The "Big Heist", Let's Have a Seance'

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
Thomas Jefferson

Well in my little hometown last week, they "jerry rigged" a local school bond levy for 60 million. They did it one week prior to the towns regular elections. Why?

Because they were trying to attract the least amount of participation as possible. That and the law that allows them to do that will likely vanish next year.

My little area is heavily populated with second homes. Homes unoccupied by owners probably not even registered to vote locally. Ski season hasn't arrived yet. And so our school district exploited existing law, mounted the rallying cry, claimed it was GREAT for the local economy, and whipped up all of the support that they could.

The majority went MIA. Apathetic and absentee homeowners.

A whopping 27% turnout. Thus a super-minority was able to spend the dough of the majority. They claimed victory. Some of them even claimed patriot status for the act. (I helped an old lady move today, which took far more effort-but alas, I was denied patriot status for the deed.) The richest school district in the state, and one of the richest per pupil in the U.S., just got 60 million richer.

Guaranteed genius status for their kids. You're buying.

I actually considered exploring an injunction but didn't. Not because I feared all those whiny ass libs that think spending your dough will get their dull kid into MIT-but because I am no longer a resident. You see, I have no standing.

But it's not because I don't care. I don't consider it the fault of those missing property owners or apathetic voters. I don't even hold the school district responsible for exploiting the letter of the law. I don't even blame those nanny libs who believe in spending and wasting money and patting themselves on the back like they did a good deed.

You see, what I do hold accountable is a Frankenstein Government (this one at the state level) that allows compromised and clearly conflicted school districts to hold sneaky elections, whip up support with veiled and undisclosed projects, and then hold the damn election in their brand new and existing schools. Schools complete with district employees stifling back sniffles and tears as the guilty no voters must file in and avoid the stares of their neighbors-like a jury just coming into the court room with a guilty verdict.

If the great polymath, Thomas Jefferson, were alive today-would he sanction such an event? I hardly think so. It's mob rule Tom, except the minority is doing the ruling. The majority is busy at home watching fitness shows, drinking wine, and wondering where their tax assessment is on their second home in Idaho. That's how it is.

There is no honor left. No doing the right thing even when people are watching. Every school district dog for himself. What option is left for the people who can't afford this kind of waste? Like one writer wrote in to say, "if you don't like it leave."

And it is precisely that snarky response that solves nothing-and ensures that it will continue. What's left for us to do? Oh yea, that seance' thing.

"Hey Tom, a group of us were thinking about getting together around midnight on Monday, holding hands and murmuring stuff. Would you care to join us?"