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These is a teaser for a article I wrote on Examiner.com:

"Anger overwhelmed this author upon seeing these two headlines next to each other on the front page above the fold:

1) S&P downgrades U.S. debt rating  ( http://bit.ly/nCNPBT ) 

 

2) (Gov.) Dayton boosts Vikings stadium ( http://bit.ly/pt54jL ) 

This article began as a hyper-critical evaluation of elected officials.  Upon reflection, it seems voters bear as much responsibility as do the Politicians.

Let's talk about the Vikings Stadium first.  Saying that the author is not a proponent of using public money to finance any stadium so billionaire Sports team owners can make a profit paying millionaire sports players to play kids' games is an  vast understatement.

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Simply our policy should be as follows: We do not negotiate with Terrorists, Hijackers, Kidnappers nor billionaire sports team owners who extort taxpayers for publicly financed stadiums.

As for why should everyone oppose publicly financing professional sports arenas:

First, if sports stadiums are economically viable, they are economically viable as private financing concerns.

Second, professional sports are not on the base rungs of Maslov's hierarchy of Needs ( http://bit.ly/q4pIaA ) for the overwhelming majority of Americans. Put another way, if we prioritize the budget items for the Government's Budget, a new football stadium does not make the top 999. (By the way, for the would-be detractors, in the interest of full disclosure the author is an avid football fan and played High School Football)

Thirdly, Public Financing of Stadiums represents a "Transfer of Wealth" from the average taxpayer to a small group of usually wealthy individuals. Put another way, it is unearned income otherwise known as welfare, in this case corporate welfare.  Put yet another way, it is the theft of property from producers of value just to give the rewards of their hard labor to someone that has not earned it.

Fourth, if we negotiate with one sports stadium extortionist, soon all states and municipalities must agree to competing extortion demands and the only ones who benefit are the sports teams owners and the politicians they give kickbacks to.

Fifth, given all the budget cuts that must be made, it is foolish even consider another expenditure.

Which brings us to the angering aspect of these two headlines appearing next to each other on the front page, above the Fold, in the local newspaper.

WHAT ARE THESE POLITICIANS THINKING ADVANCING YET ONE MORE DEBT OBLIGATION UPON THE GOVERNMENT WHEN OUR CREDIT RATING AS A NATION HAS JUST BEEN DOWNGRADED?

WHAT ARE THESE MINNESOTA POLITICIANS THINKING WHEN THEY JUST BALANCED THE STATE BUDGET BY BORROWING MORE INSTEAD OF CUTTING EXPENSES OR INCREASING REVENUE?

Are these politicians just disconnected from financial reality?

Is it not clear to every citizen that our elected officials do not have the best interests of WE THE PEOPLE (http://bit.ly/np9lGS) in mind when they make these decisions? Is not this very type of thought process in advocating the Public Funding of a New Football Stadium symptomatic of what has led to the downgrading of the US Credit Rating?

And now we arrive at the matter of Standard and Poor's downgrading the Credit Rating of the USA..."