Barak Obama, already one of the best presidents we have ever had

Earth to Ann: He isn’t President yet.

You might want to consider toning down your exhuberance. Though I wish him success (only a fool would ever wish his own leaders to fail), the real world sometimes has a way of thwarting even the best intentions.

You have, however, provided an excellent insight into the mentality of “loyal comrades”. Where would any good autocrat be without them?

1. Yes, it was our money, and it still IS our money. It is our money whether they choose to return it to us or not. And the best thing they could do with our money is to save it for a rainy day (like now), as would any reasonable person in their own financial planning. There are risks with everything, especially being in need of money for a situation and not having it. This happens to governments as it does to people. If the government cannot spend when the private sector stops spending, we are in serious trouble, and it would be failing us on one of its most important responsibilities.

2. Clear away the essentials when the economy is bad and you are just contributing to the bad economy. That is the opposite of one of government’s important functions. This shows a failure to understand the difference between the private sector and the public sector. In general, the public sector has to do the exact opposite of the private sector to keep the economy from experiencing extremes. Governments should cut their budgets in GOOD times, not bad, if there are non-essentials (which there rarely are!). Actually there are way more things that governments should do than there are that they should cut out.

3. You do understand that government is not a profit making entity, right? There is no such thing as profit in the public sector.

You really have a distorted view of government if you really believe your statement on the forceful removal of money. Of course it is “forceful” – and I am glad it is. I want what government provides, and I want everyone (since everyone benefits) to pay their fair share for it. I don’t like it when my sense of responsibility to the larger community costs me but does not cost you.

4. Most people get better wages than public sector employees do. I think this is a great way to compensate the township staff.

Another simple point. If our township wants to make some capital improvement or spend money in some other productive way, doing so now may mean it can be done for a better price than later, since such opportunities might mean it can be done at a lower cost given this economy. This is just common sense.

I think Barak Obama, already one of the best presidents we have ever had, will show us some good examples of how a responsible governments works. Stay tuned!