I have said it many times and it’s worth repeating now. If I thought empowering the government would solve our problems I would be a liberal too. History, however, proves the opposite, and those of us who see the world objectively take to heart Thomas Paine’s words that “government is but a necessary evil.” The private sector has its problems and is far from perfect, but in general it can be said that the market serves to keep its level of service up and its prices competitive. The same cannot be said of government, especially on the federal level. Federal bureaucrats annually receive ever expanding budgets, are immune from the need to provide customer service, and audits of efficiency and performance are the anomaly rather than the rule. With these dynamics it should come as no surprise that the federal government’s response to the oil spill in the gulf has been inadequate. A quick review of the government’s reactions to previous natural disasters proves this is the rule and not the exception.
For now we may anticipate the routine government responses of news conferences that say and achieve nothing, new important sounding committees that will in time produce reports telling us what we already know, and politicians who simplistically demand more government authority to insure “this never happens again.”
I hear my liberal friends talk of their desire for social justice as their motivation for empowering the state. Does “social justice” spring from big government’s bloated and expensive bureaucracies, and a general failure to provide services and relief in a cost effective or timely fashion? Evidence indicates that society rather than government is the proper and preferable vehicle for social justice. So, for the cause of “social justice” I am a conservative.
Scott Armstrong
May 6th, 2010 at 7:51 AM
Interesting. I agree that government is far too big and impotent. But in order to be big government needs to be impotent.
It is impotent to the extent that it does not serve the people but it does serve the special interest groups.
At this time they seem to be the large corporations and on a more local level the large non profits that are financially endowed.
They are complementary bed fellows. Government seeks power and large business substantiates and encourages that purpose. The corporations are ONLY concerned with bottom line.
The non profits like to be the puppet masters and pull the strings. Often they are most interested in power and prestige more so than individual property.
The politicians seek individual fame and all the corporations have to do is pave the way with donations.
I also believe in the free market system But when a free market system is dominated by a few large players it is no longer free. The terms free and market are not mutually exclusive therefore there is no market system without freedom
Perhaps we should discuss what the purpose of the free market system is and whether it is to promote a democratic society or exist for the benefit of the few.
I tend to believe we would all be a lot happier if we have a system that is truly free. Governments role if anything is to enhance the “free:” part of the system.
They used to but they don’t as much ever since it became more convenient for the dividing line between what was legal and ethical to take on many for shades of gray rather than being black and white.
Less effort and better benefits to live in this dead zone.
There are many things that go on today right here in this city that while they are highly unethical and immoral they are not illegal and therefore by default they are sanctioned.
The plebians live in a state of ignorant bliss. Still thinking the key to salvation is a new car or a bigger house in a better neighborhood. Damn they don’t even vote anymore.
They are more concerned with surviving day to day than taking the time to step back and really look at what is going on.
In other words while I agree with your premise and would love to see the system return to a more classic definition we have so incrementally morphed away from what was once taken for granted we many not be able to get it back without some major dislocation in our culture.
This all comes from one who never thought he/she would write these words or ever thought he/she would criticize the system or even believe perhaps 911 was an inside job.