Elected public officials don't have an easy job these days.
Times are tough, and people - voters - are looking for answers.
Results.
"Do something!" they cry.
"It doesn't really even matter 'what' - just show us that you care.
" Well with the so-called Caring Party in full control of the government, we are about to get a good dose of caring.
Southern Maine has been included in the recent stimulus package.
If you look at the specific projects funded, you see a good number here in Maine.
One caught my eye in particular.
That was an item of $2 million for a "skateboard center.
" Yes, you read that right.
"Somebody" determined that of all the possible ways to create permanent, high paying jobs here in southern Maine, a skateboarding park was a project well deserving of $2 million of taxpayer funds.
(Well, to be fair, $2 million borrowed from the Japanese, Chinese and Saudis, to be repaid with far more than $2 million of taxes and interest.
) You might wonder what kind of jobs will be created by this new park.
Will they be high paying, high skilled jobs? Jobs you need a college degree for? Jobs to keep educated Mainers here in Maine? Or will they be low wage, temporary, part time jobs? Reports project the park will create 12 jobs.
That's a cost of nearly $200,000 per job created.
Doesn't that seem like a lot to create a low wage job? The whole thing is just baffling.
Ask any small business person what they would do if the Feds gave them $2 million.
The ones I know could create at least a dozen high paid/high skilled (college degree required) jobs immediately.
Jobs that would build profit-generating businesses, not "make work".
If the Feds are handing out $2 million for projects of questionable economic value, the money has to come from somewhere.
Governments are not profit generators.
The only funds they have get extracted from elsewhere in the system.
They are not accretive.
The $2 million that goes into this skateboard park, is $2 million that won't be available to go into another small business, because it reduces the pool of available capital in the global market by that amount.
Today, there is a climate of fear.
People are afraid to spend money, and the banks are afraid to lend money.
The only way that gets turned around, is if people of vision and faith single-mindedly pursue their dreams, and strive to build something bigger than themselves.
Further steps on the "road to serfdom" take us progressively further away from that objective.
Many business people in Maine see opportunity, and want to make the world a better place by creating better products and services.
We may be quiet, but we are here and we are trying.
And most of the ones I know will never give up, no matter what.
Are there people out there who really think the government is the superior job creating entity? If so, why should we bother having a free enterprise system at all? Let the government decide to take tax money and build things like skateboard parks, or buy Metro buses (another funded project).
See how long that can go on, before Atlas shrugs.