Don't want no guvermint!

Most days the newspaper in my town prints a "priceless" letter to the editor written by someone who had the misfortune of hiding in the closet when brains were given out. Quite often, the only thing these writers accomplish is to expose their ignorance and illiteracy.

The author of one of today's letters to the editor whines about how the American people constantly whine about how the government isn't doing enough to take care of them. He also whines that Obama is a really bad candidate for president who will bring the wrong kind of change, raise taxes and increase the size of the government.

"Wake up, America. Grow up, America," he says. We can't expect the government to do our job for us, he says.

But this is is the best part: "My dream candidate is one who will take the government off my back and out of my life, one who will lift the burden of the entire system from being my responsibility. I am not strong enough to be responsible for every person in this nation. Who is responsible for me? I like being responsible for myself. Just get out of my way. Leave me alone. ... "


First of all, this sounds like someone who too often listens to the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly. No one expects him to responsible "for every person in this nation." But we are a community, and a fundamental obligation of a member of a community is a shared responsibility for all the members of that community.

But let's see what would happen if we got the government out of his life. First of all, he might have to give up his home if it was connected in any way to the FHA, or if he bought it with a VA loan. He would certainly want to pull his money out of the bank, for it would not be insured and if the bank went bust, he would, too.

He would be back driving on dirt roads which he would have to create out of the wilderness, as the government wouldn't do it. Street lights and stop signs would also go. Public schools would bite the dust, including many of the major universities of this state and the nation. Oops. Forget about checking your mail box. No mail for you today - or ever!

I wonder if this person is getting Social Security or Medicare. That's gone! Any G.I. benefits? Bye, bye. How about air traffic control? Crash! Police? Not any more! And what if this poor soul finds himself out of a job because his company went bankrupt? Would he want unemployment benefits to help lift the burden while seeking other employment? Not available! And if he was really hurting, he'd have to panhandle on the street corner because food stamps would be a thing of the past, as would all other forms of welfare.

Public hospitals? No. Public clinics? No. EMS services? Tough! Speed limits on the dirt roads? Make up your own!

Public libraries? No, they're government entities, too. And we'd have to get rid of all housing inspectors, so our friend better know how to build a house properly or it may come crashing down on top of him. Food inspectors? He'll love salmonella!

What would he do during a hurricane or tornado or other natural disaster? All those government agencies that provide assistance would be no more.

And how do you suppose this dear, deluded person would react if and when this country was invaded by a foreign entity? There would be no military--no Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard to fight for and protect him.


The famous B-grade movie actor, Ronald Reagan once said that government was not the solution to our problems it was the problem. Reagan was wrong about most things and he was really wrong about that!

Government is not the problem. Government is essential to every community, every state, every nation. What we need is good government; government led by those who want to serve the people, not themselves! We need government that upholds the laws and enforces the laws fairly; that is open and honest. We need government comprised of the most talented folks we can find--who are well-educated, as non-partisan as possible, pragmatic, and committed to the Constitution of the United States.

(We also need to remember that in spite of the pandering poohbahs beating the anti-tax drum, we can't have government without taxes, as those of us who live if Florida are finding today to our dismay!)

We have not had that kind of government for at least seven and one-half years. It's time, not to get rid of government, but to clean house, to once again commit to the proposition made by President Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address that ours is a government of the people, by the people and for the people.