Strickland And The Improper Role of Government
Posted by: Slotur | 03/17/2008 9:23 PM
Want another example of how Republicans in Sacramento have lost their way: Look at Assemblywoman Audra Strickland from Ventura County and a small part of Los Angeles County. She and her husband Tony are considered by many to be "conservatives".
So what kind of bill does she introduce to showcase how conservatives view government?
AB 2163.
AB 2163 would force some state agency called the Department of Aging (I'm not sure if the Department is supposed to cause or control aging), to scour the earth to shakedown vitamin companies for free supplements that then will be handed out to those over 60 for free!
Assemblywoman Strickland must be worried that seniors don't get enough freebies at taxpayer expense and thinks that taxpayer funds should be expended to get more free stuff for the pill popping seniors at the local senior center.
Is this what government should do? We have no better priority than to make sure someone over 60 gets plenty of Zinc? What is next on the agenda? Maybe government employees procuring donations of polyester workout suits, blue hair dye or big sunglasses?
This would be funny if AB 2163 was a Democratic proposal. That a "conservative" Republican introduced it is just sad.
I find the title misleading. A comparison based solely on something as simplistic as the President on the...
The premise that we need to do a better job assisting our seniors is valid and definitely needs to be addressed. But here is the gotcha... not from a government mandate.
We need programs whose basis aligns with what Assemblywoman Strickland is trying to accomplish but must remember the lessons of old when government tries to influence or take away from the private sector.
Lynn Daucher (fmr 72nd Assembly member) is the state Director of aging. Perhaps her office could work with the vitamin companies and federal programs to help the companies with tax breaks equal or proportional to the assistance they give. This offset would be given to companies s for tier 'donations' of vitamins. Income qualification guidelines would have to be followed.
Just a thought. Give the private sector a choice. Not a government program they are forced to subsidize.
Solutions, not more problems.
Richard Rios