A government too large
“That government is best which governs least” is a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson. While the authenticity of the quote has been questioned, that it reflects his political philosophy has not been doubted. Little could he have imagined how the politicians of successive generations would forget that advice. The threshold for government intervention has gotten lower and lower over time. Years ago when a new issue was proposed for the public agenda, a major debate generally ensued as to whether it was a legitimate area for federal action, as opposed to a matter left for the states. Rarely, if ever, does that now occur.
Unlike in the private sector, there are no natural restraints to slow the growth of our governmental bureaucracies, let alone reverse it. That growth leads to duplication in function, inefficiency in the delivery of services, and entrenched bureaucrats whose first goal is the preservation, even growth, of their fiefdoms rather than the advancement of the public’s interest. Maybe you know of a government program that has been terminated after a review of whether it is still needed, but I am at a loss to think of one.
Historian Niall Ferguson notes the ratio of final rules issued by federal agencies to laws passed by Congress in the last decade has been 223 to 1, and that was before Obamacare and many Dodd-Frank Act regulations had been promulgated. Apart from the proliferation of government regulations, we also have seen President Obama’s unprecedented issuance of executive orders that have the effect of legislation in a complete disregard for the constitutional authorities of the Congress.
In their book Can Government Play Moneyball, co-authors Peter Orszag and John Bridgeland, top budget and policy officials in the Obama and George Bush administrations, respectively, estimated that less than 1 percent of government spending is backed by even the most basic evidence that the money is being spent wisely.
The result of this growth is increased budgets, increased waste in the expenditure of our tax dollars, and a steady loss of freedoms. The most obvious indicator is our national debt, currently at about $20 trillion. That is equal to a liability of about $60,000 per man, woman and child in America, and it is growing at a rate of nearly $2.5 billion a day. This is insanity. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen once said “the single biggest threat to our national security is our debt,” and that was several years ago when it was at the 17 or 18 trillion dollar level.
Every election gives us an opportunity to be heard on matters of importance to us. Both political parties bear some responsibility for this profligacy, but it generally has been much greater when Democrats have controlled the Presidency and Congress. If the size and continued growth of government concerns you as well, then you have an opportunity to take some action this fall, and supporting Republican candidates for President, Vice-President and Congress is the best way to do so, as the Republican Party is the one that believes in a limited federal government with the reservation of other powers to state and local governments.
— Joe Cornelison
Maryville, Missouri
