Also, too much NPR
Portland is trying to decide right now whether to give a giant heap of cash to finance a sports stadium. The lovely ironic twist to this is that the guy who wants the stadium (for a major league soccer team) is actually Henry Paulson's son. This makes for lots of jokes about father and son asking for taxpayer money.
But the whole thing drives me nuts. I keep thinking that the data on this issue is pretty obvious - public financing for sports facilities is a Bad Idea - and it keeps coming back. Rich people always get what they want, seems like, even when it's obviously a Bad Idea. If you're not rich, you have to pay for your mistakes, but if you're rich, you can screw up whenever you like, and walk away with a big old cash payout.
This morning I was listening (of course) to NPR, and heard a story about nonprofits struggling for money right now. The need for social services is skyrocketing, and the public and private capacity available to help those in need is plummeting. They highlighted a shelter in DC for abused families that's scrambling for financing. Then they moved on to a story about the impact of the economic collapse on PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. Apparently, GM is not going to sponsor Tiger Woods anymore.
Poor Tiger. Poor professional athletes everywhere.
But the whole thing drives me nuts. I keep thinking that the data on this issue is pretty obvious - public financing for sports facilities is a Bad Idea - and it keeps coming back. Rich people always get what they want, seems like, even when it's obviously a Bad Idea. If you're not rich, you have to pay for your mistakes, but if you're rich, you can screw up whenever you like, and walk away with a big old cash payout.
This morning I was listening (of course) to NPR, and heard a story about nonprofits struggling for money right now. The need for social services is skyrocketing, and the public and private capacity available to help those in need is plummeting. They highlighted a shelter in DC for abused families that's scrambling for financing. Then they moved on to a story about the impact of the economic collapse on PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. Apparently, GM is not going to sponsor Tiger Woods anymore.
Poor Tiger. Poor professional athletes everywhere.
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