Alternative title: Passion’s Just Another Word for Nothing Substantive to Say.
Only recently, small-town Evansville rejected a $5.5 million tax-incremental funding demand from the Southern Wisconsin Agricultural Group to locate in that community. See, Demanding Millions from Small-town Evansville.
To accede to SWAG’s demands, Evansville would have had to abandon street repair, water-system upgrades, etc., for lack of funds.
Following Evansville’s practical decision, the Gazette‘s editorialist took this as a chance to declare that All should hope agriculture complex takes root elsewhere in Rock County.
That’s all, as in all should hope for world peace, or all should be kind to puppies.
Evansville strayed from the bigger-government, crony-capitalist conservatism of the Gazette, you see, in a profane and heretical departure from what a few grasping insiders want (a few that insists ‘all’ should likewise want).
The Gazette, piqued, now declares (subscription req’d):
SWAG’s complex, though intriguing, always seemed grand and hard for average residents to picture. Could it generate enough visitors and revenue year-round to stay financially viable? Donors likely would want assurances.
Still, SWAG’s leaders deserve credit for their passion and persistence.
That’s too funny, twice over.
First, this condescending to residents is laughable – ‘average’ residents just couldn’t ‘picture’ the project.
There’s nothing wrong with residents’ abilities or comprehension; the failure of a project like this is evidence of a mediocre leadership that asks too much and explains too little. It’s the curse of lazy, entitled elites.
Second, in the Gazette‘s way of thinking, the Southern Wisconsin Agricultural Group’s passion and persistence are creditable.
They’re not. In this case, SWAG’s energy is no worthier than a pickpocket’s enthusiasm and serial stealing would be.
Good policy is more than desire. Lots of interest groups want – really, really want – taxpayers’ money.
There’s nothing special about wanting to take millions from a small town’s residents.
In the same way, there’s nothing special or compelling about an editorial that contends that a brimming desire for millions is somehow to proponents’ credit.