Bill Miller, whose career included heading both Delaware’s Department of Transportation and the Delaware River & Bay Authority, played nine holes at the Jonathan’s Landing golf course near Magnolia the other day.

    In the course of the round he shot three pars. Not that unusual, you say? Perhaps not. Many golfers rack up three or more par holes in a nine-hole round.

    But Bill is 92 years old! He’s also the kind of guy who plays to win. He would probably be the first to sign up for a 90-year-old golf tournament. Or 85 and older …

    *****

    It’s a well-accepted truism that an organized minority usually wins out over a disorganized majority. An example of that fact is playing out right now in Delaware as the state legislature — the General Assembly — wrestles with the constitutional requirement that a decision be made by midnight on June 30 to meet the state’s annual budget, which now has a projected shortfall of $800 million.

    No deficit arrangement is allowed. The annual budget has to be balanced with money from all sources equaling the planned expenditures of the 2009-2010 fiscal year which begins July 1.

    Unlike the federal government, the state has no presses for printing money. It also can’t borrow money from China or other foreign countries to enable it to get by.

    As the political negotiations and deal making are happening, all Delaware citizens and businesses are represented, or should be, by the 62 members of the State Senate and House of Representatives who voters elected to office.

    A minority of Delaware citizens, the state employees who are members of unions, are additionally represented, and represented effectively, by the unions’ staff members who are paid from union dues. They are focused on seeing that any tax burden falls as lightly as possible on  union members.

    This organized minority has power and influence which helps shape any taxing proposals the General Assembly is considering. Gov. Jack Markell’s announced plan to reduce the salaries of state employees by 8% was soon scuttled before any votes were actually taken, for example.

    If state legislators gave equal attention to the best interests of both the organized and non-organized citizens, and if more in the unorganized category displayed more interest and took more action in the political process, the situation would be different.

    Will such a sea change in Delaware politics ever come about?

    It is to be fervently hoped that what is happening now in Delaware in this time of economic stress will rouse the electorate to become much more involved in what government does and to demand more from the people they elect.

    In effect, we all get the government we deserve. The way government operates is our responsibility. If we are active enough, we make the decisions through our elected representatives.

    Things in Dover now are far too cozy, too enmeshed in old practices which are not up to new conditions. There needs to be a thorough shaking up, including more contested House and Senate seats plus a much more logical and fairer redrawing of election districts.

    Face it. We are about to experience a different Delaware. Everyone will be affected. There is much good to retain in how the First State operates but change is charging toward us and we had better make the most of it.

    *****

    Alan Kovitz, outgoing chairman of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, handed the symbolic gavel of office to Lisa Hastings last Thursday night at the annual Chairman’s Dinner at the Sheraton Dover Hotel.

    Alan has seen quite a term of office, or actually two terms of office. He served two one-year terms. The CDCC now ranks in the top 4% of chambers in the country in terms of overall organization and performance.

    Under his leadership, combined with the leadership of President Judy Diogo and her staff of three — Sandy Dale, Gina Aurora and Anne-Marie Koewing — plus all the help of dozens of volunteers, the local chamber is second to none in the state.

    New and holdover directors were sworn into office by Jennings Hastings and awards were given out to members of the various committees which help the chamber do its job.

    *****

    We were to attend a meeting of our book club on Sunday afternoon at a cottage in South Bowers, the community directly across the Mispillion River from North Bowers. It had been a few years since we had been there but we found the road off State Route 1 a little north of Milford.

    When I looked for a “South Bowers” sign, though, all I saw was one pointing to Milford Neck.

    Okay, we thought, we’ll try it.

    After two or three miles, though, we still had doubts we were on the right road. No signs were evident.

    Finally, breaking a tradition which men have long upheld, I stopped and asked directions, mentioning that I had not seen any “South Bowers” sign.

    “Of course not,” my genial informant said, “nobody ever goes there!”

    That was a slight exaggeration, of course. He explained that we were to keep to the left all the way to our destination, and finally we did make it. Some very nice homes there.

    Still, a sign would have been nice.

    *****

    Judge: “Mr.Willobey, I have reviewed this case very carefully and I’ve decided to give your wife $900 a week alimony.”

    Mr. Willobey: “That’s very generous, your honor. And believe me, I’ll try to help out a little myself now and then.”