Posted on 01/20/2010 11:26:44 AM PST by jazusamo
As the Editorial Board of The Washington Times - the publishers, editors and writers responsible for the daily Commentary section - we see our role as upholding the principles of America's founding. A key part of that duty is to hear the voice of the American people as well. We aim to inform, to listen and to influence.
While the principles that we advocate - individual liberty and limited government - do not change with the winds of public opinion, the focus of our work should be determined by the concerns of the people. And we hear Americans speaking. And we hear that most are not happy. And you have told us why.
It is because the size and scope of government have grown in recent years and, in the past year, have grown at a pace that is horrifying to most Americans. Government is growing so quickly it threatens the quality of your life and threatens to take control of your life. The Washington leviathan threatens to eclipse the light of freedom.
Most Washington leaders have forgotten that the greatness of America is in the hearts and minds of her people. The successful government is one that fosters an environment in which the people can pursue their own vision of happiness. Mostly, that means staying out of the way.
Life in the Washington cocoon - marble-floored and walnut-paneled - makes it easy for too many to forget that they were sent here to serve and, most important, to preserve the American liberty and greatness that already exist. The perquisites and trappings of personal power,too often exercised behind closed doors, allow leaders to forget and begin to think that America is something they need to fix, not an ideal they need to defend.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Good luck with that(in my best Sponge Bob voice) I support it all the way but has any gov program ever be cut?
What Republicans should do is make a list of the most annoying and intrusive of regulations and pledge to do away with them. First on the list - the limitation on the toilet tank size. Next - mandatory recycling, then - the smoke bans (they need to do this at the state level), etc.
I’m sure we can all think of some.
I hear you. At least there’s one member of the print media on our side.
They’re cut about as often as.... oh, Repubs in Massachussets are elected to the Senate.
;-)
Repeal to 1789.
Forget a list of regulations, lets dump whole departments and agencies! I nominate the department of education first, the EPA next.
No valid response, no vote.
That’d suit me fine, great idea.
It’s up to the people to demand that each candidate vow to work for repeal of programs of a certain size.
The federal leviathan needs to be reduced by 50 to 75%. We MUST do this, or we will not survive as a constitutional republic.
That’s fine, but they still have to get elected.
Saying “Time to cut the size of government” is like saying “It’s time to do something about the weather.” Easy to say but useless without specifics on what, exactly, he would do.
Forget a list of regulations, lets dump whole departments and agencies! I nominate the department of education first, the EPA next.
I don't agree on the EPA totally; there are things like air and water quality among others, which cross state lines and are best handled nationally. We should just be a bit conscientious about its mandates and funding. The same goes for the Dept of Agriculture.
HOWEVER federal cabinet level education is absurd. It is not in the Constitution. And more significantly, every mature citizen and every parent inherently know the importance of education. That means there is NO way it must be centralized through federal government (except for leftism).
It never was in the past centralized through federal government. When one thinks about it, the whole idea of federal control is absurd. Should algebra be centralized? Should literature be centralized? Amazing hubris from the DC oligarchy.
When GWB was initially elected I thought that administration was going to be the one that set things right. But he failed ideologically, although admittedly 9/11, at least the first term, put some roadblock on that.
We could start by putting in the 80/20 rule.
All federally elected politicians must spend 80% of their time and money within their district. Only 20% should be spent in Sodom.
There is no reason for them to meet more than once a month in person. The rest can be done via Telephonics.
Senators could share aides that live in the city to save expenses.
I wouldn’t even be apposed to buying an apartment building in which they could pay by the night when they were in town. We could rent the rooms out to tourists when there are vacancies. Or two or more of them could go together and rent an apartment by the month. They wouldn’t be needing to buy or rent big homes since they won’t be in the City more than once a month.
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