Commercial Appeal Quickies

Just a few items from the Commercial Appeal from that past week.

First, we have this editorial from Monday which manages to make good news -- a county revenue surplus of $6.5 million -- into bad by reminding us that all that money is spent by past County government debts now coming due. The fun part is this:

There are simply too many new schools, streets and sewers to pay for - all financed with bond issues guaranteed by the credit-worthy Shelby County government and the taxpaying public.

Let's not also forget all those salaries and FedExForums to take care of too. And those retreats for County Commissioners. And who knows how many unindicted employees like Tom Jones who were, and may still be, living it up on the taxpayer dime. How about a nice, in-depth look at the County's budget, how it breaks down, where the money goes, who gets paid how much, etc? That sounds like the perfect project for the "21st century newspaper."

Then, on the next page, we findWoody Brosnan hanging a bunch of items on the just-ended spending-bill session of Congress. He shockingly notes:

Wicker didn't expect to get hit from the right by the Eagle Forum and Gun Owners of America, groups so extreme they make the Heritage Foundation and the National Rifle Association sound like garden clubs.

"Federal funding equals mandates," argues Gun Owners of America executive director Larry Pratt on the group's Web site. "We have already seen how such 'strings' have moved education in this country towards a pro-UN and anti-gun direction in the subsidized textbooks which are currently being used in the public schools."

Yep, the Heritage Foundation and the NRA are extreme, though to "so extreme" as others. And being anti-UN, pro-gun rights and skeptical of the educational establishment are extreme too. Y'all nuts better watch out. Woodman has his eye on you!

He notes of another bill:

[Maine Senator Olympia] Snowe and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., want to allow some 6.5 million low-income families that don't owe taxes to qualify for a $400 child care credit, as did 25 million wealthier taxpaying families that received a $400 check last summer. House Republican leaders refused to include this help for low-income Americans in the President's tax plan.

Reread that closely. Folks who don't pay taxes should get a tax credit! Woody wants you to be shocked at the cold-hearted Republicans who would deny some folks a freebie. Jeez....

And lastly, from Tuesday, comes another editorial on a proposed FedEx/City government partnership to...well, do something. I'm not sure what.

Oh, wait, here it is, printed on Thanksgiving Day! No wonder I, and most of Memphis, didn't see it. Seems like the story might have waited for a more-read day, so that Memphians could know more about something this important. Of course, the City already has the Citizen's Service Center, and MLGW has its recently improved call center, but apparently the Mayor wants it all under his thumb. It's not quite clear, though, as no real details are spelled out, even the limits of FedEx's participation.

Par for the course for our Mayor.