#nicenetwork

[barnraisingamerica]

Wisdom is choosing right now what you'll be satisfied with later.

[barnraisingamerica]

The legislative process was not designed for social programs.

I wish I had the cartoon that someone showed me back when I was working as a legislative staffer for the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee ... mid-seventies. It was a before and after drawings of a tree with a child's swing hanging from it made to represent a bill traveling through the legislative process. What it looks like at the start is nothing close to what it looks like once passed. The basic swing drawing was the "before" graphic. Following that one was a graphic showing what happens when the bill gets amended in committee... the swing's chains are changed out for ribbons. Another committee amendment, the swing's ribbons are caught on a limb from a windstorm. An amendment added on the floor on second reading, the swing is upside down stuck up high in the tree. Then the bill is passed, goes to the other house, amended again and again. Finally, the bill is passed and signed by the governor and then the bureaucrats take over. By the time this legislative social program is implemented and passed down to the local governments not only is their no swing hanging from a tree, but the entire graphic has transformed from a swing to a metal jungle gym complete with extra playground equipment.

The bill's objectives, say in this case to entertain a child, have been completely changed to entertaining anyone and everyone; the spending clearly more than what was needed to achieve the legislator's original goal. This is what has been happening year and year, state after state, election after election. "More spending = better results. Really? Those passing and implementing bills are usually people who have never dealt with the myriad of human service issues in society. Policy analysis aside (used to justify bad decisions most of the time... not a logical process), when will those who think they know better get a clue? Maybe they will now that they have to cut back. But I'm skeptical. Will they even search out the less costly/more effective and compassionate alternatives under their noses? These alternatives are working effectively in most cases, and they're invented by everyday people across the nation, in community after community. They cost the taxpayer almost nothing and are supported by local business and citizens who know what those who are struggling in their towns need. None of these solutions even comes close to the 70% overhead of federally mandated programs. By compassion, more tailor-made local answers invented by concerned citizens max out at 15% overhead with many in single digits. Top-down social spending, even by well-meaning politicians, needs curtailing. A serious look at what citizens can and are doing and the fantastic results they're achieving is what's needed.  

Agree or disagree? I'm open to your input.