Market Watch

Taxpayer Revolt

1st Quarter 2022

Market Watch
by Joe A. Hollingsworth, Jr.

Well, here we go again…writing about something that does not directly pertain to industrial real estate. But, I have received so many comments from readers on similar divergent ideas that it leads me to believe that I need to say something that has been on my mind for years that may be coming to fruition.

From the constant beating of the drum for wokeness and so much energy and time being used to promote diversity, it is clear there should be no exceptions. From constant diversity training, to best hiring practices “balanced” by government rules, we should not fail to explore every diversity issue, anywhere. The government has got so many set-aside programs for minorities, hiring quotas, and ever-evolving civil rights policies that we often have to rely on the courts to settle “sensitive” issues, even when there is no ill will to begin with. Often you wonder if the prescribed solution is far more damaging than the perceived original problem.

The more you stoke up a small problem the bigger the resulting flame gets. Or, is it a new industry that gets handsomely paid based on degrees of trouble? I am not saying some of these initiatives do not begin with great intentions, but common sense gets drowned out.

It seems like most of the penalties, fines, or solutions are directed at private commercial interests and enforced by government agencies, that are supported by taxpayers. What would happen if taxpayer money, through government agencies that are paying for a desired diversity outcome, actually used its power to stop paying…like universities? Government makes sure there is a desired outcome based on student ratios, and I support that. However, what just makes me boil is the funding of student loans going to support universities, with literally NO balance of the ideological mindset of professors…REALLY… So, I am supposed to use my taxes to support such extremely liberal ideology with no offsetting balance of conservative views…BULLSHIT…Then, they tell me they have a right to be tenured…Are you tenured?

Just below the surface, things maybe changing. The US Supreme Court will shortly decide whether the State of Maine (taxpayers) can refuse to use taxpayer money to fund a “religious use” or as the government of Maine says, “an education designed to proselytize and inculcate children/students with a particular faith”, read ideology. This may begin a direction that government does not want, but the majority of voters do! I will take the liberty here and alter a few words from the Mainestated reasoning. The US Government is taking action in the Supreme Court to not use taxpayer money funding some student loans, because in some institutions it is an education designed to “proselytize and inculcate children/students with a particular faith” that I will call an ideology of socialism. We would end up with the next step after a likely favorable Supreme Court ruling with a taxpayer revolt, because indirectly the taxpayers are advocating liberal ideas and socialism, not diversity. Let there be no mistake. There will be a taxpayer revolt for the lack of diversity in conservative professors.