MY STUDY BUDDIES

There is an ongoing effort within the Plainfield school system to provide one on one learning assistance, through a volunteer, to those elementary students who may benefit from this specialized instruction. This is Linden's second year to be involved in this effort. The first year he worked with a third grade boy and it was both enjoyable and well received. This year, he is working with those in the first grade and finding it to be even more enjoyable. Perhaps this is because the teacher is so impressive.

At the conclusion of the session this week, Linden thought of the effect of current legislation on both himself and the student(s). He, anything but a rich man, was a beneficiary of the much maligned tax cut accredited to President Bush. Linden thinks his taxes are still too high and is concerned about moves to return them to previous levels or move them even higher.

It is not surprising to find that it is quite difficult to unearth accurate information when searching for evidence of Congressional waste. The recently enacted (over the veto of President Bush) Water Resources Development Act of 2007 is illustrative of both the aforementioned difficulty and the waste involved. The following is based upon limited research and comments made by some more knowledgeable than this writer.

This Act is said to contain over TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS of "earmark" money: Call that PORK. This amount of waste, if it may be called that, will require the taxes of almost THREE THOUSAND TAXPAYERS, such as Linden, to pay for this pitiful legislative effort. I fully expect that my study buddies will pay for part of this unconscionable waste. Has it only been one year since "CULTURE OF CORRUPTION" was a campaign theme?
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