Shrink the Government or Manage it?

The question that has been posed by Mike Church on a number of occasions is whether Republicans want to dismantle the federal leviathan or simply manage it? Today (2-25) I was listening to Sean Hannity. A caller made a comment that was made at the health care summit by Sen. Coburn dealing with creating an agency of "patients" that check up on doctors. The caller then said that all this will do is make doctors look over their shoulders. Sean asked if the doctors are doing what they're supposed to be doing, why should they be worried? This is the type of mind set that we have to change. Sean and others like him, both famous and not so famous, miss the point of shrinking the government not expanding it.

Forgetting the point that the government's involvement in health insurance is unconstitutional, creating another government bureaucracy expands the role that the federal government plays in our lives.

I oppose the Patriot Act whether it is overseen by a Republican or Democrat. Sean and others like him ask why I oppose it if I have nothing to hide? That isn't the point. Do you trust the government to always follow the rules? The Germans thought that they could trust the Nazis when they started keeping tabs on them. A government will start out passing laws by saying that they are for your safety. When people oppose the new "safety measures" the question of, "What do you have to hide?" is always raised. A couple years after the Patriot Act was passed and signed into law, there was a caller to a local Portland radio show that compared the new powers given to the government under the Patriot Act and Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The host of the program asked the caller to give examples of when the Patriot Act was abused. Of course the caller couldn't provide any examples and was promptly dismissed as a naysayer. As it usually happens, the next few callers railed against the caller and anyone else who didn't agree that the Patriot Act would make us safer. How can you compare Bush to Hitler after all?

Why do I oppose increased government involvement in my life? Although Bush was no conservative and I didn't think he would abuse any of the provisions contained in the Patriot Act, you can never count on subsequent political leaders to be so restrained. If you think I'm wrong, look at the current leadership in the Senate and House as well as the current president. Think that it can't happen to us in the United States? Look at what happened in the first year of the Obama administration. Nationalize the banks-Done. Take steps in nationalizing private companies-GM and Chrysler-Done. Nationalize credit-Working on it. Nationalizing health care-Working on it. Class warfare-Already started.

Now I ask again, do you want to shrink the size of the government or just manage it? If it is the latter, choosing between you and a Democrat is like deciding whether you want your leg amputated above or below the knee. What's the difference. If you want to shrink the size of government you are a true conservative. If you just want to manage the government you are a Decepti-Con.

Glenn Beck the Decepti-Con

Debra Medina is one of three candidates running for governor of Texas on the Republican ticket. Her opponents are Rick Perry, who is the current governor, and Kay Bailey Hutchinson, U.S. Senator. Last week Glenn Beck had Medina on his radio program. This would usually be a great way to reach out to a larger audience and gain support both locally and nationally. Apparently Mr. Beck didn't approve of Ms. Medina's idea of a limited federal government and States' rights. This is apparent in the questions she was asked and the way Mr. Beck and his employees laughed and mocked her after they got off the phone with her but continuing to broadcast. This was wholly unprofessional and disrespectful. For this, I am labeling Glenn Beck as a Decepti-Con.

You may ask what a Decepti-Con is. A Decepti-Con is a person who claims to be a conservative but is only interested in managing the federal leviathan,not shrinking it. They give lip service to State's rights but when it comes to the implementation of State's rights, they criticize those who try to take steps to shrink the federal government and return the power back to the States and the people.

For his actions in throwing Debra Medina under the bus I am calling out Glenn Beck as a Decepti-Con and showing him as being a fraud and a disgrace to the 9/12 project. If Beck were to see the error of his ways and make a public apology to Ms. Medina on both his radio and T.V. shows, I would be willing to consider taking him off the list of Decepti-Cons.

Answer to Mike Church's Question

Mike Church today (2-3) asked what we were going to do about shrinking leviathan? What are we going to do to shrink the size of government? Apparently a number of people have complained via email that they have relatives that have government jobs. “What do you want to do; let them lose their jobs? Are you going to feed them when their job is eliminated?” To those people I say, “Let them get a real job. If they are worth a damn, they can get a real job in the private sector. If they can’t get a real job, then maybe the reason they have a government job is because they can’t make it in the real world. “What about (fill in the blank), they’re a teacher in the public school system. What do you want to do, fire them too? Who will teach the kids?” Have you seen the state of the public schools? Are you telling me that with all the money that is sunk into them that they are doing a good job in teaching the kids? Why is it that more parents choose to send their children to private schools or are home schooling them? The public schools are a sinkhole. Why is it that many teachers are against merit pay? Once a teacher gets tenure, it is almost impossible for them to get fired. And then you wonder why the schools are failing. “Me thinks they doth protest too much.” Why is it that government bureaucrats continually say that we aren’t funding education enough and just one more tax increase will fix the problem? I have been hearing that same old song and dance since I was in school back in the mid-80’s. If it is really only one more tax increase, why is it that when the taxes do go up, you still need more money? How many non-teachers do the schools employ? How many non-school buildings are “owned” by the school districts? If the school superintendent is in charge of a failing school system and you get rid of them; why would you hire a replacement that was fired for the same reason?

My answer to the King Dude’s question of the day, start abolishing government agencies and start firing government employees. Those who have the ability to make something of themselves will find a new, productive job. Those who can’t make it in the real world will either have to learn to be productive or they will have to rely on the charity or others.