Yearly Archives: 2006

At the end of this message, please find a Friday media announcement . . .  DownsizeDC.org President Jim Babka on the Jerry Hughes radio show this afternoon.

Downsize DC Ideology Is an Oxymoron

by Jim Babka

In my last editorial I cited four news items from a single week demonstrating how Big Government failure is rewarded.

Failed Big government programs are almost always expanded. They’re very rarely cut and never eliminated. This is true even when the program is hurting the very people it was intended to help.

Some took exception and our subscription list shrunk visibly. We’re fine with that.

I’m also fine with the person who wrote a thoughtful note saying that he had benefited from a government welfare program at a critical time in his life. I’m glad he was helped.

I would never contend that “no one” is helped by federal programs. Instead, I would ask what the costs and benefits are as a whole. I would also ask whether one-size-fits all federal programs are better than having a variety of decentralized programs at the state and local level. I would ask if a private program might be better still.

For instance, would you rather donate money for low-cost housing to HUD or Habitat for Humanity?

Do such questions represent an ideology or merely the kind of due-diligence and skeptical inquiry every responsible citizen should pursue?

Our friendly but critical writer went on to say how much he liked our “Read the Bills Act.” He said he had also sent other messages through Downsize DC, but that now he was concerned about us. It appeared to him we might be too “libertarian-conservative.”

Maybe you read that column and felt the same way. I want to set concerned minds at ease.

To begin with, we agree about our “Read the Bills Act.” It’s a wonderful transpartisan issue; neither conservative, nor liberal, nor libertarian. Consider . . .

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::The skillful confidence trickster makes criminal activity sound reasonable. So it is with supposed Congressional reform proposals.

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::We’d like to take a break this week, but we can’t. We need you to send a very important message to Congress today. Here’s why . . .

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::What is a Babka? Is it really a Czechoslovakian sweet bread, as claimed in an episode of “Seinfeld,” or is it the President of DownsizeDC.org, as we’ve so often claimed here in the Downsizer-Dispatch? ::::::Soon you’ll have a chance to answer this question for yourself.

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in planning a 100 hour legislative orgy.::::::Starting in about 10 days, Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to pass between 300 and 400 pages of legislation in the space of 100 just hours. ::::::No one knows the specifics of this legislation. But we do know this . . .

Are we winning?

The opposition to the REAL ID Act, which would create a national identification system, has been great and unrelenting.

It has come from hundreds of groups, including state governments, but we know of no group that has been more relentless than DC Downsizers. We have so far pumped out 40,362 messages to Congress calling for the repeal of the REAL ID Act.

Now, two Senators, Democrat Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Republican John Sununu of New Hampshire, are threatening to sponsor legislation that would do just that — repeal the REAL ID Act!

But . . .

Media Announcements

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::We never know how much to tell you about the Congressional legislation we support or oppose. The details can be mind-numbing. ::::::This especially concerned us about yesterday’s message. The claims we made sounded so alarmist, so wild — like some urban myth about albino alligators in the sewers. But . . .

Today’s Downsizer-Dispatch . . .::::::This is the shape of things to come . . .::::::Congress is out Christmas shopping. So are you. Given the season you may think that all is calm, all is quiet. But the silence you’re hearing is not that of “Silent Night,” but of “Silence of the Lambs.”::::::YOU are about to be slaughtered, for the sake of uninhibited Congressional power.

Richard Maybury was my guest. The show was conducted in tribute to Jack I Mullen III, better known to friends and family as “Jackie.” Jackie was the son of Downsize DC Foundation Chair Jack Mullen and Richard Maybury was his favorite writer. Harry Browne was also a big fan of Maybury. ::::::An hour just wasn’t enough. Seriously. Buy this guy’s newsletter (or his books) and tell him Jim Babka sent you. The material in his newsletter is wonderfully written, easy to read, and jam packed with information and sound analysis. I don’t give out that praise lightly. ::::::But I would like to see him get so much new business from appearing on my program that HE begs me to come back on my show again. More info at: RichardMaybury.com::::::My thanks to my sponsors, DownsizeDC.org, Gun Owners of America”, and the Marijuana Policy Project. ::::::