An Answer Every Conservative Candidate Should Have at the Ready

American Thinker ^ | 01/28/2016 | James Longstreet

[SeekAndFind]

The other day a commentator asked a GOP candidate this simple question.

"What is the Federal Government doing that it should not be doing?"

The candidate did not have a ready answer, and did the soft shoe talking point response that had little to do with this question. But, isn't the answer to this question the crux of conservatism? Should not each candidate running for office under the guise of conservatism not have, at the constant ready, a litany of unnecessary federal government programs and activities?

Admittedly, the easier response is to take the question in the negative and respond with functions that the federal government "should" perform. National defense, food inspection, air travel, interstate transportation, settling disputes, treaties, and managing the currency leap to mind as list fillers.

But, to return to the question, what are some activities of the federal government that we could do without, that we should indeed do without?

Some things the Federal Government should not be doing: C'mon guys!B

Promoting unmonitored or unmeasured immigration

The Department of Education that promotes in anyway shape or form the supplanting of citizen students with foreign students.

The promoting of a "national curriculum" such as suggested by Common Core.

Unfunded mandates in which taxpayer funds are conditionally withheld in order to force federally mandated compliance. (State highway funds)

I invite input for items to fill this list. How far we have come from the promise of this form of government outlined by Madison in Federalist 45.

"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.

[SeekAndFind]

An actual test given in the Constitution class at Grove City College, where my daughter attended:

[BenLurkin]

"What is the Federal Government doing that it should not be doing?"

Well for starters:

[TigerClaws]

Is Madison one of those dead white men?

[SeekAndFind]

Here's another one to remind Rick Perry ...

[don-o]

I can guarantee the candidate was not Ted Cruz.

[Daveinyork]

Using taxes to manipulate behavior, which our tax code does (including tariffs, duties, and excise taxes, encouraging some behaviors, discouraging others. Taxes should be to raise revenue for he legitimate operations of the government. period.

[Truthsearcher]

Kasich, Jeb, or Christie would be my guess

[brivette]

Agree.

[datura]

How about this: All activities except the national defense, ensuring that interstate trade is conducted fairly, and securing our national borders?

[SeekAndFind]

Ted Cruz already has his answer.

Here it is for starters:

https://www.tedcruz.org/five-for-freedom-summary/

1. Internal Revenue Services — end the political targeting, simplify the tax code, and abolish the IRS as we know it.

2. Department of Education — return education to those who know our students best: parents, teachers, local communities, and states. And block-grant education funding to the states.

3. Department of Energy — cut off the Washington Cartel, stop picking winners and losers, and unleash the energy renaissance.

4. Department of Commerce — close the “congressional cookie jar” and promote free-enterprise and free trade for every business.

5. Department of Housing and Urban Development — offer real solutions to lift people out of hardship, rather than trapping families in a cycle of poverty, and empower Americans by promoting the dignity of work and reforming programs such as Section 8 housing.

Here are the order of difficulty of eliminating the above ranked from most difficult to easiest:

#1 will be the hardest to eliminate ( since we still have the 16th Amendment ).

#5 will take some time.

#2 will also take time but isn’t impossible. Return the money to the individual states.

#3 and #4 can be done first.

[annieokie]

The candidate did not have a ready answer and did a soft-shoe talking-point response that had little to do with this.

Based on that comment, it would have to be none other that Donald J. Trump.....

It sure was not TED CRUZ, and I'd be surprised if it was any of others.

[ManHunter]

Answer: “Damned near everything!” Now pose the question to every GOP candidate, especially Donald Trump and Ted Cruz; I’d like to hear both of them answer it.

[BitWielder1]

EPA.
Should be abolished or at the very least be reduced to a small advisory panel to Congress.
No making their own legislation, no enforcement powers, no SWAT team.
Dedicated to keeping things clean within reason and economical, no eco-activism, no land or water grabs.

[WildHighlander57]

“What is the Federal Government doing that it should not be doing?”

Overstepping Constitutional and Bill of Rights bounds.

E.g. stifling freedom of press, religion; infringing on right to self defense, owning land beyond DC and military installations, etc.

[aimhigh]

"What is the Federal Government doing that it should not be doing?"

Bad question, since it has no real impact. The real question should be: What Federal Depts do you promise to eliminate?

[Jacquerie]

I would dismiss the question and tell him that the purpose of government is to secure our unalienable rights, to enforce the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.