When being "right" is not enough

No New Taxes!

Taxpayers Bill of Rights!

Two tenets of the conservative movement, both made into household terms by our friend David Strom of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota (whom you might meet at Keegan's if you aren't lucky, according to a recent funny Northern Alliance Radio ad).

But sometimes just being "right" -- in the sense of correct, valid, commonsense, ideological -- may not be quite enough.

On his radio show last Saturday morning, Mr. Strom was challenged by his guest, Plymouth mayor Judy Johnson on these proposals and others. For Johnson, current President of the League of Minnesota Cities, it's a matter of another conservative tenet: local control.

Most Minnesotans would probably be surprised at how much state law restricts local units of government, from levy limts to salary caps, to the proposed surveys which would constitute an expansion of the existing Truth in Taxation provision. I was clueless about such things, until Johnson enlightened me a while back with her years of experience trying to serve the citizens and solve the problems of our growing western Twin Cities suburb. In nonpartisan offices like the city council (and like the Legislature was until 1973), ideology tends to take a backseat to getting the job done. Being nonpartisan also allows you to ask questions and point out contradictions from both sides of the aisle.

Faith and politics don't mix in some churches, but they often combine over coffee and doughnuts at my church. Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with a retired executive who is advocating on behalf of the daycare associated with our church. He is finding that fiscal conservatism is sometimes at odds with Jesus's commandment to clothe the naked and feed the hungry. He argued that increased "investments" in early childhood programs have a manyfold return down the road. Sure, we should encourage kids to finish school, get a job, get married, and have kids (in that order), but the reality is, stuff happens, and the adults and children caught in circumstances are very real.

The challenge for policymakers of all political stripes is how to remain true to your school of thought while solving the very real problems of society. Sometimes they are forced (or choose to) set aside society's problems until after something else that is very real: the next election.