Well, here we go again, another full-blown crisis to deal with in state funding. The politicians have spent all the money they can possibly get their hands on so now they want to spend trust fund money they can’t get their hands on without voter approval.

What better way to do that than to leave essential services like Medicaid and the prison system unfunded? By doing so, the appeal for approving spending the money can be better sold to the public.

The argument can be framed as if you don’t let us spend the money, old folks will die from lack of treatment, hospitals, nursing homes and clinics will be closed and doctors will leave the state resulting in pure havoc in the health care field.

So far as the prison system, prisoners will be released to once again burglarize and terrorize the communities, court dates will be lengthened resulting in prisoners staying in county facilities longer at the expense of the counties, and a loss of employees to handle prosecuting and convicting criminals.

I ask you, are these not dire enough consequences for you to vote yes on the amendment? The results for not spending the money can hardly be any more cataclysmic. What two better issues could possibly be found to use for getting into the trust fund money? Chicken Little only thought he had a problem with the sky falling.

Of course, no one wants to push grandma over the cliff, that is an absurd accusation invented by the Democrats, and no one wants to see convicted criminals roaming the streets increasing the already epidemic of crimes being committed. Therefore, you are placed between a rock and hard place. We all have compassion for Medicaid patients and we have safety and security issues with releasing prisoners.

According to my understanding, the interest on the trust fund money is now being used for general fund purposes. If you take from the principal that effects the amount of interest coming into the general fund, which may be modest now considering interest rates, but could be substantial in better times.

My concern with all of this is after the trust fund is depleted, what then? This is the second raid on the fund. I know the promise to repay, but since when has a promise been kept? Politicians have been itching to spend this money since its inception.

Let’s face it, local, state and federal politicians are addicted to spending. The only cure for the disease is to vote them out.  They were elected to solve problems, not pass the buck or kick the can down the road.