Who Says Republicans And Democrats Can’t Agree?

We often hear about how there is not enough cooperation between the two major parties, how nothing ever gets done, how the minority party is simply the party of no, and the majority party is to blame for all the problems.   But here in Delaware, we have found something, that each, and every one, of the members of the General Assembly, and the Governor, could agree on.

Grant In Aid. That’s right, the recent impasse over the budget, which caused the General Assembly to do, what it had not done in decades, which was to go into special session to pass a balanced budget, involved a controversy over Grant and Aid spending.

The Grant in Aid chip was thrown out first by the Democrats, as a concession to the Republicans demand for real cuts to government spending, to solve the $400 million deficit problem.  The proposal would have cut all grant in aid funding.

The only problem is, the Republicans are not about to cut spending, by cutting off some of their biggest voting blocks, those being, fire companies, and senior citizens, which are some of the largest recipients of Grant in Aid funding.

So the Republicans, who talk endlessly about cuts in spending, refused to even consider such a drastic proposal.

So what do you think happened? Well sometime during their special Sunday session the General Assembly came up with a “compromise”, which included tax increases on tobacco, alcohol and vaping, along with a 1% increase to the transfer tax. It did include a token cut to Grant in Aid, but not enough to cause any real ripples in the political shallow pond we call Delaware.

I have been very outspoken about my view, that all Grant in Aid spending should be done away with, along with discretionary spending, or as I like to call it, tax payer funded, campaign financing.

Just to let all those out there, who think the two parties can’t agree on anything, wrong! The Grant in Aid bill was passed in both houses of the General Assembly by unanimous votes, with only one Senator absent, Senator Cloutier.

So why is Grant in Aid so popular among all the members of the General Assembly? Well because each and every one of the members has at least one, but likely, multiple fire companies, and multiple senior centers in their districts. Along with the many faith-based charities which also see large amounts of Grant in Aid funding.

For all of the citizens who think Grant in Aid is well spent tax dollars, well okay for you. I take nothing away from the men and women who run towards fires and accidents, when others are running away. God bless each and every one.

Faith based charities are part of a  long and honorable tradition of Americans helping Americans.

But is it, or should it be the role of government to collect, and then dole out, as our elected officials see fit? Is it, or should it be government’s place to decide winners and losers among charities? And if we are going to have government-funded fire companies, then let us create professional fire companies and go all the way.

My real problem with this Grant in Aid bill, as with many things concerning government, is the hypocrisy of the members of the General Assembly, and how they vote, and when.

We often hear Democrats describing the separation of church and state, usually when they want to remove the Ten Commandments from a Court House, or a cross from a park. But obviously they have no such concern about collecting tax dollars from all citizens, and then handing it out to churches and other faith-based charities.

As for the Republicans? Well we are almost yearly treated to a dog and pony show by certain members of the GOP, putting forth a bill to cut spending for Planned Parenthood. But guess what? Those same, conservative, Christian based Republicans just voted for Grant in Aid, which contained $24,480 for Planned Parenthood. Now of course, this seems like a small amount, considering the entire Grant in Aid bill was totaled at $37,248,905. But it is the little bits, which lead to the grand total.

Considering the average fire company receives in the neighborhood of $85,979, and considering the number of Companies in the state, you can see how it adds up quickly. And the number of charities which receive monies is off the chart. Now square those numbers by the people who benefit directly or indirectly from those tax dollars, and let us not forget they are tax dollars, and you can see how this Grant in Aid funding is really just another campaign fund, for each and every member of the General Assembly. And this is why members will talk about cuts, and talk about defunding some hated organization, or about separation of church and state, but when it get down to were the meat meets the bone! They are all the same flavor of hypocrite.

Just once I would like to see an elected official like Senator Bryant Richardson, or Representative Tim Dukes, who both have spoken out against Planned Parenthood, to stand on their principles, and vote no to all funding of Planned Parenthood, even when it is buried in the Grant in Aid Bill. I dare the most ardent Democrat proponent of separation of church and state to vote no to Grant in Aid because of all of the funding which finds its way to faith-based charities and churches.

But no, they will always put re-election before principle, they will put that which benefits their position ahead of the well-being of the citizens of this state.

“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”