Category Archives: Politics

Is it time to audit lottery monies used for state programs?

Posted by diggercartwright on

I think they are already being audited, but I think the issue is how the money is being spent and is it being spent judiciously.  Many of the state lotteries are supposed to fund specific projects or causes—senior citizen programs, education or scholarships, and so on.  I think this is all great, but when you’re dealing with the amount of money generated by the lotteries for these programs there is bound to be fraud and waste.  I have long preached against fraud and waste in both government and the private sector, but sadly to no avail most of the time.  I do believe that each of these state lottery programs should face very difficult scrutiny in how the funds are spent.  That’s not to say that we should consider every scholarship awarded or every senior center built.  We need to make sure that the stewards of these programs aren’t wasting money on unneeded centers or fraudulent scholarships.  We need to make sure that the programs aren’t being manipulated by special interests.  The site of senior center shouldn’t be decided by a politician or the landholder.  Administrative costs and salaries should be minimized whenever possible.  I’m not suggesting we micromanage, but I’m suggesting we have stringent oversight of the overall programs and how the money is allocated to projects.  Overall, politicians should never dictate how the funds are spent and shouldn’t even have a hand in the process.  The oversight should be handled by independent bodies comprised of normal citizens who don’t have any special interests and audited by independent accountants and independent government watchdogs.  It’s probably idealistic, and I know that.  There’s a lot of money at stake, and that money does a lot of good.  But that money can do a lot more good and can go a lot further if we don’t allow it to be misappropriated and misused.

Read more here at Thinking Outside The Boxe

 

Should we re-negotiate student debt? If so, why? Does this create a moral hazard?

Posted by diggercartwright on

Absolutely not.  These people entered into a legal agreement.  They were given money for college, and they used it to get an education.  And you know, they’re able to get loans for an amount that far exceeds the actual cost of tuition and books?  So, they get the maximum loan and then use the excess to party or to live on or to buy a new flat screen TV or a new car.  Just because they can’t get a high paying job once they graduate doesn’t absolve them of the liability.  If you go to the bank and get a mortgage for a house but then can’t afford the house, the bank keeps what money you paid and they take the house. Continue reading →

How do we stop the flow of illegal immigrants through our borders?

Posted by diggercartwright on

I know there are some people who think this issue is as simple as closing the borders.  There’s no doubt that we need to tighten up the U.S.-Mexico border.  We’ve got people just walking across into the U.S., bringing kids here or having kids here, then expecting us to take care of them.  Let’s load up the border with drones, the military and border patrol and turn these people away.  I won’t hesitate to say we shoot them if they are sneaking across the border; that sends a powerful message.  Plus an increased military presence and a shoot to kill mandate will help with the paramilitary drug cartels just across the border.  We’re at war with the terrorists but we’re also at war with the paramilitary drug cartels in Mexico.

 

There are plenty illegals here who actually came here legally, most of them on student visas who stayed after the visa expired.  We need to round them up and send them back where they came from, even if that isn’t a politically popular thing to do.  These people have broken the law.  They need to face the consequences.  Then, we need to fix the broken immigration system.  We need a better way to track the people who come into this country.  With the technology we have today, let’s look to biometrics to keep track of people who come here.  When their time is up, if they haven’t left the country, we track them down or make it very difficult for them to survive here.  Make it difficult for them to get a job, rent an apartment, drive a car, and open bank accounts, and so on.

 

I’m not opposed to people immigrating to the United States.  However, there is a legal way for people who want to immigrate here to do so.  They need to follow the law to immigrate here.  If they do that, I welcome them.  If they break the law and stay here illegally or sneak across the border, they need to face stiff consequences.

Read more here at Thinking Outside The Boxe

Should pet owners be able to deduct a portion of their pet care?

Posted by diggercartwright on

Absolutely!  If people can get deductions for having kids, why can’t I get deductions for my cats?  My cats are my kids.  In fact, my cats are better than most people’s kids.  They get great care from me, and they don’t use any public services so to speak.  They don’t go to school.  They don’t use the roads.  Where we have a problem is that people can’t be allowed to hoard animals in order to get more deductions and we’re not sure how well the animals are being treated.  In order to get deductions, I think you need to show that your pet is up to date on all their shots or vaccinations or that your pet gets their annual checkup with the vet.  Just as the government wants children to be well-cared for, they should also want pets to be well-cared for and treated humanely. Continue reading →

Should the government be allowed to terminate trademark rights for material some may deem “offensive” (Washington Redskins controversy)?

Posted by diggercartwright on

No, this is a gross miscarriage of justice.  This is an overreaching federal government that has no respect for private property rights or the Constitution.  This administration is driven by emotions and far left liberal ideology.  As I said before, if the free market feels a trademark is offensive, consumers won’t buy the product.  The ticketholders don’t have to go to the games and no one has to buy tickets.  At the end of the day, the fans don’t have the moral outrage that the media and this administration have.  Most people don’t care.  I know a lot of Redskins fans, and they’re outraged that their team is under attack. Continue reading →

Should the government be involved in the politics of sports (LA Clippers, Washington Redskins, etc.)?

Posted by diggercartwright on

The government shouldn’t be involved in private business matters unless the law has been or is being broken.  Let’s look at Don Sterling and the Clippers controversy.  It’s not the government’s right to attempt to strip private property just because liberals don’t like what someone said.  First off, I could care less what he said.  We still have freedom of speech as guaranteed by the 1st amendment to the Constitution.  If you don’t like what he said, don’t patronize the Clippers.  I find it quite ironic that despite the controversy the fans didn’t abandon the team.  The fans were still filling the seats.  The players didn’t quit.  They still played each game.  If what he said had been so egregious and inflammatory, the players should have all quit and the fans should have boycotted the team and the games. Continue reading →

Do celebrities have a responsibility to be positive role models for young Americans?

Posted by diggercartwright on

I would say that celebrities to some degree do have a responsibility to be positive role models.  But there are two problems here.  First, television and the media love to portray derelict celebrities as being cool and as being successful.  This gives young people the wrong idea; they think they can be rich and famous by being derelicts as well.  This is quite a moral hazard.  Second, parents are the best role models for their children.  They can’t subrogate responsibility for raising their children right and teaching their children morals and values to someone else.

Continue reading →

How can society become better stewards of our environment?

Posted by diggercartwright on

Consume less.  If we consume less material goods, we’ll have less trash which ends up in landfills.  Ever think of how much garbage you create in a day’s time?  The average person creates about 4.3 pounds of garbage per day.  That’s over 1,500 pounds per person per year.  This ends up in landfills which results in methane gas emissions and pollutants in the groundwater.  Cut down on your consumption, and you cut down on your impact on the environment. Continue reading →

Should illegal immigrants or any non-citizen be able to receive government financial assistance (i.e. welfare, food stamps, etc.)?

Posted by diggercartwright on

No.  Let me make that an emphatic, ‘No.’ Government financial assistance is first and foremost for citizens and taxpayers of the United States.  Why would we give any type of benefit to someone who comes to this country, particularly if they come here illegally, and who isn’t a citizen?  Illegal immigrants don’t have the same rights as U.S. citizens just because they found a way to sneak into the country or came here on a visa but then didn’t leave.  They certainly aren’t entitled to anything, except maybe a one way deportation ticket.  We can’t put the burden of taking care of these people and their families on the shoulders of hardworking Americans, some of whom are struggling themselves.  If someone is hurt or seriously ill and needs to go to the emergency room for a life threatening injury or condition, they should get treated but it shouldn’t be free.  If the illegal shows up with a cold and wants treatment, they should have to pay on the spot or be turned away. Continue reading →

Should illegal immigrants be allowed to serve in our military in lieu of deportation?

Posted by diggercartwright on

I’m not opposed to something like that but our military is becoming less human capital intensive and more technology intensive.  I’m not sure there’s a need for these people to be in the military.  If you want to load up the military and put them on the border, maybe that’s an option but I don’t think they should get military benefits or pay; they work in exchange for room and board.  But listen, I don’t think military service is the answer.  I think the real issue is getting some kind of service out of these illegal immigrants, many of whom want to become citizens at some point.  The service we get out of them doesn’t necessarily have to be military service.  I say we give them a choice between deportation and work.  If they choose to work on selected projects for five years and at the same time become proficient in English, they can take the citizenship test at the completion of their five years of service. Continue reading →