Michael Morris – In focus

Let’s face it. Without fear none of we as the body of man understand can operate. In fact a person with no fear is a rather dangerous individual killer or not. Politics is no exception. No matter what political system the basis of power in the world is fear. Whether your party fears an IED through the window or the destruction of species the fear is just product, a commodity bought to enhance market share (offices won). In our system selling that fear to a people distracted by bills, ball games and beer is the way power is obtained. Since the media is focused on the national barkers, rather than compete, I thought it would be fun to trace the fearful roots of some of the taxpayer funded boondoggles we all remember. Just one for today though. Too much fun is like too much liquor.

OCEDC/Chamber of Commerce:

If you are looking for a control specimen of an NGO whose decisions are based entirely on fear look no farther than the north end of the zoo. There you will find the machinery needed to process raw fear into policy. From the fear that someone might come to town smarter than them to the fear that any competition will destroy them to the fear the governmental spending from Holloman might be reduced to the fear someone might discover the principals are not so deft this tax funded operation has, either by design or through mere incompetence, orchestrated some of the most absurd comedies in the greater tragedy of tax theft.

The case of Precheck was and still is the funniest of the projects run from the Alameda North Primate House. Precheck made some claims I thought were questionable when they were coming to the trough of free OCEDC land and taxpayer dollars. The premise undlying this adventure was never questioned. With most of their current facility leased out it appears it should have been. But it is not all bad. Precheck Real Estate Limited Partnership is now able to move away from the jobs thing focusing instead on building a new office building to lease to the feds to house existing workers. Is that what you voted for or thought you were paying for?

So, how did we get this? The not so smart brain trust over at OCEDC, realizing that not one among them had even a rudimentary understanding of the technology or the business they were to evaluate, nodded knowingly. At the same time this band of roosters were too fearful to admit this. So what happens is we give our hard earned dollars for a direct cash payout promising hundreds of jobs. Mr. Mayor, could we get an audit? The jobs are now inconsequential since the 20 acres deeded free to these folks has no actual strings attached they merely risk not getting future handouts of tax dollars. Contrast that with the potential for that 20 free acres from OCEDC with the first rental building bringing more than a half a million in USFS rent the $100,000 annually from the taxpayers becomes inconsequential. All they really needed was the 20 free acres and some startup cash.

What part of the Economic Development Plan calls for funding an office leasing concern? All of this because fearful and ignorant men resorted to the kind of business they know best. Time and time again these people tell us they are doing the best they can. If this is the best they can do then it is the citizens who should be in fear. Just be careful what you fear.

The Chamber of Commerce in Alamogordo is little more than a tax supported social club gifted in the art of insubstantial contribution. Chamber officers have repeatedly said that there is no intention on their part to keep this town down and new business out. If this is to be believed then the state of affairs is the result of their best efforts. Either way this is the result of fear. Let’s face it, there are a lot of businesses in this town in business today due solely to lack of competition. They fear anything that will make them join the free market. They need an unfriendly business climate. As it happens we have a government that is unfriendly to business. How much has the Chamber spent lobbying for a more friendly business climate? Silly question I know. Face the facts. You are staking the economic future of the town in the hands of principals who are scared to death of the very engine a 21st century economy requires.

Are you really surprised?