the need for a voter initiative in Connecticut for citizens to have direct democracy. Proposing legislation for consideration under guidelines to insure its legality and its up or down vote in a statewide referendum allows all voters to participate in government.The roots of our country started in Connecticut with the first Constitution (read the history) and this voter referendum puts the power in the hands of the people, directly.
Grab your history teacher, student activists, school newspaper and others to get this going. The petition needs authenticated signatures which can be accomplished with the local town registrar of voters. The target date is Ground Hog Day. Will he see the shining city of light on the hill as so described by Ronald Regan where the rest of the world looks to our beacon of hope for definition of freedom or will he see the darkness and shadow of the Berlin Wall that kept freedom out and the people in to be ruled under tyrants?

The Common Good, Justice, and Reason

You have come to this blog site because you are interested in Connecticut politics. Lots of possible discussions on topics that are worthy of attention.You may agree or disagree but at least you are researching and thinking to become more informed as a voter and responsible citizen.
A website has emerged in September 2009 that reminds us of our American heritage and justification for our country's values as so eloquently described in the Declaration of Independance.The website content is not lengthy, but provides a discussion of natural philosophy and the relevance to contemporary political activity and theory of government in recent times as practiced in the United States. Martin Luther King's civil disobediance is also recognized as an underlying change agent that has been applied to achieve social justice and the will of the people.
The Manhattan Declaration document is likely to become a rallying point in the near future and next election. Visit www.manhattandeclaration.org

Time to Petition the Connecticut Legislature

In the Connecticut 2009 session of the Legislature there were numerous attempts by the towns and cities (local government) to seek property tax relief and moratoriums on mandates to balance their budgets.With little debate and less fanfare local government officials were dismissed, sometimes with little sympathy. The delay of the budget ultimately cost towns additional fees for borrowing while the budget was in impasse.
All of this rancor and lack of collaboration to give the voters at least a voice at the table in the form of those closest to them, local government. Still no action but rather a shift in reminding everyone of who is really in charge, the legislature, as if there were any doubt.The timing of the tea parties and the town hall meetings around the country also serve as an indicator of what is going on in case you forgot.They know best. They have the elitist knowledge to do the right thing. They prevail. You are not heard.
Towns are small. They are represented by the Legislature but town boundaries per house district and overlaps with other towns often conflict and contradict the local wishes of each town and its unique identity. Out of touch with towns, legislators render them useless in actually influencing state priorities. Increased burdens with few options allowed by legislators make the towns as an overall force for change irrelevant.
After many years of probate court mischief the powers in Hartford finally took action to solve the local court system problems.The budget problems nudged the State to take action.Some time later the towns ultimately created a consensus among themselves and agreed upon a formula without a mandate.Proof of town to town cooperation, perhaps under threat of mandate to come from Hartford, but an agreement none the less. Most importasntly, an example of towns cooperation with each other to fix the system, maintain service levels, and provide a cost effective solution for each town.
Based upon this success it would seem that the power of legislation initiated by towns as a statewide referendum could address a variety of issues including:
1. Establishing common interest infrastructural changes to represent fair and equitable educational disbursements
2. Addressing mandates that are not necessary for all towns of all sizes
3. Provisioning towns with shared or individualized resources to address selected mandates
4. Providing statewide bonding access by towns to the state's borrowing authority

In short, allowing towns to use legislation to address common local needs without the interferences of a statewide agenda exercised and imprinted by the legislature could be a useful tool. Especially in those cases when appeals to the legislature go unheeded and their ears go deaf.
The local town political party committes (Independants are welcome also) could start a petition drive to gather signatures soliciting voter interest in seeking a constitutional change to allow "voter initiative" and statewide referendums. Where local officials often use this technique,budget approvals for example, it is a rare occurance on a statewide basis.
With local political parties involvement such a campaign could then aggregate the local signed petitions certified by the local voter registrar for presentation to the legislature.It is not a given that the statewide political leadership would endorse such a project due to the threat to its power, but that is the whole point.
Nobody is listening to the local voters. The petition only proposes to the legislature that such a constitutional change is needed. With the outcry of the people appealing for grass roots democracy how could the legislature not listen? The revolution has just begun!

Referendum for Referendums

In Connecticut the legislature has the power to to initiate an amendment to the Constitution without consulting the public but requiring public ratification.It was done in November 1992 to define a budgetary spending cap methodology to limit legislative spending. This has not proven to be adequate to constrain or limit spending and seems to have lost its purpose considering Connecticut's current 2009 budgetary dilemma. The amendment as stands, lacks clarity,definitions, realistic procedures, and allows manipulation to the point of rendering the amendment useless and ineffective.
The fraud continues as in November 2009 the citizens are facing a saga of budgetary crisis when the legislature did not make the hard decisions and rolled them to a future day during the 2009 session and passed a budget with gimmicks and borrowing. Nobody could agree on the "Revenue Forecast" was often cited as an excuse and required by the spending cap constitutional amendment. Knowing full well that this was not a "balanced budget" means the legislature is guilty of intentionally violating the spending cap so ill-defined by them in the constitution. They are immune from prosecution, but will face voter wrath in November 2010.
If they cannot or will not do what is necessary it is essential for the people to speak, take control, and do the right thing. With legislative authority and a favorable popular vote in November 2010 the constitution can be re-amended to provide a much needed set of parameters, definitions, priorities and boundaries to finally cap the budget and insure a more meaningful spending limit. When such a referendum is placed before the voters in 2010 everyone has a chance to fill the definition void and make concrete decisions about what is best for Connecticut.Consider this an "appeal referendum" now for the legislature to allow a voter referendum so the citizens can clean up this mess and move the state towards fiscal responsibility.This action should be a test for candidates seeking office who should not get a vote if they do not support voter referendums.
Under the current constitution adopted in 1965 and amended 30 times since, it is a 2 step process to make amendments:
1. Both houses of the legislature must first pass a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment by a 3/4 majority in each chamber
2.The resolution is submitted to the popular vote for ratification in the next election
This "appeal referendum" is a request by the voters to have the legislature do the right thing and fix their definitions and processes to avoid these budget impasses in the future.
A more bold approach would have the legislature hear the voice of the people and propose an additional amendment. A voter referendum or "voter initiative" as an additional capacity to voters when a similar crisis occurs would provide the direct voter involvment often used in other states to resolve the impass on what the public really wants. Where a spending cap definition is the target today, future crisis could also involve direct voter reconciliation on issues not so complex or when a contentious indecision occurs.One party majority power is not the right answer all the time. This gives the voter power to resolve conflicts and have a true democratic voice and reflection of all values not bounded by parties or brokering.
The legislature should act NOW to propose this amendment so we may vote on it in November 2010. If they don't, they do not deserve our support with a revolution to follow..

When Do We Get Democacy in Connecticut?

The November 3, 2009 election results in Maine showed 53% of the voters elected to reverse a law passed by the Maine Legislature. While 47% voted to keep same sex marriage, the majority voted it down.

Controversial issues deserve the public debate, visibility, and option for direct voter involvement. You don't need elected representatives to be the voice of the people when such divisive topics cannot easily be solved. You only get the hearts, minds, and common sense of a few when everyone should have a chance to vote their wishes.

In CT we don't have such a voter referendum option. The Legislature has spoken and does not think we need it. Oh the arrogance, the elitism, the special interest groups that keep us from our freedom.

The incumbents have spoken!