NIMBY Austerity

Posted by LK on 5/12/10 • Categorized as Business, Culture War, Featured, Foreign Affairs, Personal Responsibility, Politics, The Economy

The Brits have voted, and when that voting is combined with their parliamentary system and the strange bedfellows deal the Conservative party cut with the Social Democrats, the U.K. finds itself with a new Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Cameron, who has vowed to get the U.K. back on the path of fiscal responsibility, even if it takes a variety of painful austerity measures, has never, and will in all probability never have to, deal with anything remotely resembling an austerity measure himself. He was born to the upper crust, educated in the finest and most expensive schools money and position can buy, and is clearly comfortable ruling from his pedestal of privilege.

Do as I say, not as I do, and all that. Jolly good. Can’t wait to see what happens when the first round of civil servant layoffs or pay cuts are announced.

Not to be outdone by that side of the pond, yesterday in NY state soon to be ex-governor David Paterson had no problem forcing an unpaid furlough on 100,000 state workers, while simultaneously granting pay raises to some of his top aides and appointees. It’s not surprising. The governor’s admitted to an affair (clearly an indulgence, rather than a display of forbearance), been accused of protecting a misogynist aide, and regularly parked himself squarely under various clouds of suspicion, rather than walking the straight, narrow road of self-discipline.

We mocked the chairmen of the automakers when they flew into DC in their private jets asking to drink at the public trough, and yet we continue to elect characters without character.

If in fact one gets what one deserves, then we need to tighten up our own acts as citizens, so that we deserve better.

UPDATE: a Federal judge put a hold on the furloughs for state workers. Turns out Paterson’s attempts at austerity are not only hypocritical, but may well be unconstitutional and therefore illegal. At least the guy’s consistent.