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3/31/2010
What happens when you try to eliminate a government program?

Well, you know exactly what happens. And it makes me scream.

Just one example – “Reading is Fundamental” – did you ever hear of it? Well, me neither, but of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not important to somebody. Believe you me, it’s important to 1,600 “local students” in the Wisconsin Rapids area. And more than a few adult employees, I’m assuming.

Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF), founded in 1966, motivates children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF's highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provided 4.4 million children with 15 million new, free books and literacy resources last year.

I can’t even imagine how many reading programs are financed by the federal government, much less that exist in this country. Hundreds. Thousands? Is it something we as a society could do without? Well, I know how very important reading is to learning and to being productive in our society. Of course.

The longest-running children's literacy organization would change if Barack Obama's budget recommendations are approved for next year, potentially affecting more than 1,600 local students.

In Obama's February budget recommendations, he proposed consolidating about 38 education programs, including Reading is Fundamental, the country's largest children's literacy organization, founded in 1966, said Stephen Leach, vice president of government relations and community outreach for RIF.

"RIF and six other programs will be consolidated under this new umbrella -- early teaching, early literacy -- and they will pull the funding (the programs) receive and put it into one pot, offering it as a state competitive grant," Leach said. "States could apply to one of these grants, receive it, and could choose to partner with one of the programs or just build their own literacy initiative from the ground up."

For crying out loud, the government can’t even fund its two supposedly most basic entitlement programs.

But of course, everybody’s lobbying, everyone thinks their cause is the most deserving. And of course, more deserving than the hundreds of billions wasted in Afghanistan. Or … fill-in-the-blank.

As for what the future holds for RIF, Leach said he and other officials are pushing elected leaders to find room for the organization in the federal budget.

"We are very hopeful; we have a number of champions on Capitol Hill that support our organization," Leach said. "It's just a matter of reminding them about our impact and keeping them abreast of this new development and what this (Obama) administration is proposing."

When will we stop lobbying for the government to fund causes we believe in – and find a different path – many different paths? What will it take – or WHO will it take – to get America on the wagon, to cut back all these programs that are someone’s favorite thing in all of life. What will it take to corral runaway government spending?

Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net

COMMENTS

I agree that it's a serious problem, Jo, but lobbying is our right to petition government. Petitioning with cash in hand is the problem.

But we must eliminate obsolete services and the taxes that result, and the best way is to establish an agency to review all government services.

Jack Lohman (Wed Mar 31 08:30:09 2010)

And what standards would you use for that review Jack? If I took 10 minutes, I could probably find such a review in the annals of the Heritage Foundation or the CATO Institute. Would that be acceptable to you?

Jo (Wed Mar 31 09:13:15 2010)

Jack, our right to petition government is a good thing, insofar as we participate above and beyond the ballot. But cash or no cash, there are FEW causes we should be petitioning government funds for. If parents, schools, and communities cannot produce literate youth without government funding, we have a VERY serious problem. We need to take responsibility for ourselves and for our children, and take the initiative to get things done on our own.

Amdrew Ellis (Wed Mar 31 09:14:24 2010)

Hmmm "Our impact" So how much better are kids reading than in the year I graduated. Oh, they are NOT? In spite of billion$ if not TRILLION$ spent by the fedgov?

We do not need a new commission to study this. The empirical fact is that as government has grown, the quality of education has declined. Better to check the constitution, and not finding justification for this program there, throw it where it belongs: The ash heap of history. Better plan: get federal AND state governments out of the government indoctrination centers. I see no way that institutions whose students come out saying, "Public education has certain social and humanistic goals which transcend its academic function" can or should be saved.

Ken Van Doren (Wed Mar 31 09:37:14 2010)

Jo, if I were making the decision for my own company I'd ask "Is this department obsolete, and if so, how can I close it and meld its staff elsewhere, or lay off the unneeded people?" And if the department is useful "How can we trim the wasted procedures to reduce staff and expedite services?" I'd prefer this to be privatized but not under the current moneyed system (Accenture?). Certainly under the current system we could have rewards to employees for good suggestions on improving efficiency.

And Amdrew, I'm assuming that you accept government funding to run our schools and community services, but with efficiency?

Jack Lohman (Wed Mar 31 10:01:39 2010)

Jack, Jack. It's about effectiveness - does the program make a difference? If so, how much of a difference? And if it happens to make a huge difference - more difference than Medicaid and Social Security and national defense - can families and churches and communities accomplish the same thing?

Jo (Wed Mar 31 10:24:45 2010)

I don't argue about the need to be effective, Jo. The "people" don't always have the time (you've heard about survival and putting food on the table), and under our current system of special interests driving public policy to benefit shareholders and executives I don't trust privatization. And I also don't trust Heritage and Cato, both of whom do not disclose who is funding them. You know and I know that they are conservative hacks.

Jack Lohman (Wed Mar 31 10:44:16 2010)

And when I use "obsolete" or "useful," that includes being needed and effective. I can think of a lot of things that are needed and effective but shouldn't be a government function.

But I'd also like to see our state legislature become part time (they are now, but paid full time), though I do worry that private businessmen would become politicians for a session to design laws to benefit their personal business. Thus safeguards would be needed. (As though today's legislators give a damn about what the public thinks.)

Jack Lohman (Wed Mar 31 11:40:14 2010)

Jack, to be rather succinct, no. I fully appreciate that this is somewhat idealist, but I see no logical reason why education should fall under the government's charge. Neither that government should collect and distribute funds for private modes of education. The concept of public education is, in my opinion, inimical to the overall well-being of society, and all too often conflicts with individual responsibility. Not to mention what vast power it has to shape the minds of future generations. It was once said, "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

Well, here we are. Everyone is apparently entitled to everything. Self-determination is apparently an outdated concept. All things are relative and there are no absolutes. We are all inept at everything, and must rely on a supreme and benevolent wisdom and authority of government.

The US Constitution makes no provisions for anything pertaining to education on the Federal level. The States have the prerogative to do so if they choose. And I, as an individual, oppose it.

That said, I do NOT suggest we do away with it in one fell swoop, any more than Lincoln was wise to emancipate the slaves with zero provisions for getting them on their feet; or than we could very well shut down Social Security and leave those who were forced to pay into it - and now rely on it - to flounder.

I personally never benefited from public education. And I am grateful that my parents, in spite of being forced to pay for public education, had the initiative to pay again - and more - for an education that they deemed fit and appropriate, which is a right and prerogative of parents.

A roof over my head is more elemental to my well-being than an education, yet I would hardly suggest it is the responsibility of government to have provided me a home.

Andrew Ellis (Wed Mar 31 14:41:56 2010)

So, Andrew, we have the fortunate and the unfortunate. Where do we go with that? Yes, everybody should raise themselves up and be independent. And pay for their kid's school and stay off Social Security and Medicare. But all of that only happened in 1800, and we cannot expect that today.

I fully agree that government has gotten too big and must be whittled down. And more than anything we must stop the corruption at the top. But that isn't going to happen when private cash funds our public elections.

Jack Lohman (Wed Mar 31 15:09:40 2010)

Jack, it "isn't going to happen," or "it can't?"

If it can't, we are at an impasse, as our legislators hold the power to change the process.

If it isn't, there has to be a reason why, and I would suggest it is less campaign and advertising funds than it is a combination of apathy and narcissism on the part of the people. Apathy referring to those who don't care; and narcissism referring to those whose ballot is cast to their own private advantage, generally at the expense of the common good.

Fortunately, what goes around comes around, and eventually enough people are forced to face the consequences, and to deliberate - in earnest - for whom they cast their ballot, relying less on platitudes, endorsements, and smears and taking the time and effort to discern the character of the available candidates.

It comes squarely back to us, we the people, without whose apathy or cooperation our system of government could not otherwise have attained its stranglehold.

If it CAN'T happen, we may face an ugly option...

If it ISN'T going to happen, we need to alter that course. And with what greater efficacy than developing independent thinking skills in our children, and engaging in constructive, thought-provoking dialogue with our fellow citizens.

A sort of conversion, if you will. And meanwhile a willingness to break the mold of a two-party system, which Washington's Farewell Address touched on so eloquently - and I dare say, prophetically.

Ordinary people, with no political aspirations whatsoever, need to make a sacrifice, surmount the seemingly insurmountable, and campaign, run, win, and serve in those offices.

It is no more insurmountable a task than a clutter of farmers succeeding in vistory over the greatest military force on the planet not so many generations ago.

The question is, who will take up that challenge? And should someone stand up among us to offer to serve as a true Stateman, will we stand with him/her, or will we compromise and cling to what we have and know for fear of losing to something worse?

Until we are prepared to answer those questions, we have to get back to self-determination. Instill it. Practice it. Encourage it. Exemplify it. Self-determination will answer those questions.

And that is where we have to start: ourselves.

Andrew Ellis (Wed Mar 31 16:25:24 2010)

The practical thing to do, in the meantime, to be actively involved with our legislators. To know what they're doing, having constructive conversations with them on policy. We should know our legislators phone numbers by heart.

I'll be honest: I'm still working on that...

Andrew Ellis (Wed Mar 31 16:33:42 2010)

Won't do any good to get actively involved with the legislators if they are actively involved with the lobbyists that fund their elections. I can get lip service without leaving the house. We must vote them all out of office... a 100% turnover.

Jack Lohman (Wed Mar 31 20:02:38 2010)

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