Gun Nuts Are Not Impressed

Guns kill nearly 1,300 US children each year, study says

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/19/health/child-gun-violence-study/index.html

Balance of Power Negated

Bad things happen when a single party is in control of all three branches of our government. That statement particularity applies to the state of the State of Ohio.

In an attempt to placate major big money contributors the governor resurrected a failed economic policy first tried by the Reagan administration in the 1980s.

Supply side economics consists, in large part, of cutting taxes on the investor class in the expectation that economic growth will follow and tax revenue will grow. The father of the supply side or trickle down theory, David Stockman later in life admitted that the idea was a failure and that it contributed to the 2008 macro recession.

Governor Kasich, not to be deterred by the history of failure and without meaningful opposition in the legislature, tried the system at the state level. The governor and a compliant legislature, including our Rosenberger and Peterson. cut taxes on the investor class and businesses promising great job growth and new revenue.

The result: A significant loss of tax revenue, poor job growth and a budget that is stretched thin. We can add to this sad tale of failure, increases in sales and property taxes and robbing local governments and schools of their share of taxes sent to the state.

There was no one with the power to say Hey! Wait a minute.

As state after state has moved to incentivise renewable and alternate energy projects our legislature has gone backwards and instead plan to place the added costs of inefficient coal plants to the consumers bill. Other legislative disinsentives have slowed the progress job generating wind and solar power projects.

Who's to say no that's the wrong way to go? Certainly no one in the majority party will.

Paul Hunter, Wilmington 6/19/17

Donald Underwood Trump

For viewers of House of Cards and the evening news:

It appears that Donald Underwood and Claire Bannon are following a fictional TV script as a real life political strategy. Fear Trumps (pun intended) rational discourse.

Paul Hunter  

Not Serving The Public Good

Senate Republicans, including Rob Portman, aim to gut debit-card safeguards

A group of seven Senate Republicans are moving to gut consumer protections for prepaid debit cards before they’re enacted. The rules, aimed at providing many of the same safeguards that consumers take for granted with credit and debit cards, would require fee disclosures, fraud protections and limits on overdraft fees...........

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-group-aims-to-gut-debit-card-safeguards/

City Council April 20

Tyler Williams read a brief introduction and an open letter to the voters of Wilmington from Paul Hunter.

Begin Transcription.

Open letter to the voters of Wilmington. For over 25 years I have participated in and observed many versions of our city's government. In my considered opinion the present team is the best of the bunch. The people who are making change happen are too modest to toot their own horn so I will do it for them.

Starting with Chief Weyand, a true professional and certainly the best we have ever had.

I have little operational knowledge of Fire, EMS and Treasury operations and so will not speak to them. A standout on this team has been Lori Williams and she is darned near irreplaceable.

In Brian Shidaker we have a mission centered public service director dedicated to serving the public needs. In his short time in the position he has been the driver in updating the street repair schedule among other accomplishments. One, by this summer South St. will be drivable again. Two, the new road access for one of our major employers, Ahresty, is also to his credit. Three, personnel changes have created a more mission centered supervisory staff in the service departments. Four, the previously mismanaged and delayed sidewalk and bridge connection from Southridge- Highland to Holmes school has been put back on track by Brian with the Mayor’s help. Five, after years of empty rhetoric, actual cooperation with the county is gaining ground. The County Commissioners and the city are investigating ways to lower landfill tipping fees with his participation. Six, curbside recycling will be augmented by adding a revamped cardboard component. Seven, positive action to eliminate wasting treated water due to over-flushing. Eight, there was an early stumble on zoning enforcement but that is now up to speed.

Marian Miller, council clerk and assistant to the Mayor is the key to the day to day operations of the city and the functioning of the city council. From job interviews to answering questions from the public. Some would say that she is the most important person in city government and I agree. Marian typifies the better way of governance. No secrets and no hoarding of information.

The organizing principals and staff selection of the Mayor has set the city on a course for success. He had the humility to realize that a new, younger less politically encumbered group of council people are in place and that he would work with them to meet goals he had set. If he drifts off course Marian is there to provide a nudge.

A “better way” City Council has provided leadership in all areas of government. Rather than set back and rubber stamp handed down legislation, as was past practice, this group has proposed solutions to long avoided problems. One, along with the Mayor the 2017 budget was the smoothest operation for many years and required no special meetings to pass the legislation. Two, did not invoke the emergency clause to limit public and council input on important issues. Three, after open debate and with the help of a proactive civilian committee, council faced up to the need for new revenue if the city was going to survive as community. (See streets).The voters responded yes. Four, after several years of misallocation of the so called bed tax revenue, council held several public hearings, weighed the facts then voted to divert a portion of the revenue to deserving entities without affecting the Visitor’s Bureau’s mission. Five, council tackled the very contentious issue of water fluoridation by first placing a non-binding resolution on the fall ballot. The voters supported the concept by good margin. Public hearings were held and thanks to Council President Riley, near unending public comments were allowed during council meetings. After taking in

information from all sides of the issue council decided that the preponderance of evidence indicated that the greater good would be served by adding fluoride to our drinking water.

Quite a year and a half for a “better way" council and administration.

Thanks

Paul Hunter 

An Honet Look At NRA Funding

http://money.cnn.com/news/cnnmoney-investigates/nra-funding-donors/

Some political funding comes from big corporations, many within the gun industry, which donate millions to the NRA.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1

In its early days, the National Rifle Association was a grassroots social club that prided itself on independence from corporate influence.

While that is still part of the organization's core function, today less than half of the NRA's revenues come from program fees and membership dues.

The bulk of the group's money now comes in the form of contributions, grants, royalty income, and advertising, much of it originating from gun industry sources.

Since 2005, the gun industry and its corporate allies have given between $20 million and $52.6 million to it through the NRA Ring of Freedom sponsor program. Donors include firearm companies like Midway USA, Springfield Armory Inc, Pierce Bullet Seal Target Systems, and Beretta USA Corporation. Other supporters from the gun industry include Cabala's, Sturm Rugar & Co, and Smith & Wesson.

Posted by Paul Hunter

A BETTER WAY

The federal government has formed a circular firing squad.

The state government has become a fiscal paracite sucking the life blood from local governments and schools.

The two party system is no longer functional.

There is a better way and the city of Wilmington is working toward that goal and can be a grass roots example of that way. The present government due in large part to a progressive non partisan administration and council exercising best practices are achieving a better government and a creating a better city.

A better way is populated by better people and Wilmington has the good fortune to have a critical mass of better people in place.

I consider better people to have these qualities:

Does not lie

Does not believe lies

Debunks rumors

Does not hoard information

Speaks truth to power

Decides from the preponderance of evidence

Decides for the greater good

Gives opposing views a fair hearing

Walks away from circular arguments

Better governments legislate without political theology

They define the the mission

Assemble the facts

Analyze cost versus benefit

Allow for public comment

Use the public discussion and referendum killing “emergency option” only in extreme cases

Vote for passage.

Paul Hunter

Add comment budhunter@frontier.com