Tribal Mastadons, Elected Officials, and Government Reform

Lake County Politicians and their appointed lap dogs do not have the brains G-d gave the natural born Democrats.  When the Lake County Democrats were standing in the brain hand out line they must have been distracted by Ann Coulter and forgot to get any.

Last night, October 8, there was a meeting at Indiana University Northwest of Governor Mitch Daniels Commission on Local Governement (oddly enough, most of whom are probably Democrats) about how to fix the problems of local government and the State in general.  Here are some additional details to what was mentioned in the news reports by the The Times and Post-Tribune.

1. This was a citizen's forum to address citizen's issues regarding concerns about their local and State politicians.  Essentially, how are all you elected and appointed officials screwing it up for the rest of us?  So while I can understand why locally elected officials might show-up to the event, was there any reason that you -- locally elected official -- REALLY thought you were justified in actually participating in the focus group sessions?  Not only did some public officials participate in the focus group discussions, making a mockery of unbiased citizen input, some of them even thought they should speak on behalf of their focus-group table.  After each table had discussed the mandated questions, each table then selected someone to present the major themes from their tables discussion. Some locally elected officials thought, "hey, I'll do it."  Am I the only one who views an elected official as in a different category than other citizens?  It would seem to me that an elected official already is in a position to influence government -- they serve in government.  For some of these local elected officials it was just another campaign "stump"; for the citizens, it is literally life or death. Note to those self-serving elected officials who made a mockery of an attempt to get "citizen" input -- many of you are the problem.
2. In the tradition of the Hammond Scrooge and his appointed minions, after attacking the health departments, the major target is now the public libraries.  The joke is that the public libraries are now the most vulnerable; but "streamlining" the public libraries will provide little, if any, savings and will harm the citizens of the cities.  But what does Scrooge and his hangers-on care as long as they get their cut.  Oh, that's right, they do not care!!!  The only facilities that have a constant impact on the citizens and especially ones at the bottom of the economic ladder are the health departments and the public libraries.  Rather than cut their friends, associates, and other ways of passing the largess around to the their fellow tribe members, the best our elected officials can do is to go after the programs most beneficial to the little people -- such as public libraries.  What a disgrace.  There has never been a doubt that the turncoat Scrooge McDermott would do this, but how is one to explain the other "Democrats" following in his low footsteps.
3. The main problem with Lake County's local governmental units is the corruption by all the elected and appointed officials accompanied by their many, many friends (personal, professional, and business) that all somehow end up feeding at the public trough.  Most are corrupt; the rest go along to get along (see my previous blog).  There are no exceptions and the distinction between those who do and those who go along is meaningless when it comes to the consequences to the citizens of NWI, especially Lake County.  Naturally most of the elected officials in the group and I am sure the Democratic Commission appointed by Governor Daniels will not report this publicly; but everyone in Indiana knows that this is the major problem of Lake County and its three major cities (Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago).
4. Finally, a point the panel will not report to the Governor and the Legislature about where their money is going is a recommendation to get higher education dollars under control.  The panel was informed that at least one focus group table indicated that how funds are appropriated for all state funded universities needs to be reassessed and that there needs to be greater accountability for how state funded universities spend all of its money.  The university system in Indiana yearly spends billions upon billions of dollars, much of it tax dollars raised from citizens, as well as fundraising contributions that go to "foundations" with absolutely no accountability of any kind as to performance or even what they do with the money.  In many ways they are worse than the foundations of East Chicago, but no one dare look under their sheets to see what they are doing with the money.  In fact, in spite of billions spent, the university system has done little to stop the youth drain, the brain drain, and the job drain from Indiana.

These are the real issues that need to be addressed.  I can assure you, fellow citizens of NWI, that none of them will make it into the final report.  And, of course, the "final" report is not being made public (which I am not sure is legal since no one involved -- including Indiana University -- is exempt from public access laws).  The fact is that the major problem with NWI and specifically Lake County is tribal politics.  Until the corrupting influence of the tribal politics is ended, it will not matter if you have one governmental unit run by a thieving head of the tribe or many governmental units run by many thieving tribal heads.  The consequence to us, citizens, is the same.  We leave or get screwed!!!

Comments

[intheknow]

Someone from the Westchester library said that her library had asked when they would get a copy of the final report and they were told that the final report would not be made public. Someone else then said that the IU people -- who are coordinating all these focus groups and writing the report, I think the person is John Stafford -- are trying to claim that they do not have to disclose the final report to the public. Finally, one of the table representatives talked about this in their presentation to the whole group. This information was circulated at the event, but independent verification would be good.

[Working Hammond Mother]

I also saw the McDermott billboard the other day, and I loved it. He's a good looking man, and I love what he is doing for Hammond. I am voting for him, and so is my husband and sister (who also thinks he's great).

BTW, I think you are a jackass Maurice. The only reason I read your blog is to laugh at your follies. You and I know each other from way back, and I know who you really are! You should move to another part of the state, where your P.H.D. will impress people, until they get to know you!

[Chris]

I hadn't heard that the final report wouldn't be made public. That's an interesting development.

[Republican Right Democrat Left]

Eating lunch the other day I noticed a McDermott billboard. It is funny how boldly the mayor reminds viewers of this sign how much he values the "right" priorities and underlines the word "right" in the statement. It is such a great hidden message to all the Republicans how the alleged Democrat still finds his roots in the Republican ideals. One must admit that the man has a good McMarketing scheme. Seems like the statement can also read "The Republican priorities" which seems so odd considering he is a Democrat. Perhaps he will give secret decoder rings out during his next campaign so we can read between the lines and translate the double speak of his McStatements and McActions.