Cochise County Clarion

Local Newsletter

published BI-MONTHLY

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February 2015 Issue 25

LUCY ECONOMICS
By Iris D. Lynch
In a skit of I Love Lucy many decades ago, Lucy came home with a bunch of brand new clothes and Ricky was
very upset saying that they could not afford her purchases. She explained that she had put everything on credit
and since the sale was 50% off, she had saved them $1000.00 dollars! According to her thinking, they were
now ahead of the game. In the good old days, the audience laughed, understanding that they were now
$1000.00 in debt. I am not sure the audience would laugh today, but might wisely agree that Lucy was an
economic genius.
You see, in todays world, many city, county and state governments operate on the same economics as Lucy
Arnaz did in that comedic skit. The Federal government offers them money to start some wonderful project
promising them 125 percent of the cost of the project and reducing the amount that will be infused over a few
years time, leaving the bulk of the cost to the city, county or state. This is how Sierra Vista got its bus
transportation system and how our state of Arizona got Obamacare and how our governor was determined to
have Common Core.
Some Lucy Economics in our small town is the routing of Buffalo Soldier Trail north then east, instead of
straight east and a few other exciting and costly ideas that have our elected representatives as excited as Lucy
with her new dresses. They cry in near unison, Look at all the money we are getting from the Fedsfor you!
NO! Look at all the debt they are gettingfor you! When the Feds reduce the amount they provide (and
remember it is still federal tax dollar) the community has to pick up the balance, and the balance (percentage)
grows every year. (Property taxes are a combination of school/fire/county and the county did not raise the
county ratethe school/fire did because they CAN raise up to 2% without voter approval.)
Some will say that we are fast approaching the end days and none of this will make any difference when
Gabriel blows his horn. That may be true...and it may not. Perhaps it would be a wise move to pay attention to
just what our local governing bodies have in mind, while we still have a say.
Or, Lucy Arnaz may have the last laugh.
More of the Sierra Vista Transit system and what YOU are subsidizing in a future issue.
rick.mueller@sierravistaaz.gov
Alesia.Ash@SierraVistaAZ.gov
rachel.gray@sierravistaaz.gov
Craig.Mount@SierraVistaAZ.gov
robert.blanchard@sierravistaaz.gov (Mr. Blanchard indicates he prefers contact at Council Chambers
gwen.calhoun@sierravistaaz.gov
hank.huisking@sierravistaaz.gov
City Contact: 458 3315

Life Cycle of a Democracy (Republic)

In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the
Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior: "A democracy (Republic) is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist
as a permanent form of government. A democracy (republic) will continue to exist up until the time that voters (politicians
and administrators) discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.
From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public
treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by
a dictatorship."
"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During
those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
From the Article

*Applied to US History

From bondage to spiritual faith;

1600s

From spiritual faith to great courage;

From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage."
The Obituary follows:
Born 1776, Died 2012

1700s
1776 - 1900
1900 - 2000
2001- 2008
2008 -2012
2012 2016
2016 20??

*our Estimates

Editors Note: It saddens my heart to apply these time lines to our once great country. However, there is
hope, this cycle can be broken. It will take the involvement of the people (all political power resides with the
people) starting now with a goal of the 2016 elections. Legislation by executive order or memorandum and
legislation by regulation have got to be stopped. We have to go back to our foundation, rebuild our spiritual
faith, back to the Creator who gave us natural law with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Once we have
strengthened our spiritual faith then we can say with meaning Our trust is in God and in God we Trust and
start to build great courage. Great courage and the understanding that all political power resides with the
people will allow us to take the next step. Snatch our Liberty from the jaws of Socialism! Faith and courage
are fundamental to achieving our goal.

The Seven Principles of Liberty*

LIBERTY:
1) is of Divine Origin, 2) has its Price, 3) is Secured by Government, 4) Requires Unity, 5) is Maintained by
Obedience to the Law, 6) is dependent upon Virtue, and 7) affords the path to Happiness.
*As we educate our readers on the Heritage of our Government and how we can keep our beloved Republic we will cite
publications that are too long to print. The Seven Principles of Liberty by J. David Gowdy is a 14 page document well
worth studying and can be found at http://www.liberty1.org/seven.htm