Editorial on TSLA Budget Cuts in Today’s Tennessean

The Nashville Tennessean published the editorial that I submitted early in the week. I find it fascinating that comments on the newspaper website are already critical of my stance. I never thought that maintaining public access to state historical resources was that controversial, but, apparently, I was wrong.

Again, the taxpayer is being asked to fund a function to benefit the letter writer. It is exactly this type of expectation that has created the situation we are in as a state and country. We simply cannot afford to spend more than we make. Maybe the letter writer needs to do his scholarly research during the hours the library will open by adjusting his personal schedule.

And

You are absolutely correct Nash. The country and state are broke. There should be a 10% staff reduction in all state agencies as a start. Oh, the media will whine just like this letter writer and dorie122 and others above. But the fact that this country now has more state and government jobs than manufacturing jobs says a lot. Taxpayers first pay all the salaries of the workers and then the workers create ever more creative ways to create new programs and regulations that require more workers and taxes. It’s a double whammy.

I’ve never been called a liberal until now:

Get ready for a full onslaught of articles from the major media chronicling the dire effects of budget cuts. Before it’s over we will hear how the poor, the children, the handicapped, our veterans, our social workers, state employees, teachers, janitors, french fry cooks and parking lot attendants will all suffer horrific torture – and potential death – as a result of the mean conservatives, whose only goal is to protect the rich.

Meanwhile, no one but the conservatives will focus on the fact that we have a $14.2 Trillion deficit nationally and would have a $1 Billion deficit in Tennessee if not for Federal Matching funds and grants.

The media – and their liberal counterparts – can drag out all the supposed “pain and suffering” they like, but the problem will not go away. The government can dramatically curb its out-of-control appetite for spending or all of us will be ruined.

By the way, this article does fail to point out one group that will be dramatically affected by libraries closing: The Homeless. At least in Nashville, they used the library more than anyone else and form a line on Church Street every morning – I guess Homeless people read more than most of us.

It’s been encouraging that others have contacted me personally or copied me on e-mails to Tennessee government officials asking them to reconsider the budget cuts. At least there’s a larger audience that now has the information and can decide whether it is worth the time and effort to put pressure on state officials.