Leaders on the Ballot
Finally we may get a break from the talk of elections but the real question is are there any leaders on the ballot? You would think after two years of running that we would know the answer, but not really as you can not depend on what a politician says to get elected. There are hard choices to make in the voting booth.
There are even harder choices for our leaders to make. what is the fundamental role of government? Should it provide for the citizens at every step of the way like a Socialist country or should we have a strong Republic where States are in control and the government provides very little.
These type of questions are where we have been failing. I have talked earlier about there is no excuse to raise taxes as they have enough money. That has not changed and these are times when we need strong leaders to work out solutions. The recent Hurricane Sandy that has hit the United States is a perfect example. Should we a citizens be so dependent on the government to eat and live after 1 week? Where does it stop?
That picture above is a perfect example. There is a road there that has to be replaced almost every year as storms compromise it and tear it up. The citizens of North Carolina have supposedly paid over $100 million over the past 10 years for the 120 miles of Highway 12 from Corolla to Ocracoke. That money is coming from somewhere and being taken away form somewhere.
I understand the impact of tourism and Highway 12, but at a certain point you have to wonder if the cost is worth it. In this case you spend over $10 million a year in road maintenance to bring in $800 million in tourism. It may be time for the Outer Banks to pay a greater share of the road maintenance. This is one of the many tough decisions that need to be made.
It is now time to see if we have leaders on the ballot. Can we come up with new and innovative ways to improve the lives of citizens while getting government out of the way and reducing the burden on its citizens. It is not right to take from a citizen in Johnston county to pay constantly for a road in Dare county they may never ride on. This is just one example of the hard choices that need to be made.