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Sunday, December 19, 2010
Unchecked Government Doesn't Serve Its Citizens
By Cloyd G. Hinkle
Albuquerque resident
We live in times where much of what we value as Americans seems to be slipping from our grasp.
There is a continuing diminishment of our individual and economic liberties, and we have become ensnared in a seemingly endless morass of laws and regulations.
Increasingly, we see government officials churn out new regulations and laws and set up more and more agencies at every level — while they churn out mindless "one size fits all" decrees. We need only to look to Europe which has embraced socialism to see our imminent future.
One by one the countries of the European Union are going bankrupt, the last bailout presently at $83 billion, and we realize that the federal stimulus money is a desperate attempt (or bailout) to shore up government programs, institutions and unfunded obligations.
Our national debt is $13.7 trillion and counting.
Whatever one's political persuasion, it's obvious that everything the government touches does not turn to gold. Watching its actions is not unlike watching a person backing their car into a tree as they back out of the driveway, and then doing it again and again, never changing where they park, how they back up or even cutting down the tree.
Clearly, we would think that person insane. Yet, our government does the same thing and expects that the outcome will be different so it just backs up more often and increases the speed each time.
How did we get to this?
We have been lured by the siren song of government in its guise as a problem solver and benefactor. We turn a blind eye to the obvious. We have become accustomed to lunacy.
Our silence is deafening. We do not want to admit that our government as a practicing institution does not work. Unchecked, it is the bane of civilization.
The founders of our nation understood the true nature of government and curbed its powers. We fought for the principles they set forth that made the United States a great nation and a beacon of light to the world.
How can we reclaim our greatness? What difference can we as individuals make?
Maybe very little.
But, after all, it's the fool next door who keeps backing into the tree. We can at least observe what is happening and disregard their advice on how to drive.
Unchecked, unfettered government serves the interests of the government and its backers and not the interests of the governed.
As Thomas Jefferson observed, most problems with government stem from too much government. We see what is happening in Europe and in our country. We need to begin to reclaim our lives by reclaiming our government, and we need to start at the local and state level.
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