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Our constitutionally federated Republic is facing difficult days. It seems there is a lack of faith in government and the very people involved in representing us, as their so-called constituencies. This is understandable.
The reason this is occurring with such a rampant fury in our day is due to two distinct and separate phenomena.
The first has happened within the soul of our nation – a complacency and indolence with regard to our individual abilities, freedom, and independence which in turn has led to a unique and nearly universal reliance on other people and other authorities.
The second circumstance is a word that is rarely used today unless one is quoting from the founding era – usurpation. The usurpation of power, control, and the willful steering of our ship of state is happening with lightning speed and is something to behold.
Over time, what was once innocent and good, even benevolent, has been subtly overhauled, or maneuvered toward consensus building rather than truth telling. As everyone should be quick to realize, this is dangerous territory. It is a risky and precarious position because consensus means nothing if the object of that consensus is objectively fictitious, pre-fabricated, faulty, distorted or untrue.
Our formerly revered institutions for news, media reporting and journalism have been the first concerns to be captured, twisty and nearly destroyed. Given social media, today‘s modern internet news sources, and the Google search engine monopoly trying to ferret out fact from fiction is a chore. It is difficult for anyone to discern which story might be opinion, errant reporting, clear discernment or absolute bunk.
This is more than an inconvenience because the confusion sown feeds fear and uncertainty in the public mind. This is quite palpable today and this confusion is getting fanned by the political elites in steering ‘consensus’ towards their projects, goals and/or proposals regardless of any flaws.
I mention this today because state legislators are hosting a 12-stop statewide roadshow regarding major transportation issues. The upcoming legislative session is seeking new funding sources as well as an exorbitant increase in the gas tax. Part of the problem is due to the inflationary forces that are biting all statewide agency budgets. We each face this problem in our own personal budgets and financial constraints.
The real questions are, will taxes and fees be enough; will these financial resources be spent frugally; how, when and where will these monies be spent?
Will the monies go toward PERS, backlogged projects, bike-only paths, snow-removal, road maintenance, seismic upgrades or electrification? What is the cost? What are the benefits? Compared to what, and for whom?
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