Shocking Reality: We are $698 million more in debt

"The state's chief economist, Arun Raha, on Thursday projected the state will collect nearly $700 million less in taxes over the next two years than previously forecast. That pushes the budget shortfall to around $5.1 billion or more, depending on how you count it, through fiscal year 2013. State fiscal years run from July 1 through the end of June." ( Seattle Times)

So if you haven't heard, we are even further in debt than before. So the cuts to higher education we were worried about will only get bigger with a 11% increase being the minimum that it might go up. Teacher unions and state workers unions that protested against reducing their state  benefits, might have to reevaluate their strategy. With our state not being able to raise taxes with out a 2/3 majority, the only thing we have left to do is cut.

Get ready for some intense rallying and protesting at our capital because people and services are going to be getting cut. And with every dollar goes another voter. So with all eyes once again on our legislators what projects will they cut? Will they reduce the size and the power of regulator organizations? Will the state expand the gambling taxes and allow more off reservation gambling? Will we privatize the whole sale of liquor in our state? Will we finally allow charter schools in our state? What will out state do?

Out of every crises comes opportunities, and with our state having to cut back on costs, we will be able to in-act sweeping reform in our state the likes of which we have not seen in a long time. But the question beckons, what form will that change take?

Social Security : The Titanic of our Time

"More than eight in 10 Americans now see the country’s Social Security system as headed for a crisis, and most think a major overhaul is in order, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll."(Washington Post)

One of the lesser talked about crises is that of social security. While we talk about reducing the deficit our officials don't like to talk about the growing deficit that is social security. Sense its creation it has been raided by one administration after the next. The funds have gone to paying for a large number of pet projects, many of which now are on the chopping block. So what will be come of the National Retirement plan? If our recession and deficit grow, will we limit or cut those on social security? If it comes down to funding our parents retirement of paying for infrastructure who will win?

To understand the true magnitude of the problem I will give a little back ground to the program. In a nut shell social security was created to get older people out of the work force to provide opening for new young employees to get there start in the work world. Social security is base off a ponzi scheme. Basically the workers pay into this program to pay for those that are retired, and once they retire the younger generation pays for there retirement and so forth.

This plan works only if there are more workers then retirees. However with people living longer and the population having a high percent of retirees, the percent of people working to retiring is becoming less. What this means is that we either have to increase the amount each worker pays into the system, to off set the difference, or give less benefits to those that have social security. However neither of these plans seem favorable to most people in the system. People don't want to lose benefit or want to pay more into the system. So in the end a deficit and inflation is the only option.

This topic will be a hot button issue during the 2012 campaign season, it will be interesting to see what candidates on both sides of the political world think about reform. For whatever reform we do in act someone is going to get the short end of the stick. I wonder which generation will in the end call the shots?

The Plight of Education

Most days I read two to three newspapers to stay up to date on whats going on in the world. One of my favorite things to do is read some of the comment chains on popular articles and stories of controversial issues. Of late the more I read and research controversial issues, the more I come what is the biggest problem in American education, the inability to think critically.  

I love to talk politics with people, especially if they don't agree with me. ( You learn more about the world by looking out a window then by looking in a mirror)  Lately I have run into a large number on both sides of the political spectrum that don't think critically, they think emotionally. They are more likely to yell at you then talk with you. 

My parents are both teacher and conversations like this come up all the time. How do we teach critical thinking?  Mainstream education teaches you what to think, not how to think.  What we need is to focus more on the latter. With "Education reform" making education look more like an assembly line then a school. The question beckons...What are we teaching our kids? 

Being a higher education student myself, I have learned and refined the ability to regurgitate the equivalent of an education hairball in class, but true understanding is another situation entirely. So i would pose the question, should we be focusing on measurable criteria? Or on something more in depth when i comes to education reform? 

The Art of Stupidy

A short while again the New Hampshire Legislature tried to redefine how student vote. The sponsoring senators stated that students only voted on emotion not on fact.....and that is some how different then the rest of the voting populous?

"The measure gained national notice, thanks in part to a YouTube video of the state's new GOP House speaker declaring students "foolish" because they are "liberal" and "just vote their feelings." The sponsor of the measure went further in his denunciations of college students, declaring that they turn out in college towns on Election Day and cancel out other voters, motivated by a "dearth of experience and a plethora of the easy self-confidence that only ignorance and inexperience can produce. - Washington Post

Sometime the actions of our representatives deeply worry be not only is this a horrible political move, ( lets turn of an entire generation off to your party why don't ya....), it show how little our representative care about the voice of the youth. Instead of reaching out to learn what issues and concerns the youth of our nation has, lets just punish them for not voting  in the way i wanted.... This if nothing else should give credence to getting involve now, before our future is planned with-out us. The legislature is already mortgaging our futures against the present (deficit spending), and now some people want to silence our voice..... 

To get involved with a group that is fighting for your future today check out the Student Freedom Project. 
And learn how to get involved in your community today.

Tiger Blood and Union Riots

"I'm proud of what I've created. It was radical," he said. "I exposed people to magic. I exposed them to something they're never otherwise going to see in their boring, normal lives. And I gave that to them. I may forget about them tomorrow, but they'll live with that memory for the rest of their lives. And that's a gift, man."- Charlie Sheen

Sadly this magic doesn't seem to different from whats been going on in Wisconsin. Union busting or fighting for the tax payer? Sadly this fiasco has shown America the true depths of political maturity in America politics today. So you can win a debate by leaving the state and then complain that the Republicans are not "playing far"....really? how does that pan out, if Republicans left during the health care debate would the Democrats, simply say..."Well played sir"....Not likely. Way to much lately it seems that both parties are trying to use every trick in the book to discredit their adversary or try to label them as crazy as possible in order to prove there superiority. This tact seems about just as logical as a lot of the Charlie Sheen quotes plaguing the internet these days.

It seems like Wisconsin legislature is not bi-partisan their "Bi-Winnering", because after this fiasco both sides have them self convinced that they have discredited the other.

But in the end of the day what way real accomplished? The teacher protesters ran out of sick days, students in the public school system got an extra vacation and the senate dems got a mid session vacation.... but is the debit in their state any close to begin eradicated?.....didn't think so......   

With the serous nature of the problems out nations faces i would hope that our officials from both sides  would at least find a way to work together and fight for the preservation of our nation. Just like Charlie Sheen's Magic, the Wisconsin legislature showed the nation..... something they're never otherwise going to see in their boring, normal lives....the senators may forget about the people tomorrow but they'll live with that memory for the rest of their lives. And that's a gift, man!

A Sobering Look at the Budget

Like a lot of things in the government transparency hard to come by. On the topic of "reform" you would be surprised by the diversity of numbers regarding the debt in our state. So the questions beckons;  

What is out States Budget? 

What is our states actual deficit? 

According to the our governor our budget is;

"During the 2011-13 budget period, Washington state will spend about $75.5 billion to provide programs and services to citizens." (Governor Chris Gregoire) 

A sad truth,  (also a talking point for conservative legislatures) is that that number is actual a record profit for the state. So we are taking in more money then ever have before this cycle, but we don't have the funds to cover the short fall. But what is the short fall how much does out state actually owe?  

"The state was projected to have a deficit of $4.6 billion in 2011–13"(Governor Chris Gregoire) 

Overall the number doesn't seem to high but when we look at the overall cost of government its pretty bad. We could cut all the prisons (1.8 billion) all natural resource programs (1.6 billion) and half of the government employees and offices (2.15 billion) and we would just break even. (source:  Governor Chris Gregoire) 


Even tho our shortfall is only 18% of the over all income our state bring in, balancing the budget is going to be  hard thing to do. As we have seen in Wisconsin, balancing the budget can be a very unpopular thing to do.

A Test of Leadership: Budget Cuts

"As a general rule, politicians -- from the local level right up to the presidency -- hate uncertainty. When the public is as deeply divided (or confused) about such a major issue as the budget and the possibility of a government shutdown, politicians are left with no obvious course of action to move forward. In the face of such uncertainty, politicians typically punt -- pushing off the hardest decisions until there is more clarity in public opinion." (Washington Post)

With regard to the potential government "shut down" and the clashes with unions, at what point should our elected officials provide leadership instead of working for group consequences? We often times advocate for our legislature to listen to the will of the people, but when the governed  is divided when should they press on? This is a tough question for any leader to answer. In my view however i feel that out leaders should do what they feel is best especially when the times are as dark as this. Inaction is as dangerous as any option out there, and i would hope that our officials would listen to the people and do what they feel is best for the whole of America.