To the Editor:
Obtaining votes by favors or even cash has a long and sorry tradition in America. Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall made a science of it in New York, Pendergast did the same thing in Kansas City. It was and is prevalent in many other urban centers. Sometimes it was a cushy city job or even as cheap as a sandwich and a bucket of beer at the right time and place. These were very common then and probably even exist now in communities where some group has control of the public purse.
These were all small change compared to what can be done nationwide with loose laws that give too much control to career bureaucrats through executive actions and orders that circumvent the law as written. The problem is how to favor one cluster of voters without alienating another bunch.
Infrastructure is a magic word and everyone favors it. We all want new roads, bridges, sewage treatment plants etc. This has been abused by things like the “bridge to nowhere” in Alaska, the Boston Big Dig , High speed rail in California. Traditionally roads and bridges were paid for by federal and state gasoline taxes, basically a use tax, the only really fair tax, the user pays the bill. Electric cars and bicycles pay no gas tax and gas tax money should not benefit them.
The “Infrastructure and Investment Act” of 2021 added many things to the original definition of “infrastructure.”It added things like electric vehicles, broadband Internet, public transit, environmental challenges. Apparently members of both parties saw enough opportunity in it to buy a few votes or to avoid condemnation for voting against “infrastructure.”
Other ways to buy votes :
1. Cater to minorities, enough minorities help make a majority.
2. IRS policies, tax the “rich” but have loopholes for big donors.
3. Forgive student loans but be careful to avoid the wrath of those who worked and paid off their loans.
4. Subsidize global warming, a lot of people are making a lot of money, from cars to wind farms to solar panels, etc.
5. Enhance Social Security, old people always vote.
6. Many others, follow the money.
7. A dilemma, low gas prices will buy some votes but will anger the electric car people, who has more votes?
America has forgotten the words of J.F. Kennedy in 1961: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country.”
August Hoernschemeyer
Owensville
