Legal Blog of Thaddeus M. Bond & Associates

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Cutting Our Government's Budget Should Be Easy

We are all constantly reminded of the economic troubles our world is facing. Taxpayers have lower earnings resulting in smaller tax payments to the government. In the State of Illinois and elsewhere, some politicians simply suggest raising tax rates so that they will not have to cut their already bloated budgets. The simple fact is that all governments (federal, state and local) are wasteful and inefficient. One example: many libraries now offer free access to DVD's and video games. When did it become society's forced obligation to fund free entertainment for those too cheap to buy their own? Were libraries really created for this purpose? Seems to me that libraries are becoming obsolete by virtue of the large amounts of research material available online. One might suggest that the libraries have expanded their offerings to encompass more entertainment options not in furtherance of their mission but instead to perpetuate their own existence and the jobs of those who work there. This unnecessary spending is just one of many examples of government becoming too big for its own good. Before any politician dare ask us for more money (we already work 4-1/2 months of every year just to pay taxes), we must insist that they eliminate waste, inefficiency and unnecessary services just as many private enterprises have already done.

posted by Ted Bond, Jr. at 12:29 PM 3 comments

Friday, May 15, 2009

We need term limits for Illinois legislative leaders

One of the many reform proposals floating around Springfield these days pertains to term limits for legislative leaders. In all matters of significance, including the budget, designated members of each political party handle the bulk of the negotiations to the exclusion of the rank and file. For example, Michael Madigan has been the leader of the House Democrats for many, many years. How many times has he appeared on your ballot? I know he has never been on mine because I don't live in his district. The party leaders in the House and Senate hold enormous sway over legislative matters which affect all of us. Yet they are accountable only to their political parties and not to much of the electorate over whom they hold such control. I believe that party leaders in both houses of the General Assembly should be limited to one legislative session each. This will help reduce certain elected officials being significantly more powerful than others. It will also help instill confidence in the public that their interests are being placed ahead of those of party officials. Contact your state representative and state senator today to let them know if you agree.

posted by Ted Bond, Jr. at 11:17 AM 0 comments

Monday, May 4, 2009

More Government Reforms Are Needed

Recently a reform commission created to recommend improvements to the way state government is run came up with 34 proposals. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=289886&src=109 Ideas like term limits and restrictions on the size and type of campaign contributions have been around for a while but never implemented. In the wake of our recent gubernatorial foibles, let's hope these proposals are finally given serious consideration. Ideas like more open reporting of campaign receipts and expenditures and providing more information to the public and media about state contracts are relatively new but very welcome. Ultimately the people get the government they deserve. For too long we have stood by quietly while our government became an aristocracy run by powerful but often unaccountable and unscrupulous individuals. With both private commissions and government panels coming up with reform ideas, we must continue to press for changes that will help end corruption and remove the influence of big money from politics. It is time for our government officials to put the interests of those they represent ahead of their own self interests.

posted by Ted Bond, Jr. at 12:06 PM 0 comments

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