Short-sighted thinking short-changes Americans

How many examples do we need to conclude that short-sighted decisions lead to immense tragedy no one wants? The premise that lower taxes, greater efficiency and lower cost should be the primary factors of decision-making causes bad decisions by its one-sided focus.

There may be times to cut costs and lower taxes, but not when good judgment and long-term planning call for investment instead.

How many summer camp children must die before people wake up and know that anyone with a mind and heart would prefer proper zoning in flood plains. Allowing people to skirt the historical evidence, build where floods have torn away land and buildings time and again, and fail to fund even minimum warning systems is clearly a really bad decision.

The focus on lower costs and higher shareholder profits ruling corporate boardrooms has caused how many airplane and medical deaths? How many historical sites such as the Grand Canyon’s marvelous lodge at the North Rim will we lose because resources to fight a fire were penny-pinched?

How many people will lose their lives or the ability to insure new property against wildfires because people judge the cost of fire-wising too great?

Losing Head Start, after-school programs, neighborhood public schools and bus transportation — all will lead to bad outcomes. The same is true of health care system cuts, and public lands and parks staffing cuts.

Short-term decision making has infected our society.

Are Arizona voters blind followers or independent thinkers who can spot bad judgment? Will we support elected officials willing to invest in good communities and educated, successful citizens in every neighborhood in our state?

Taxes can be a tool for investment; just ask our billionaires who have benefited from government contracts. Regulations are not the enemy but tools to encourage better decision-making.

Lower costs are not the best choice if they cause tragedies. Will we vote to support leaders with the courage to invest in our greatest national resources such as people, health, truthful information, legal justice, education and opportunity for all? How good is your judgment, voters?

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