Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Editorial: Government threatens our freedom [must read!]
The La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, Wis. ^ | 2009-09-14 | Terry L. Terrell

Posted on 09/13/2009 9:26:46 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

Freedom. Independence. Opportunity. These are a few of the descriptive words defining America. A place to carve out a new life, to farm a piece of land you could call your own, to raise a family and make a living, all free from government intervention, oppression and thousands of pages of rules and laws- this was America of two and three centuries ago.

People governed their own affairs in small communities. They elected needed government officials they knew. The local and the state governments were accessible and existed as servants of the people. The framers of our national government limited its powers and authority to just a few items beyond the scope of any single state to control: a national defense, interstate issues, immigration, a federal court to resolve lower court and state conflicts.

Along the way the federal government has grown like the flesh-eating bacteria on a physical body and now threatens the very existence of America. We have allowed the federal government to intrude into every area of our lives, and destroy the very independence that was the hallmark of our founders.

With independence and opportunity for advancement comes risk. But elected officials promote and vote for legislation that removes risk, thereby limiting our freedoms and forcing us into more and more dependence upon government. What was once a free republic has drifted to a socialist state and, with government owning a major portion of businesses like General Motors, a communist state.

By providing nurturing programs whose purpose is to ease every area of our lives, the government is telling us, "You are too ignorant or too lazy to resolve issues for yourselves."

Frankly, I believe our nation and people would be far better served with a vastly reduced federal government in size and powers.

For example, why do we need a federal Department of Education? It merely creates another very expensive layer of bureaucracy to first collect money from states, then redistribute it to states. Just leave the dollars in the hands of states in the first place, and let parents on local and area levels determine the education they want for their children.

This is one of the problems with the current health/insurance proposals. We don't need another layer of federal bureaucracy, with all its incumbent cost and waste, trying to provide health care. Leave it to states and local governments.

Politicians constantly try to expand programs in the guise of helping people who, in their view, are obviously incapable of helping themselves. Go back a hundred years in time, or look at the Amish today: A dozen friends can build the barn in day, and we don't need government involvement.

Look at the muddled educational system propounded by government. Our pioneers just met together, provided a school, took responsibility to see that their children were in school and studied, hired the teachers, and amazingly enough produced generations of hard-working, contributing men and women who were self reliant, independent risk-takers. They were the captains of industry and invention; great writers and thinkers; explorers, inventors, dreamers.

Frankly, I believe federal government could be cut by 90 percent and we would all be much better off. We might even see the independent spirit that founded and built our nation return. I'm all for that.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Front Page News; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: donttreadonme; education; government; healthcare; islam; israel; military; obama; obamacare; palin; politics; sarahpalin; veterans
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-43 last
To: Filo
The number is a bit low (I'd cut 99% or more) but I like how you're thinking! :D

Eliminate the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marines?

41 posted on 09/15/2009 5:12:37 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Doe Eyes
Eliminate the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marines?

A good chunck of it - at least as run by the Federal government. . . ;-)
42 posted on 09/15/2009 6:20:55 PM PDT by Filo (Darwin was right!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

This should be printed out and posted on every telephone pole in America.

Especially around Election Day.


43 posted on 09/15/2009 9:30:32 PM PDT by Palin Republic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-43 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson