As Obama’s recession continues, critics and apologists argue whether the unemployment rate is 10.1 or 9.9 percent. What is clear is that a new round of unemployment is in store as bloated state and local governments that expanded in good times hit limits in bad times, unable to print money like the Feds to keep the “good times” rolling. While most politicians cry for tax hikes, they find the electorate in no mood to suffer at the expense of unions and government bureaucrats. While most of them sound like stuck pigs, stuck in their own stupidity, a few like Christi of New Jersey are asking for spending cuts only. Why do we all not take this opportunity to ask if government is suited to do all it is tasked to do.
Whenever you propose cutting spending, the first thing you hear is “Oh no, teachers, firemen and police will be cut.” And then come things like “minority children won’t be prepared for college, houses will burn while criminals will go free.” Why don’t you ever hear things like “Oh no, second level bureaucrats, assistants to the nuts advancing the global warming hoax, and meter maids at national parks will be cut.” Why no bemoaning that “The school superintendent will have to get his own coffee now, the bureaucrat yucking it up with Joy Bahar about how stupid Palin is has a crooked tie, and the number of parking tickets handed out at the St Augustine Fort may plummet by almost one percent.”
While cuts like the latter might do the job, government threatens us with the former to preserve itself from shrinking. This is one of the greatest threats of government that we have become complacent about. Government wants to grow, profusely, endlessly, without bounds. The more we task it with, the more tools it has to threaten us with. Liberals boast that much of the stimulus went to keep police on the streets. While this is not quite true, let’s give them their argument but ask, how does it help to send our money to Washington, feed half of it to a bureaucrat that does nothing, send it to a state bureaucrat that does little more before a fraction of it finally makes it to the paycheck of my local county’s deputy Sherriff. I guess I should be grateful it did not stop off at the UN first but how about I pay my taxes to a local fund devoted only to police enforcement and leave the rest of you out of it. This would shrink government, a move that strikes fear into the heart of every government worker sitting in the cube of another government worker that has spent all day talking about the origin of the smoke monster in LOST.
So what must the government do? Between police, fire and schools, only policing needs be done by the government. Police wield power and power is essential to their job. Power is unique to the government. When it organizes that power into a military structure and limits the power of unions, it does a decent job. If cops sit at the local donut shop all day, visiting and doing nothing, it will not be long before someone will be in trouble and the union is not going to be able to save them. Firemen do not need government power to do their jobs. Fire companies could be run like grocery stores or insurance companies. They could compete for our business. The government can require that everyone carry coverage and subsidize the poor like we subsidize with food stamps. No shipping money to Washington first, no more threats when bloated governments hit the skids.
For education power is not only unnecessary but is harmful. We set standards for education and car insurance but the government does not provide car insurance; it should not provide education. Unions that bargain for deals for teachers and employees turn around and influence who gets voted onto the board. In essence, unions are on both side of the table. The power of government is then used to build greater protections for the teachers and bankrupt the People with sweetheart retirement deals. And again, the Feds get involved with taking tax dollars and routing them through Washington first. Round-trip tickets for my tax dollars again? How about round round-trip tickets for me and my wife to Hawaii instead?
Oh yes, I can hear the defenders of big government now, especially with education. The kids with the greatest needs would be left in failing schools. Nonsense! Markets invent and overcome. Money spent on overdone union deals can be spent to subsidize these kids (if parents cannot afford it) to find a school to serve them. The more money you offer to government, the more it takes. The more money you offer to free enterprise, the more it innovates and competes to solve your problem and keep you satisfied. Government has you captive and has no incentive to innovate. Customers of private companies can abandon them at a whim if they are not satisfied. Companies either satisfy their customers or go out of business (unless the government steps in to mess thing up).
As tea parties come back in vogue, remember that the original Tea Party in Boston protested a government that abused its power and overtaxed. They were not upset that London was not providing free education or health care. They did not ask for larger welfare payments. The Bill of Rights was a big box around the government which they saw as necessary evil, but evil indeed. If not constrained, it eats money, liberty and small children trying to pray in public. As Americans, we all heirs to that legacy. We need to get back to the core values of limited government. How about next time a politician complains he cannot live without the latest toy or a particular program, just say, “NO!” And if he falls to the floor in a screaming fit while threatening to hold his breath until he turns blue or fire a policeman, fireman or teacher, just leave him there, walk out of the store and drive home. Someone will bring him by later when he comes to his senses.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
And Why Does Government Need To Do That?
As Obama’s recession continues, critics and apologists argue whether the unemployment rate is 10.1 or 9.9 percent. What is clear is that a new round of unemployment is in store as bloated state and local governments that expanded in good times hit limits in bad times, unable to print money like the Feds to keep the “good times” rolling. While most politicians cry for tax hikes, they find the electorate in no mood to suffer at the expense of unions and government bureaucrats. While most of them sound like stuck pigs, stuck in their own stupidity, a few like Christi of New Jersey are asking for spending cuts only. Why do we all not take this opportunity to ask if government is suited to do all it is tasked to do.
Whenever you propose cutting spending, the first thing you hear is “Oh no, teachers, firemen and police will be cut.” And then come things like “minority children won’t be prepared for college, houses will burn while criminals will go free.” Why don’t you ever hear things like “Oh no, second level bureaucrats, assistants to the nuts advancing the global warming hoax, and meter maids at national parks will be cut.” Why no bemoaning that “The school superintendent will have to get his own coffee now, the bureaucrat yucking it up with Joy Bahar about how stupid Palin is has a crooked tie, and the number of parking tickets handed out at the St Augustine Fort may plummet by almost one percent.”
While cuts like the latter might do the job, government threatens us with the former to preserve itself from shrinking. This is one of the greatest threats of government that we have become complacent about. Government wants to grow, profusely, endlessly, without bounds. The more we task it with, the more tools it has to threaten us with. Liberals boast that much of the stimulus went to keep police on the streets. While this is not quite true, let’s give them their argument but ask, how does it help to send our money to Washington, feed half of it to a bureaucrat that does nothing, send it to a state bureaucrat that does little more before a fraction of it finally makes to the paycheck of my local county’s deputy Sherriff. I guess I should be grateful it did not stop off at the UN first but how about I pay my taxes to local fund devoted only to police enforcement and leave the rest of you out of it. This would shrink government, a move that strikes fear into the heart of every government worker sitting in the cube of another government worker that has spent all day talking about the origin of the smoke monster in LOST.
So what must the government do? Between police, fire and schools, only police need be done by the government. Police wield power and power is essential to their job. Power is unique to the government. When it organizes that power into a military structure and limits the power of unions, it does a decent job. If cops sit at the local donut shop all day, visiting and doing nothing, it will not be long before someone will be in trouble and the union is not going to be able to save them. Firemen do not need government power to do their jobs. Fire companies could be run like grocery stores or insurance companies. They could compete for our business. The government can require that everyone carry coverage and subsidize the poor like we subsidize with food stamps. No shipping money to Washington first, no more threats when bloated governments hit the skids.
For education power is not only unnecessary but is harmful. We set standards for education and car insurance but the government does not provide car insurance; it should not provide education. Unions that bargain for deals for teachers and employees turn around and influence who gets voted onto the board. In essence, unions are on both side of the table. The power of government is then used to build greater protections for the teachers and bankrupt the People with sweetheart retirement deals. And again, the Feds get involved with taking tax dollars and routing them through Washington first. Round-trip tickets for my tax dollars again? How about round round-trip tickets for me and my wife to Hawaii instead?
Oh yes, I can hear the defender of big government now, especially with education. The kids with the greatest needs would be left in failing schools. Nonsense! Markets invent and overcome. Money spent on overdone union deals can be spent to subsidize these kids (if parents cannot afford it) to find a school to serve them. The more money you offer to government, the more it takes. The more money you offer to free enterprise, the more it innovates and competes to solve your problem and keep you satisfied. Government has you captive and has no incentive to innovate. Customers of private companies can abandon them at a whim if they are not satisfied. They either satisfy or go out of business (unless the government steps in to mess thing up).
As tea parties come back in vogue, remember that the original Tea Party in Boston protested a government that abused its power overtaxed. They were not upset that London was not providing free education or health care. They did not ask for larger welfare payments. The Bill of Rights was a big box around the government which they saw as necessary evil, but evil indeed. If not constrained, it eats money, liberty and small children trying to pray in public. As Americans, we all heirs to that legacy. We need to get back to the core values of limited government. How about next time a politician complains he she cannot live without the latest toy or a particular program, just say, “NO!” And if he falls to the floor in a screaming fit while threatening to hold his breath until he turns blue or fire a policeman, fireman or teacher, just leave him there, walk out of the store and drive home. Someone will bring him by later when he comes to his senses.
Whenever you propose cutting spending, the first thing you hear is “Oh no, teachers, firemen and police will be cut.” And then come things like “minority children won’t be prepared for college, houses will burn while criminals will go free.” Why don’t you ever hear things like “Oh no, second level bureaucrats, assistants to the nuts advancing the global warming hoax, and meter maids at national parks will be cut.” Why no bemoaning that “The school superintendent will have to get his own coffee now, the bureaucrat yucking it up with Joy Bahar about how stupid Palin is has a crooked tie, and the number of parking tickets handed out at the St Augustine Fort may plummet by almost one percent.”
While cuts like the latter might do the job, government threatens us with the former to preserve itself from shrinking. This is one of the greatest threats of government that we have become complacent about. Government wants to grow, profusely, endlessly, without bounds. The more we task it with, the more tools it has to threaten us with. Liberals boast that much of the stimulus went to keep police on the streets. While this is not quite true, let’s give them their argument but ask, how does it help to send our money to Washington, feed half of it to a bureaucrat that does nothing, send it to a state bureaucrat that does little more before a fraction of it finally makes to the paycheck of my local county’s deputy Sherriff. I guess I should be grateful it did not stop off at the UN first but how about I pay my taxes to local fund devoted only to police enforcement and leave the rest of you out of it. This would shrink government, a move that strikes fear into the heart of every government worker sitting in the cube of another government worker that has spent all day talking about the origin of the smoke monster in LOST.
So what must the government do? Between police, fire and schools, only police need be done by the government. Police wield power and power is essential to their job. Power is unique to the government. When it organizes that power into a military structure and limits the power of unions, it does a decent job. If cops sit at the local donut shop all day, visiting and doing nothing, it will not be long before someone will be in trouble and the union is not going to be able to save them. Firemen do not need government power to do their jobs. Fire companies could be run like grocery stores or insurance companies. They could compete for our business. The government can require that everyone carry coverage and subsidize the poor like we subsidize with food stamps. No shipping money to Washington first, no more threats when bloated governments hit the skids.
For education power is not only unnecessary but is harmful. We set standards for education and car insurance but the government does not provide car insurance; it should not provide education. Unions that bargain for deals for teachers and employees turn around and influence who gets voted onto the board. In essence, unions are on both side of the table. The power of government is then used to build greater protections for the teachers and bankrupt the People with sweetheart retirement deals. And again, the Feds get involved with taking tax dollars and routing them through Washington first. Round-trip tickets for my tax dollars again? How about round round-trip tickets for me and my wife to Hawaii instead?
Oh yes, I can hear the defender of big government now, especially with education. The kids with the greatest needs would be left in failing schools. Nonsense! Markets invent and overcome. Money spent on overdone union deals can be spent to subsidize these kids (if parents cannot afford it) to find a school to serve them. The more money you offer to government, the more it takes. The more money you offer to free enterprise, the more it innovates and competes to solve your problem and keep you satisfied. Government has you captive and has no incentive to innovate. Customers of private companies can abandon them at a whim if they are not satisfied. They either satisfy or go out of business (unless the government steps in to mess thing up).
As tea parties come back in vogue, remember that the original Tea Party in Boston protested a government that abused its power overtaxed. They were not upset that London was not providing free education or health care. They did not ask for larger welfare payments. The Bill of Rights was a big box around the government which they saw as necessary evil, but evil indeed. If not constrained, it eats money, liberty and small children trying to pray in public. As Americans, we all heirs to that legacy. We need to get back to the core values of limited government. How about next time a politician complains he she cannot live without the latest toy or a particular program, just say, “NO!” And if he falls to the floor in a screaming fit while threatening to hold his breath until he turns blue or fire a policeman, fireman or teacher, just leave him there, walk out of the store and drive home. Someone will bring him by later when he comes to his senses.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)