More Bulletin Budgetary Bullshit

Wednesday's Norwich Bulletin's editorial [Griswold voters have opportunity to open dialogue] proves once and for all that either they don't just don't get it, or they think very little of our collective intelligence.

My money is on the latter...

The rest of us know that Griswold voters vetoed the board of education and town budgets because they were unaffordable. Griswold is hardly alone. Swollen budgets went down in flames all over Eastern Connecticut including here in Windham and Killingly.

The editorial on the other hand says "Taxpayers are sending a very clear message: They want accountability. The taxpayers action should not be viewed as a negative, a movement towards forcing the town to make large spending cuts or a demand for lower taxes".

Just exactly what, I wonder, would convince the editorial board that we really really really want lower taxes? How clear must we be before it sinks in? Maybe sky writing?

This is the part that made me queasy: Town officials and taxpayers need to have an "honest and frank discussion about the issues and concerns of taxpayers".

--- Then we all have a quick group hug, we will approve the budgets with minuscule cuts, and its back to spending money like drunken sailors. You know, once the tax-n-spend liberals have carefully explained to us ignorant surfs why the government can't do without the tax increases and why last year's increases just won't do. Contrary to what the Bulletin pretends to purport, they are really only advocating one-way communication.

The editorial takes an attitude that Griswold taxpayers had a "temper tantrum" just as the late Perter Jennings characterized the 1994 midterm elections when Republicans took over Congress:

"Some thoughts on those angry voters. Ask parents of any two-year-old and they can tell you about those temper tantrums: the stomping feet, the rolling eyes, the screaming. Imagine a nation full of uncontrolled two-year-old rage. The voters had a temper tantrum last week....Parenting and governing don’t have to be dirty words: the nation can’t be run by an angry two-year-old."

It's just un-imaginable to liberals that conservatives might win a few battles here and there. It's un-thinkable that we should actually win majorities, that voters may want tax cuts and cuts in spending. When it does happen it is characterized as some sort of mistake or misunderstanding.

It might crack the very foundation of the Norwich Bulletin's political philosophy to admit that some towns this year have actually produced budgets with no tax increases on the first try. Yes it can be done without draconian measures but you won't read any quotes from these towns in the Bulletin.

No way Jose. The Norwich Blunder is squarely in the camp of the public employee unions --- greedy pigs at the trough. OINK OINK!

Choices have to be made and reality-defying liberals both in the press and in the government have to come to terms with the fact they can't have all they want, all the time. This year they will have to tell the unions "NO" to some of those items on their wish lists.

Contrary to what Mr. Jennings thought and the Norwich Bulletin editorial board still thinks, those of us paying the bills are ultimately Mom and Dad -- not them.

And what WE say GOES.