A more direct approach

How about a direct approach?

I’ve got to tell you, I was reading an editorial about the hypocrisy of tea party attendees, conservatives, republicans, and anti Obama care folks today, (at least I think that’s who it was addressing) and it occurred to me that the author of this editorial was right at least to some degree. She pointed out that many of the same people who are railing against growth in government are, government employees (bureaucrats) , accepting unemployment benefits, placing their children in public schools, vying for public contracts or just utilizing various other functions of the government for personal gain. The whole point was that it’s unprincipled to be against one government program namely, Government health care while partaking in many or any others.

I actually agree. That is why I’m a Libertarian and not a “Conservative”. I don’t send my kids to public schools, I don’t care if small public libraries where three employees work at a time become privatized or close. I don’t care if the pavement I drive on is privatized. ( it’s already been done with great success in some places) When asked what I do want from the government, my answer is simply, LESS. Also the answer will always remain LESS. In every situation we should be asking ourselves, is there another way of doing this that doesn’t involve government and that is less of a burden to our fellow man? In a million years maybe we will be able to rest, satisfied that government has been properly utilized and fulfills only it’s necessary core obligations. Until then, the answer is LESS.

A question that is raised to Libertarians often is, what are you some kind of anarchist? Well, even though it would be tempting to choose anarchy over our current political system, the answer is no, Libertarians are not anarchists we just want to eliminate government from every place it doesn’t belong. In the strict sense government’ basic purpose is to protect it’s people from bodily harm and to protect our property. Most else would be deemed extra constitutional. It is sadly ironic that now government works diligently to steal private property through excessive taxation and eminent domain all the while depriving people of their bodily health by stealing the fiscal means by which individuals might seek medical care.

All that being said, to address the authors point, government employment in my mind is largely without virtue and counterproductive. The core government services that are deemed necessary should at least be fulfilled by individuals who pay mind to the larger picture of government efficiency ( oxymoron I know). Let’s be frank. The reason people leave the private sector and reduce the GDP of our nation is that government work usually pays better than average and requires less skill than average. So it’s no wonder that at any given time we may find ourselves sitting in a room out numbered by bureaucrats. Government jobs usually produce nothing or worse, all while paying quite well. It could be said that since a person is no longer producing in the private sector while they are costing tax payers, that a government job actually destroys the equivalent of two jobs and harms the economy way more than it could ever help. Also some estimates of unemployment in our country are 10% or so then 17.5% when including underemployed. Well why not add government workers to the ranks of unemployed since they have the same effect on our economy. What would unemployment be then? 45%? 50%? It’s no wonder our economy is sluggish. The few are carrying the water for the many. What’s worse is while trying to carry the water the few are being tripped by the bureaucrats and most of the water is getting spilled.

I know what your thinking, What a jerk! He thinks my job over at Government’s R US is unimportant and that because I work for the government, I must be a lesser human being. On the contrary, many government services are important but need to be transferred over to the private sector where some sense of accountability exists. This would allow the would be government worker to actually utilize their skill set to a fuller potential and contribute to the GDP of our nation in a globally competitive world.

Much of what I said about government employment applies to government services as well, so as not to be redundant let me make the sweeping generalization that anything government can do or can’t do can be done better in the private sector until proven otherwise. Our government has proven itself to be an expensive way of accomplishing very little.

Let’s all try to be more consistent in our political ideals so as not to be called hypocrites. We can’t all stand opposed to Government Health Care while allowing the government to pick up our trash, comb our hair and brush our teeth.