All of This for Only $2.50 Per Day

The greed and lack of political will among rank-and-file Democrats to cut spending was on full display Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Barren County Government Center.

During budget deliberations Magistrate Carl Dickerson asked the Fiscal Court to amend Judge Executive Davie Greer's budget to reflect a cut in expense allowances for magistrates. The cut was $70 per month, about $2.50 per day.

Dickerson said, "How are we going to ask county departments to cut spending if we are unwilling to cut it ourselves?"

He made a good point. In Washington, D. C. the new GOP majority in the House cut its own budget by millions of dollars. Dickerson's cut amounted to $490 per month, less than $6,000 a year.

Yet, this small sum was too much for Democrats John Benningfield, Tommy Matthews, Gary Gillon, and Billy Houchens to swallow because it came out of their pockets, and by golly, we taxpayers have no right to expect the little gods on their little Olympus to let us keep what is ours especially if they have to give up something. Gillon even said he didn't want to give up his money.

And that's the problem. These boys don't treat it all like it is their money. If it's for memberships in the Chamber of Commerce, we ought to pay their way. If it makes them feel good to approve that check to a private charitable organization, why, we should applaud when the light comes on because they are so benevolent.

It is all very sad.