BCT Editorial – 10/31/08

This page was last updated on November 1, 2008.

Top priority; Editorial; Beaver County Times; October 31, 2008.

The editorial subtitle is “Projects would improve infrastructure and boost economy.”

Once again we have a Times editorial referring to our infrastructure in “Third World” terms. Has anyone responsible for Times editorials ever traveled to a real Third World country? As I’ve written previously, “Third World” is at or near the top of the list of the Times most overused terms of hyperbole. This is at least the seventh editorial this year alone (The previous six were “Stoop labor,” “Cattle call,” “Lapped,” “Poor health,” “Power failure,” and “Falling apart.”) that’s compared the U.S. to the Third World.

A current theme with Times editorials, the “solution” to the problem is increased taxation. This despite the fact the average family eventually turns over nearly 33% of its income to all levels of government (This is near the all time high of 34% in 2000.). It’s odd how spending cuts in other areas never appear to be considered.

Did you note the editorial added to its previous wish list? Now the Times wants federal taxpayers to increase spending for “modernization of schools and public housing.”

Finally, as I believe I’ve written previously, I don’t understand why the federal government is in the road/bridge building/maintenance business anyway. Any need for this involvement in the past has long since passed. All U.S. and Interstate highways should be turned over to local and state governments. Now I have to add “schools and public housing” to the list.