Promises and Payouts

If you haven’t yet realized the painful truth that government is quick to promise but loathe to perform, then you haven’t been paying attention. We can cite multitudes of instances where government programs or initiatives have been implemented to address a real or imaginary need and has exacerbated the problem. As a rule compared to the private sector or motivated individuals, government is inefficient, ineffective and incompetent. One would think that given the economy of scale, the sheer size of government would result in some form of cost effective management. Although our federal government and its many satellites and acolytes through the land are huge, they are in essence hundreds of thousands of little fiefdoms that are jealous of their positions, their power and their portions of the public purse. You intuitively know that the ponderous purveyors of government power are full of it. It might be illustrative to examine just one tiny aspect of government involvement in the economic marketplace as well as the marketplace of ideas. Let’s look at the lottery, shall we?

Here in Ohio the lottery was approved 2-1 by eager voters because its promoters promised a bonanza of funding for public schools. The passion of Parma Senator Ron Mottl led to State Issue 1’s passage in 1973, and the first game appeared in 1974….37 years ago. The schools continue to cry for more money. The promised panacea has not produced like the petty politicians proclaimed it would. So, promise number one in the government’s role in the lottery has resulted in a tattered remnant of the predicted potential. The score is lying politicians 1, the people zero.

Gambling is not something that interests me. Although I contribute my $10.00 fee to the annual March Madness pool, I spend most of my time reading when we go to Las Vegas. It has seemed somewhat discordant to me that the state would be the initiator of a gambling enterprise while, at the same time, regulating or forbidding other games of chance. Admittedly, Issue 1 did alter the state constitution to allow for the state-run lottery so it’s constitutional and legal. If I were king, my constitutional pronouncements would not allow the state to engage in any activity that might place private sector entities at a disadvantage.

You have undoubtedly seen Lottery ads on television, cable and in the print media. You’ve also heard them on radio if you are a regular listener. Lottery commercials are pervasive with their promotion of the daily drawings and the twice-weekly major jackpots. Because Ohio has three large drawing games, the advertising seems nonstop. Powerball, Mega Millions and Classic Lotto pitches dominate the Buckeye airways. At times I believe the state should be indicted for false advertising. After someone wins a large drawing, the state celebrates the “newest millionaire.” Let’s do the math. If you, like any sane individual who doesn’t trust the government with your money, select the “lump sum” payout, your net proceeds after taxes and the single-payment penalty will be around 34% of the touted jackpot. So, a “million-dollar” winner receives a cool $340,000.00 plus change. That amount is better than a stick in the eye, but it will not buy a double-wide on Easy Street.

As sensible politicians (there are a couple) attempt to minimize or eliminate the estate tax in Ohio, some statists have suggested higher rates or total confiscation of estates because “the heirs didn’t earn the money and aren’t entitled to it.” If the statists regain control (that is possible if the GOP loses its courage and purpose), will they implement highly punitive taxes on “unearned wealth?” If they do, it could be as high as 75% because 100% might seem too harsh….for now. In the perfect statist world (remember $250,000 is “rich”) the MILLION DOLLAR WINNER would net the princely sum of $85,000.00.

If lightning strikes and I win the March Madness pool, my winnings will be as advertised by the pool manager. Yes, I’ll have to pay taxes on my winnings (;-), but they can be integrated into my whole tax structure….not withheld by a greedy government. There is no lump sum penalty for the basketball pool. What I expect is what I get. In the real world the government promises a million dollars and cuts a check for $340,000. In the government’s dream world they promise a million dollars and hand the winner $85, 000 in coinage. Your beneficent government proclaims to the world, your friends and neighbors that YOU were a MILLION DOLLAR WINNER so that every relative you’ve never met and every life insurance salesman in a four-state area can make the remainder of your life a totally miserable experience.

Your government makes promises. Your government writes checks for payouts. Your government lies. One final note: prior to the advent of Powerball and Mega Millions in Ohio, more people were struck by lightning on an annual basis in Ohio than those who won the “Super Lotto.” Your odds of getting sound representation from career politicians are comparable.

Comment:  cearlwriting@hotmail.com      or    www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Three-D

The fiasco that is taking place in Madison, Wisconsin, and to lesser extent in Ohio and other state capitols has prompted me to consider how organizations sometimes respond to adversity. Although I did take a cognate (minor) in Social Psychology in graduate school, I am not a social psychologist. My observations are rather general and based somewhat on anecdotal evidence. They also represent a somewhat visceral gut reaction to the goings-on that I have witnessed via the unreliable mass media. Those of us who are Libertarians favor small constitutional government, but are often characterized as preferring anarchy to civil order. What we see in the various national capitols throughout the world and here in the state capitols are “big government” apologists behaving as if they were French Revolutionary  anarchists.  The world is turned upside down, and contradictions reign supreme.

When groups and the people who represent them are confronted with issues that may undermine their hold on the realm of their influence, they may react with a strategy called “diffusion.” Diffusion is the tactic that seeks to spread the blame across a wide horizon so that the complaints and demands of the “aggrieved” group seem small when compared to all intervening variables that have contributed to the imbalance. If we use educators as an example for this discussion, we might hear that state funding, local funding, lazy students, uninvolved administrators and parents, and community indifference are reasons for their failures to perform. The argument continues with their demands for higher pay and greater benefits because all of the factors that impede their abilities to achieve are not their fault, and hence, the teachers should not be held accountable. Inadequate results spring from the multitude of intervening elements that conspire to limit classroom efficacy. For many decades the diffusion ruse has been successful as locales, states and national entities have responded with increases and benefits. But to many who hold the keys to the treasury, the diffusion argument has begun to lose steam. Despite the massive infusion of money and commitment, performance has diminished or stagnated.

Although similar to “diffusion,” “deflection” is more pointed, more targeted. The group that uses deflection as a blame-shifting tool usually identifies one or two specific “bogeymen” whom they accuse of being the cause of their non-performance. In the example cited above, the focus of deflection could be “the taxpayers,” the school board or the legislature. Rather than identifying multiple interveners, the deflection strategy isolates one or two as the nemeses of adequate job performance. Deflection is a direct and forceful attempt to shift blame and/or demonize an entity that may be unwilling to yield to the demands of the complainer. This tactic is similar to the one used by siblings who ride in the back seat of the family car…”she did it first” followed by “he made me do it.” It’s past time for taxpaying citizens to quote the driving father. “Do you want me to come back there?” Citizens are becoming frustrated with a government structure that is too big, too unresponsive, to manipulative and unconstitutional. The deflection maneuvers annoy the citizens who are aware, and they respond with anger.

“Detraction” is the most strident and dishonest of the defense mechanisms. Rather than attempting to diffuse or deflect blame for inadequate performance, the group seeks to undermine the credibility and reputations of its detractors. Detraction is not defensive, but is a wholly offensive approach. The campaign of detraction could result in the “truth” becoming a casualty because there are no limits, no rules. The gloves come off as the aggrieved party attacks its critics, and accuses them of numerous nefarious schemes and actions. They assume the persona of a cornered rat as they lash out at anyone who challenges them or their positions. If the challenger can hold fast and not back down, the detraction strategy is the forerunner of collapse. It is the weakest argument available, but it is delivered viciously. By withstanding the assault the challenger can prevail as the defender runs out of energy and arguments.

Three-D’s, diffusion, deflection and detraction will become more prevalent as the battle to restrain our bloated government becomes more heated. We must not waiver. We can never yield. There is too much at risk, and we must stand firm.

Comment:  cearlwriting@hotmail.com     or    www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

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