We-The-People have just lost power

It has been the 1960-1970’s all over again. Congress voted, and President Obama signed the largest transfer of power from local and state government levels to the Federal government in history … much larger than from FDR and LBJ. The so-called stimulus package is about who has, and can control, the spending of almost a trillion dollars. Beginning with Ronald Reagan, and moved forward by Newt Gingrich when this nation balanced the federal budget, and welfare reform was implemented, some power was moved back to the states and the Federal-city coalition was trimmed (but not done away with). With one stroke of the pen the so-called stimulus bill put the big-government Washington liberals back in power, and immediately they plan to spend one-trillion dollars. One trillion.

So, what has happened at the local and state levels where government, businesses and we-the-people are cash strapped and cutting back? The remnants of the bureaucrats who learned their trade in the 1960’s have been busy 24/7. Doing what, you ask? In Georgia, the Department of Transportation has forwarded a passel of “shovel ready” road projects to Washington in hopes of getting some of that loot. And the legislature is holding a few days of this session till later to see what they get. And cities, Atlanta and Gainesville among them, have scoured that Mount Everest of cash to see what they can get. History shows it took Reagan and Gingrich almost 30 years to move some power back to the state and local governments, and it appears to me we lost it all in the last 30 days.

This is Gordon Sawyer from a window on historic Green Street in Gainesville, GA.