Politicians know soft touches when they see them. They also obey W. C. Fields’ dictum: “Never give a sucker an even break.”
Back in the fall of 2001, the legislature of California saw their opportunity, and they took it. They passed a law that let California residents buy special license plates honoring the people who perished in 9-11. It was called the California Memorial Scholarship Program. I mean, who could vote against that? Fifteen percent of the money would be used to set up college scholarships for the children of those who died. The other 85% would go to anti-terrorism spending.
The license plates had this imprinted on them: We Will Never Forget.
Then the voters forgot to monitor the politicians.
Hundreds of thousands of Californians went for this, hook, line, and sinker.
The project has raised $15 million. How much of the $15 million raised went for the children of the victims? A grand total of $21,381.
About $3 million went for debt reduction. Arnold got his share. Jerry got his.
The program was shut down in 2005. When I say “program,” I do not mean the sale of the plates. I mean the distribution of the funds to children. The sale of the plates continued. The suckers kept sending in their money: $1.5 million a year. Why look a gift horse in the mouth?
Some of the money went to study livestock diseases. Some went for workplace safety.
“I can’t believe that they would do that,” said Candice Hoglan, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and bought a plate to commemorate her nephew, Mark Bingham. “We’re paying extra for the plate; we’re making a point, and it means a lot to us.”
Candice, Candice, Candice: it’s time to grow up. This is politics.
The plates, which cost an initial $50 plus a $40 annual renewal fee, feature an American flag partially obscured by clouds and the “never forget” slogan. Residents of California, where all four jetliners were bound when they were hijacked, have bought or renewed the plates more than 200,000 times since 2002.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
For the past decade, the California DMV has said on its website that the money will “fund scholarships for the children of Californians who died in the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and helps California’s law enforcement fight threats of terrorism.” It advertises the program with the slogan, “Be a patriot.”
Why be a patriot? Because patriots are naive. They keep falling for the same bait-and-switch program year after year. They actually believe that the state is using, or has ever used, the money to help children.
Whenever you hear these words from a politician — “It’s for the children.” — you can be sure that it isn’t.
This should surprise no one that has a ounce of intelligence. California is broke and totally corrupt politically waiting for a federal (other 49 states taxpayers) bailout.
California is NOT " too big to fail ". If the idiots that are still living in California continue to put up with politics as usual, that is NOT my fault. The other 49 States should NOT have to bail out the " Granola State ". ( Land of Fruits, Nuts and Flakes ).
Wow, only $40 to renew them. Where do I sign up. In Illinois we pay $90+ for a renewal sticker. Wonder where the heck that all goes. We have some of the worst roads in the US.
I hate to tell you folks, but this sort of thing isn't limited to California. Here in NC the gas taxes are significantly higher than in any adjourning states. The government is supposed to use that income to maintain the roadways, but has regarded it as a slush fund for years. Now, they need money for road maintenance, and want to make the interstates toll roads.
No offense Wolf, but you should know that Illinois is second to California when it comes to corruption , , ,and my union sized Washington is a close third.
This is what you get when governors meet and put their heads together.
Just another example of the milking of our citizens by the entrenched politicians. Sad really.
think of the children is right up with " Hi, I am with the government and am here to help."
The $40 a year renewal is just the special plate charge. You still have to pay for "a California plate, a renewal sticker, most likely a smog test" My 13 year old car cost $129.00 to renewal it, no special plate (which would be $40.00 more) Every other year I have to smog it, that is $39.95 plus $20 (up to $29.95) for them to electronically submit the test results. No, you HAVE to pay this because the DMV only excepts test results electronically from a licensed smog facility.
Things like this are why people are leaving Ca. by the droves. They are fed up. However, a lot of states have some of the same problems due to being held prisoner by union thugs who keep wanting more & more benefits. When Schwartzenegger wanted to try to trim back some, & have government employees work only 4 days a week, the courts stepped in, & said he couldn't do that. So he had to cut private sector jobs, plus take money from other programs that the unions weren't involved in. That's why so many states are passing the right to work law these days, to keep the money grubbing union thieves out of their states. And, I'm not calling the MEMBERS thieves, most of them would gladly get out of the union, if they could.
Same with IL. Besides CA, NC and IL, there are probably 47 other states (or is that 54 other states?) that are being bilked the same way without the people realizing it. Once a politician finds another way to fleece the public, he/she passes it on for all the other states to benefit by it.
http://www.petition2congress.com/6251/we-people-d…
This petition has been signed by over 38 thousand people and that is only the tip of the Obama iceberg. He is destroying our country. He is trying to make it a nanny state, and burying us in debt, He isn't fit to be president because he doesn't believe in the Constitution and I don't believe he is eligible. People are waking up to the devious ways of the man. Too bad congress is too lily-livered to stand up to him and impeach him.
Americans have been asleep at the switch for way too long. Hopefully more and more of them are opening their eyes to that fact that our government is corrupt and living high off the hog on our dime. We thought we could trust the government to look out for our best interests. Now it is pretty clear whose best interests are being attended, We the People can put a stop to this.
Heck, they are the GOVERNMENT. Why wouldn't you trust them??? After all, they NEVER LIE, now, do they?