Human Nature

Power ultimately corrupts

Humans were created by a perfect God. Unfortunately, humans are far from that perfection. God created a paradise for Adam and Eve to live and walk with Him for eternity. God gave them full autonomy in the garden with only one single prohibition, to not eat the fruit of the tree of life. But Adam and Eve disobeyed, leading to the fall. Ever since that fall, humans have engaged in all manner of depravity. Creation was once perfect and humans defiled it, and to this day we continue to corrupt our world with our ever-increasing immorality. Money, power, and sex is what drive far too many of us human beings, especially those who rise to positions of authority. The framers of this once great nation created a Constitutional Republic ruled by “We the people,” not by royals who ruled by fiat. Today, “public servants” are far too concerned with their self-interests, their benefactors, and advancing their personal agendas, while disregarding the needs of their constituents. The “Swamp,” which consists of lobbyists, Deep State bureaucrats, and corporate interests is pervasive. Elected politicians enrich themselves and their families when they toe the company line and do as they are told.

Do you really think that the Bidens are the only politicians that are or have engaged in unethical and illegal schemes? Corruption by our “leaders” is so pervasive and so many, elected and unelected, are so deeply involved, that should their illicit activities be brought to light, many would be facing jail time. (see Senator Robert Menendez D-NJ) There is good reason that anytime an outsider is elected, every effort is made to turn them to the dark side. Everyone must be on the same page for this to work. Should those efforts fail to convince, the swamp mobilizes and attacks, using the media and deep state to delegitimize with lies and false accusations. (see Representatives Madison Cawthorn R-NC, George Santos R-NY, and any other representative shining a light on the darkness of the swamp) There is good reason that Democrats and Republicans have employed every tool to prevent Donald Trump from regaining the White House. Should he return to the Oval Office, he would begin to expose the rot in our government. Heads would roll. The gravy train is running much too smoothly for it to be run off the rails by a President who already has accumulated more than enough wealth, leaving him impervious to the lure of easy money. In fact, President Trump saw his net worth decrease by more than $I billion during his term. I’m sorry, but if you want a kinder and gentler President, you will only get what you deserve, another swamp dweller with more of the same.

Whistleblower laws were enacted to protect those who expose corruption in government, yet Democrats in Congress attempt to discredit them and partisan bureaucrats persecute them. Two separate impeachment hearings and trials take place targeting President Trump, bypassing any impeachment inquiry to discover all facts. While neither impeachment attempts were later found to have any credibility, the damage was done. president Biden’s son, Hunter, and brother, James, spearhead a convoluted influence-peddling scheme. Nothing to see here according to the Democrats and an impeachment inquiry is partisanship run amok. Evidence from the January 6^th committee is destroyed, even though a myriad of federal laws are broken. Cue the crickets from the mainstream media. Hunter Biden defies a Congressional subpoena, abetted by Representative Eric Swalwell, D-CA and Democrats cheer. Circle the wagons and deflect blame is the Democrat way. Dick Durbin (D-IL) refuses to release the names of those who took the “Lolita Express” to Jeffrey Epstein’s Island paradise. Gotta protect their own you know. Loose lips will sink ships and far too many of your elected officials have engaged in inappropriate behavior. As each misdeed is exposed, the risk is that more and more will be exposed for the liars and cheats that they are.

Serving on the Washington County, WI Board of Supervisors for ten years, the last four as Chairman, I know from where I speak. There are too few, even in local government, that gain office without a personal agenda. There are too few who retain the humility that facilitated their election victories. There are too few that do not look to use their “power” to their advantage. Human nature far too often rears its ugly head and those public servants begin to think that they are better than the great unwashed masses they are called to represent. If our government continues on this path, we are doomed to ruin. Unengaged citizens who mindlessly vote “D” or “R” are exactly what the deep state depends upon. Uninformed voters and those citizens who fail to cast their ballots signal that they are willing to let the swamp do as they please. Apathy breeds corruption, and far too many of us are satisfied with ceding authority to those who exploit our trust and use authority to their own benefit. It’s always easier to stand by idly and let others do the heavy lifting. After all, we are all much too busy with our own lives. Your nation is falling down the rat hole and if you think protecting your quality of life in a free and fair country is too much to ask, you will get what you deserve.

“Elections have consequences.” Barack Obama

“You have a republic, if you can keep it!” Benjamin Franklin

Crazy Train

A nation divided cannot stand.

Never thought that of all people, Ozzie Osborne, could be a prophet, but after President Biden’s Labor Day speech, perhaps he is. From the song, Crazy Train – “Crazy, but that’s how it goes. Millions of people, living as foes. Maybe it’s not too late to learn how to love and forget how to hate. I’ve listened to preachers, I’ve listened to foes. I’ve watched all the dropouts that live by their own rules. One person conditioned to rule and control. The media sells it and you live the role. Heirs of a cold war, that’s what we’ve become. I’m going off the rails on a crazy train.” Christian, conservative, married, heterosexual, retired police officer, former County Board Chairman and Trump voter, I am exactly what the Left and their leader, Joe Biden, fear and despise. Respect for the rule of law becomes a threat to democracy. Support America first is tantamount to semi-fascism. Opposing open borders, indoctrination of our children and military, recognizing that all people matter and acknowledging the reality that there are only two genders is radical and divisive. We are going off the rails on a crazy train!

Mandela Barnes is the anointed Democrat candidate for the United States Senate, with all challengers dropping out of the race and endorsing him.  Barnes, whose given name is Jesse, uses his middle name to his advantage. He is nothing like Nelson Mandela. Barnes life’s legacy has been supporting progressive, left-wing organizations. He supports ending cash bail, defunding the police, the Green New Deal, unlimited abortion, Medicare for all and legalizing marijuana. He chaired the Governor’s task force on climate change, yet could not cite a single policy he helped implement when asked about it at a climate change event at UW-River Falls in March of 2022. Perhaps, he could not recall because he was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from the Wisconsin State Patrol vehicle, used as his personal escort service, that he ordered to run continuously when at the Capitol, so that the interior climate was appropriately comfortable for him. This “service” cost taxpayers over $600,000 during his 4-year term as Lieutenant Governor. Also known as ManDead-Beat Barnes for being delinquent on his property taxes and failing to pay parking tickets, leading to his Wisconsin Driver’s license being suspended. He also falsely claimed to be a college graduate for years. Barnes is a founding member of the Working Families Party of Wisconsin, an offshoot of ACORN, that supports defunding the police. Minnesota became a laughingstock by electing a professional wrestler as Governor and a Saturday Night Live comedian as their US Senator. Barnes, who thinks he is running against Scott Walker, (just a slip of the tongue according to his spokesperson) to represent Wisconsin in the Senate. We are going off the rails on a crazy train!

The incumbent Senator, Ron Johnson has been a proven leader, unafraid to challenge the status quo. The Joseph Project works with faith-based organizations to help inner city residents become gainfully employed. The Right to Try Act allows those suffering from incurable illness access to drugs not yet approved by the FDA. He will continue to fight against the reckless spending and exposing the use of the federal justice system to target political enemies. Being transparent and honest makes him a target for the left and the entrenched Deep State. We need more elected representatives that do the right thing, not some lifelong bureaucrat to perpetuate the disfunction in Washington DC.

Governor Tony Evers is the quintessential bureaucrat that lacks any experience outside of the government. Like far too many politicians, his life experience ill prepared him for a role as Governor. His crowning achievements consist of vetoing more bills and pardoning more criminals that any other Governor in our history. Plagiarism is one of his more popular methods for taking credit for other’s accomplishments. He even took credit for the Republican crafted budget that reduced taxes $2 Billion when the budget presented by Evers raised taxes by $1 Billion. He did sign it though. Evers’ legacy will be that of Illegal lockdowns, closed schools, mask mandates, anti-police rhetoric, the failure to lead during the Kenosha riots and walking lock-step with the failed policies of the Biden administration.

Tim Michels, Evers’ opponent, is a businessman that created thousands of jobs and runs a successful company. Michels, like all successful entrepreneurs, has a detailed plan to solve what ails us. He has a blueprint with solutions to our bloated and ineffective government on his website. Fancy that, an actual plan, on paper for all to read, rather than slogans and platitudes. The contrast could not be clearer. Democrats are running this nation off the rails on a crazy train of wokeness, lawlessness and anti-Constitutionalism. We need leaders that want to solve problems, not perpetuate them while creating more problems that will require more of the taxpayer’s money thrown at them. It’s your choice.

Problematic

 President Ronald Reagan summed it all up in one statement, “Government is not the answer, government is the problem.’ In my former life as a police office, one technique I used to break tension was smiling and saying, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help!” This often elicited a chuckle and helped diffuse the situation, allowing everyone to relax and begin to resolve the conflict. After almost thirty years as a police officer and now finishing off my fifth term as County Supervisor, I have a pretty good handle on how government actually works, or better said, fails its’ citizens every day. Unlike a private business that sells a product to create revenue, governments create revenue by taxation and fees. Far too many of the services that governments provide are riddled with redundancies. Far too many governments use the excuse that their citizens expect local control in order to provide essential services. Far too many governments simply continue to conduct their business as they always have; They just need to raise taxes because the costs to provide those services continue to rise. These excuses make no sense whatsoever.

The “Kingdom Syndrome” permeates our government, particularly at the local level. Sharing services is a dirty word to many administrative bureaucrats that seem to think any reduction in their organization somehow lessens their authority. Those types of bureaucrats are the single greatest impediment to operating an efficient government and lowering property taxes. Governor Evers and far too many Wisconsin Counties are advocating for an end to levy caps. Ending the levy caps will enable all local and County governments to raise property taxes again. Remember what happened before levy caps and Jim Doyle was Governor? If one government has purchased costly equipment that is not used on a daily basis, why would a neighboring government need to purchase the same costly equipment if they also did not need it daily? Why couldn’t both municipalities come to an agreement to share that equipment, in some cases saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. This technique could be used to eliminate other redundancies in our government as well, saving taxpayer dollars or allowing tax revenue to be diverted to road repair and reconstruction.

Another argument against sharing of services, cooperating with other municipalities and consolidating essential services is that those governments would lose local control. This argument is actually illogical. Governments actually succeed when they provide essential services efficiently and timely. Governments actually succeed when those services are also provided cost effectively. Governments also succeed when they are streamlined and effective, using their resources wisely to meet the moral obligations to provide for those in need. As an example, larger organizations have more resources necessary to fulfill those obligations such as public safety, roads and infrastructure and human services. Organizations that operate with efficiency and have employees that understand and respect those that they serve is paramount to managing a successful government organization.

When “Economy of Scale” principals are applied, cost advantages are obtained by purchasing at a lower per-unit cost because those purchases are in larger quantities. Additionally, when crises occur, more resources are available to assign to more effectively resolve the problem. It is actually far more efficient for municipalities to cooperate, consolidate and collaborate in order to create those efficiencies that better serve their citizens. The only product that government provides is to serve their citizens to the best of their ability.

“We’ve always done it this way”, “Why fix it if it ain’t broke.” This type of governing is the primary reason that property taxes seldom are reduced, unlike Washington County that has continued to reduce the property tax rate. Washington County will continue to be a leader in innovation and finding new ways to better serve our citizens and continue to reduce their tax burden. The County Board will be considering, and likely passing, resolutions to oppose the lifting of property tax levy caps and opposing the additional .5% sales tax initiative at their April meeting. Wisconsin residents remain among the highest taxed in the nation and any additional taxation is unnecessary and unfair. The intent of the property tax levy caps was to force local governments to innovate and find ways to be more efficient. Lifting those caps only serves to validate those governments who refused to enact changes necessary to better serve their citizens.