Another New Year, and another Year Older, and Partisan Politics, and predatory people and companies, have to go!

January is the Month my Wife of forty years and I share a Birthday in.  It is also a month I reflect on what has been, and the plans we have for the new year.

I am no longer simply amused, at the partisan politics that has been griping Muncie and it's stranglehold on our ability to get out of the rut we seemingly have here to escape it's hold on us.  I do have hope and do look at promise for better things, in that we have enough folks that seem to be as fed up with politics as usual around here as to maybe, just maybe do something about it.

I don't know how it is going to end, but I do hope we can pull together as a community and do what is needed to make a difference and correct the mistakes that have led us to where we are at this point.  That being; a community of victims of partisan politics, impacted by big money and corrupt special interest groups.

I would not recommend any further "New" economic development take place in the greater Muncie area, "until", we have cleaned house, and made the area safe for real development to take place.  It is my considered opinion, that we don't need more "New" low paying jobs, but should allow ourselves, to "ONLY" focus on jobs at this point,  that can pay a living wage to residents, to replace the factory jobs that were lost paying $20.00 to $30.00 more then a living wage, and  to redevelop the City / county area to be more business and entrepreneurial friendly, and clean up vacant blighted areas of  the older areas of Muncie in particular.

All of us who are Not Partisan politics oriented, are looking for ways to make a living, and live in a decent place; yet partisan politics is like soiling ones own resting place.  It begins to stink in short order; and that is what is going on, in Muncie, Indiana right now.  We seem to need a diaper change of sorts.

The real root of the greatest need behind the most evident problem, is the aging and number of disabled or disadvantaged members, who make up our community, and the polarization of our population and economic strata's, that ,an the predatory nature of some of our population to prey upon the rest.  We have the vast majority of residents, living and working at less then a living wage; while the upper few percent enjoy a decent or significant income, but have other investments outside the community, that don't support it as needed, and are thus isolated, from the day to day effects of the problems of the local residents.  It is a condition, of the majority not being properly represented, and allowing the Predator Population to prey upon the population, and an existing infrastructure costing too much for the majority of the local population to afford. 

The Answer I think is?  Cut the direct costs of the  fixed infrastructure and sell off or donate it to Not for Profit groups to rid ourselves of the cost of operation, and variable costs of maintance to the pont the population can afford to support what is left, in such form, from  "already unencumbered" income.  One of the problems with our current encumbered incomes, is that conspicuous consumption is driving the economy, and we are in too many cases, over committed at any given time, or, over extended and in debt, to the degree we don't know, what folks around us, can afford half, or any of the time.  It is after all not a matter of credit only, but of one doing what they need, in any moment in time to deal with what they are pursuing as an interest or need. 

The other half of the time, we are impacted by unfunded edicts from federal or state and then don't have the income "free" from prior agreed to debt, and, to be able to then respond to funding demands.  Government has not come to terms with this situation or understanding or seemingly cares to, and is only forcing all of our situations, to get worse, as we, and our communities grow older, and need to spend more on the necessities of life and living. 

Knowing the general or median income of a communities residents, is insufficient to good financial planning, it is merely an indicator and not a base line.  And knowing it, is not license to make budgets that can't be supported by the Tax Paying Public.

So, as we enter this New Year, and Older and a little more needful, I hope more of us are willing to band together to see we bring our community debt and need for infrastructure into alignment with our ability to afford it.

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