ledeagenda.com

From USA Today:

The number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during the recession, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal salary data.
Federal employees making salaries of $100,000 or more jumped from 14% to 19% of civil servants during the recession’s first 18 months - and that’s before overtime pay and bonuses are counted.

Federal workers are enjoying an extraordinary boom time - in pay and hiring - during a recession that has cost 7.3 million jobs in the private sector.

The highest-paid federal employees are doing best of all on salary increases. Defense Department civilian employees earning $150,000 or more increased from 1,868 in December 2007 to 10,100 in June 2009, the most recent figure available.

When the recession started, the Transportation Department had only one person earning a salary of $170,000 or more. Eighteen months later, 1,690 employees had salaries above $170,000.

The trend to six-figure salaries is occurring throughout the federal government, in agencies big and small, high-tech and low-tech. The primary cause: substantial pay raises and new salary rules.

“There’s no way to justify this to the American people. It’s ridiculous,” says Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, a first-term lawmaker who is on the House’s federal workforce subcommittee.

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

More proof of the growing fascist threat and the dire need for a seperation of everything and the State.

We would be at war in Iraq, bailing out the bankers and enacting Patriot-style legislation no matter who was President.

It has long been my belief that there is very little change from Administration to Administration. Outside of the ‘token’ issues (i.e. abortion or stem cell research) there is very little wiggle room for a President to operate with. The Bush-to-Obama transition is a perfect case study for those seeking standards of consistency in government.

As my long held belief goes, as one President steps down, the new one has the legal, moral and social obligation to continue the prior administration’s agenda until his ‘tweaks’ are added to this massive ball of social, political and economic regulation. A president’s agenda from 40, 50 or even 100 years ago has just as much relevance to this rolling mass of government as does the current one. A new President is simply obligated to take the mantle of this ever increasing tyranny, imposing his own minor ‘legacy’ tweaks and enacting legislation to promulgate the ‘Cycle Of Perpetuality’.

In essence, every President’s agenda since inception is continually and constantly in perpetual motion. This will continue to be the case until such a time as 1) the regulatory affairs run their course and naturally die out or 2) the growth of regulation and governmental power becomes so large that the constitution is amended or a political revolution occurs.

But as this cycle goes on, government continues to grow and regulations increase.

This crisis occurred largely out of the growth of the “living Constitution” ideal. Namely, that the written words of the Constitution are merely guideposts along the way to successful governing. For example, the “general welfare” clause, as such a living theory goes, does no more to limit the growth of government in its constitutionally limited and enumerated areas as does a more “sophisticated understanding” of the text. Namely that the “general welfare” clause can be summed up as follows: if it protects the general health and safety of the American public and does not infringe on the rights in the amendments of the Constitution, then it is a permissible action of government, no matter the direct enumerated power.

 This, of course, is in a natural conflict with the Framers’ view of the Constitution who held that our rights precede government and that we enter into a social contract with each other to preserve, protect and defend these said liberties. Such a view of civil rights demands that amendments to the Constitution are not to limit government or to give new rights, but rather to expand the proper scope and authority of government.

For those who follow the latter of the two views, there is a real and present crises of legitimacy to the United States Government. It has far exceeded its enumerated and constitutionally appropriate legislative powers in favor of  bold regulatory action. In areas where government cannot act or is constitutionally prohibited, it has established quasi-private entities (Fannie Mae/Mac, FINRA, et al) to further the agenda of this rolling mass of historical legacy. It has acted with the broadest definitions of the powers given to it, often ignoring the historical or common sense understanding of the Constitution in favor of more modern definitions. Worse yet, at times it has blatantly violated the Constitution to further the agenda of the agenda setters.

It is understandable how we came to this point. After all, we are told politics is a game of compromise. It starts very early in the legislative process when a legislator has to come to agreement with at least a majority of his fellow peers to enact legislation. A “I will scratch your back if you scratch mine” mentality has often ruled this process and deals are made. One bill, for instance, will pass with a simple majority because the legislators who sponsored said bill agree to vote for another. After a bill becomes law, it becomes politically unfavorable to enact legislation to repeal bad ones for fear of upsetting this arrangement.

And so this cycle goes on, and government continues to grow and regulations increase.

Perhaps this helps explain this, this, this, or this.

What is clear is that Libertarians and Constitutionalists need to be rock solid in their resolve to return the Republic to the Constitution if Liberty and Freedom shall prevail. Constitutionalists will have to work these deals to shrink government and limit executive power.

Coming soon- Ideas to break the cycle

The growth of government isn’t always in the form of new laws and regulations. In fact, more often than not it is through the growth of already existing government programs.

Case in point: Traffic safety

Can you imagine another area of government were it could grow at 21.2% and be unnoticed by the ire of the taxpayer? Yet that is exactly what is happening.

From KTVB:

Ada County’s population continues to grow.

For proof — just count the number of traffic lights handling the heavier traffic.

The Ada County Highway District activated its 400th traffic signal this morning.

It’s located at the intersection of Parkcenter Boulevard and Law Avenue in southeast Boise.

By the way, in 2000 — there were only 313 traffic lights in Ada County.

That is a 21.2% growth in less than ten years. Granted, the massive population expansion in the area has put an increased traffic load on Idaho’s roads and highways. But do we really need 400 traffic lights?

Stop lights to private subdivisions.

Stop lights to dead end lanes.

2-3 stop lights for the same business park.

Major arterial roads at a complete gridlock due to the generous use of traffic control lights.

It’s unnecessary, onerous and burdensome. It also slows traffic and delays your commute. And then there is this little kicker: traffic lights cause accidents. The CATO Institute has an old policy brief out but it would be much advised to review here.

CATO notes in its report ‘Traffic Control: An Exercise In Self-Defeat’ (Briefly Noted, Fall 2004)  that intersections, through traffic control and right-of-way laws actually create congestion and accidents.

Whenever traffic signals break down, we are told to treat the intersection as an all-way stop. The day the signals went out in a Washington, D.C., suburb, a commuter reported that he got to his job 25 minutes earlier than usual. Incredible as it may sound, an FHWA study found all-way stops cause less delay than those synchronized signal systems the public keeps clamoring for. Such systems function only with moderate traffic volumes and usually in one direction only. Those drivers who travel in the opposite direction and on the side streets pay for it with longer delays. As traffic gets heavier, signal synchronization gets us faster to the next bottleneck, where we have to wait that much longer.

Official reports have attributed 40 percent of the vehicle delays in urban areas to traffic signal inefficiencies. If that figure is correct, the annual nationwide loss comes to 5.7 billion vehicle-hours, or $95 billion, plus $28 billion for wasted fuel and other vehicle operating costs. It does not include the delay to pedestrians, the harm to business, the air pollution and the increased cost of living and accidents.

ACHD’s recent announcement celebrating its 400th stoplight begs the question: What exactly are their plans for efficient and safe traffic in the Treasure Valley? Certainly there still is no northern-corridor thorough fare. And despite the fact that State St. is in part a State Highway, they continue to erect stoplights at a staggering pace for those commuters coming from Caldwell, Middleton, Emmett and Star.

One needs to look no further than the wasted six lane parking lot found on Eagle between Overland and State St. to see that the CATO study rings true for Boise’s traffic patterns. Another good example would be Fairview, once a thriving business street that has all become a shady section of town that drivers go to great lengths to avoid. I would submit that the stoplights on Fairview have a large factor in the Fairview business district’s gradual rundown.

I will end with this thought: Where is the press releases from the ACHD celebrating the removal of inefficient traffic lights? Your guess is as good as mine.

From CNN:

A new national poll indicates that nearly three out of four Americans are scared about the way things are going in the country today.

Seventy-three percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday say they’re very or somewhat scared about the way things are going in the United States. That’s six points higher than in an October poll.

Nearly eight in 10 say things are going badly in the country, with just 21 percent suggesting that things are going well. The survey also says that three out of four Americans are angry about the way things are going in the country. But three out of four questioned say that things are going well for them personally.

The poll was released a day before President Obama gives a prime-time address before a joint session of Congress.

Looks like the pollsters finally stopped screening for people who drank the Obama Kool-Aid. Either that, or they are deliberately starting to interject the truth back into their reporting to recoup their lost credibility. Yes, I am saying it’s a media conspiracy.

The media was in the tank for Obama and created news stories to fit their agenda: to get you to elect Obama out of fear he was the only hope. The Messiah. And now, just now, the MSM is surprised when 73% of the people in this country say, “you know, I don’t like how things are going in America”?

What I am concerned about is that the media is going to spin this, as they always do. The MSM will paint this picture that 73% of respondents are “fearful that the government is not fixing our problems fast enough”. And that may be true for some of us 73 percenters. But I am willing to place a huge wager that a vast, vast majority of us seventy-three percenters are “scared about the way things are going in the country today” precisely because we are turning to government bailouts, government bank-ownership and socialism as our answer for this artificially created financial crises.

People are fearful and afraid because our instincts tells us that this whole financial mess smells fishy. We know these bailouts are wrong and violate nearly every principle of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We are afraid because when we, the voters, ask around we cannot find anyone outside of the media and Congress that supports this. They are acting without authority or mandate.

So yes, count me as part of this 73% and watch as this fear turns to anger. Because if these politicians don’t start listening to their constituents soon, that is ultimately the next step.

From CNN.com:

(CNN) — On Monday, Congressional Republican leaders put out a list of what they call wasteful provisions in the Senate version of the nearly $900 billion stimulus bill that is being debated:
• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.

• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD’s.

• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.

• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

• $75 million for “smoking cessation activities.”

• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.

• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.

• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.

• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.

• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into “green” buildings.

• $500 million for state and local fire stations.

• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

• $1.2 billion for “youth activities,” including youth summer job programs.

• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.

• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.

• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.

• $160 million for “paid volunteers” at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

• $5.5 million for “energy efficiency initiatives” at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

• $850 million for Amtrak.

• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.

• $75 million to construct a “security training” facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.

• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.

• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.

Apparently spending ourselves into oblivion is the solution for the depression caused by spending ourselves into oblivion. Wonderful.

Washington Times:

The government’s spending commitments exploded by 25 percent in 2008, putting taxpayers more than $1 trillion in the hole even before the astronomical costs of the economic bailout were taken into account, according to an annual report released Monday by the White House.
…
The report showed that U.S. debts and liabilities are close to passing the value of the U.S. population’s net worth, said Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting fiscal responsibility.

“The value of this report is that it shows the long-term cost of expensive commitments we are making today,” said Brian Riedl, a budget analyst for the Heritage Foundation.

“The government makes a lot of commitments that cost a little in the short run but a lot in the long run, and this document is one of the only government documents that show the long-term cost of the long-term commitments,” Mr. Riedl said. “What it shows is that future trends are completely unsustainable because the government has promised more benefits than the taxpayers can pay for.”

WSJ: 533,000 jobs were lost in November.

My favorite part:

According to Friday’s report, hiring last month in goods-producing industries fell 163,000. Within this group, manufacturing firms cut 85,000 jobs, with automobile and auto parts makers accounting for 13,000 job losses. Manufacturing losses would have been even larger if not for the return of 27,000 striking aerospace workers last month, the Labor Department said.

Construction employment was down by 82,000.

In a particularly worrying sign, service-sector employment plunged 370,000. Labor-intensive services make up the vast majority of employment and usually cushion downturns. Yet business and professional services companies shed 136,000 jobs — the 10th drop in 11 months — and financial-sector payrolls were down 32,000.

Retail trade cut over 91,000 jobs, reflecting the pullback in consumer spending. Leisure and hospitality businesses, meanwhile, shed 76,000 jobs.

Temporary employment, which economists consider a bellwether for future job prospects, fell more than 78,000.

Continuing a recent trend, the main bright spots were in health care and education, which tend to be more labor intensive and less productive than manufacturing and other services. Employment in those sectors rose 52,000.

The government added 7,000 jobs.

Isn’t progress great?