Reading Is Fundamental

Excerpt from the book "Please Pass The Pork" Politics, Corruption, and Collusion in Small Town America by Terry G Bernard.

Small town America is not without its share of political corruption. The difference in big government and small town government is the fact that in small town government, there are more people with more intelligence closer to the source of the corruption. For example, in the small town where I grew up, the "good ole' boy" system of government is alive and well. The problem lies not with the numbers of people that know it exist, but with the numbers of people that care. In small town government there are many people in positions of power that were drawing their last breath when Strom Thurmond won his first election. These people have become comfortable with the "status quo", and could care less whether things ever change. Why make things better for others when you are still going to be nearly dead while they are out enjoying all the things you have given them. Then of course there is the money. Many elected officials in small town government are local business owners. Now whether or not these officials were successful business owners does not seem to be the issue, many failed and bankrupt businessmen feel that the only thing left for them to do once they have proven they they cannot manage their own money is to manage everyone else's. Of course managing the finances of an entire city must be much easier than managing your own because you have the advice of the local "special interest" groups to give you advice on how they can, excuse me you can spend those funds. Interestingly, access has much to do with expenditure. For example, for a lobbyist in Washington D.C. to request spending on whatever stupid venture he is lobbying for at the moment, he has to make appointments, and so on. In small town America, you just go down to the local eatery where everyone hangs out, and there always is one, buy one of the old geezers breakfast and BOOM your in. Now, common sense rarely is involved. Common sense in small town government is what many people in other cultures call "voodoo". It is sinful and should be avoided at all costs, and know this for certain, the costs can be astronomical. In the next chapter we will discuss and define "special interests" as it pertains to small town America.



It's amazing how small towns can be so much alike no matter which one you call home.