The Staggering Shift of the Role of Government
As a libertarian, I'm for less government almost across the board.
But as far as government services go, things like police and fire... I would consider those to be the core role of government.
And I think its shocking that we see the withdrawl of these core services while entitlement programs EXPAND.
There are hundreds of examples, but here is one of the expansion of entitlement programs... Wisconsins "family care" program is being expanded so more people can get handouts from the government. (aka my taxes) while I have to pay for my own health insurance... While my insurance stops paying for my nexium to cut costs... Other people who suck off the government Tit get more.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=602070
While at the same time, on the same day, we have a report of how the Milwaukee County Sherrif is no longer providing patrol to park-and-ride lots.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/7470122.html
I quoted the whole article below just in case the link doesn't work.
Comments in the article indicate that there are not enough police resources... and that the sherrif won't respond to property crimes in those lots.
So while we see MORE money getting allocated to entitlement programs (as seen in the first article) we have these core services which we "can't afford"
When will this country and specifically wisconsin come to its senses and get government back to what its suppoe to be? Protecting rights? Not taking money from some to distribute to others while then taking core services of government and failing to supply them.
But as far as government services go, things like police and fire... I would consider those to be the core role of government.
And I think its shocking that we see the withdrawl of these core services while entitlement programs EXPAND.
There are hundreds of examples, but here is one of the expansion of entitlement programs... Wisconsins "family care" program is being expanded so more people can get handouts from the government. (aka my taxes) while I have to pay for my own health insurance... While my insurance stops paying for my nexium to cut costs... Other people who suck off the government Tit get more.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=602070
While at the same time, on the same day, we have a report of how the Milwaukee County Sherrif is no longer providing patrol to park-and-ride lots.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/7470122.html
I quoted the whole article below just in case the link doesn't work.
Comments in the article indicate that there are not enough police resources... and that the sherrif won't respond to property crimes in those lots.
So while we see MORE money getting allocated to entitlement programs (as seen in the first article) we have these core services which we "can't afford"
When will this country and specifically wisconsin come to its senses and get government back to what its suppoe to be? Protecting rights? Not taking money from some to distribute to others while then taking core services of government and failing to supply them.
Park-and-Ride Debate
Heather Shannon
MILWAUKEE - Are the park-and-ride lots safe? The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department patrols 10 county owned lots. But the sheriff is now refusing to patrol seven other lots that are owned by the state of Wisconsin.
The sheriff says state troopers should patrol those lots.
"We are talking about state owned lots. These are not county lots. It's not county property," Kim Brooks, Public Information Officer for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department said. "Our hands are full dealing with the problems we have on county owned lots."
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke wants the Wisconsin State Patrol to police the state owned lots. But they said Sheriff Clarke cannot tell them to start patrolling, because Wisconsin law says they are "not legally allowed to investigate criminal activity."
In addition, the Wisconsin State Patrol doesn't have any resources allotted to Milwaukee County. Their closest station is in Waukesha County, so some people who use state owned park-and-rides are afraid if something happened, it would take too long until a state trooper arrived.
"Whatever could happen or does happen is going be gone 40 to 45 minutes later," Wayne Dhein said. Dhein is a bus driver for All State Lines. He uses park-and-rides daily, and says he's noticed a spike in suspicious activity since word got out that sheriff's deputies wouldn't respond. "There does have to be somebody at least going through once in a while, to keep things in order."
Sheriff Clarke has been asking the state to take over the patrolling of the lots, and has also been asking for surveillance cameras to be installed to curb crime in the lots. When the state did not respond to either request, Clarke stopped his patrols on May 1.
"We can't be everywhere. We need help. And we need the state to help police state park-and-ride lots," Brooks said. When reporter Heather Shannon asked Brooks, "What if the state says, we're not going to do that?" Brooks said, "Then I guess we're in the situation that we're in."
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department will still respond to emergency calls involving threats to people. But they will not respond to "property related crimes." Meaning if your car is stolen or gets broken into, you could have a hard time getting someone to respond.
posted by N1K | 7:59 PM
3 Comments:
First of all...I love reading what you write. Whether I disagree or not. You ask when will government get back to doing what is suppose to? The only answer I have is a question. What are they suppose to do? The challenge we all have is we compare what government used to do 100+ years ago. Me, I just roll with the punches and believe the role of government should change as time and people need. The major problem with government is the corruption right up to and including the president. The only reasoning I have for myself is the media is so technologically advanced we NOW have the ability to discover what is going on. I truly believe government and its players have not changed, it's the landscape around government that has.
--You ask when will government get back to doing what is suppose to? The only answer I have is a question. What are they suppose to do? The challenge we all have is we compare what government used to do 100+ years ago.--
The constitution spells out very clearly what government 'should' do.
And I'm not looking at government of 100+ years ago. I'm looking at the government pre "New Deal" (aka Raw Deal) So just over 70 years ago.
I don't think the role of government should change. I think the problems we have are result of government changing. Government try to 'fix' a problem that cannot be fixed by government.
Our government was formed in a way to protect people's freedom. It is changing in a way that takes away freedom. And the loss of freedom is very measurable and undeniable. Government should be there to enforce the boundaries between my rights and your rights... Not to collect my money and decide to give it to joe-blow down the road in the form of free healthcare.
Here is a great website that will very objectively portray the growth of government, and how we are becoming a more socialist country. Its scary because in socialism, power rests with the government, not with the people. The middle class suffers the most as the country becomes a country of serfs. Heavily dependant on the government for everything because they are so heavily taxed, and then in order to reap the benefits of the services of the government they must meet the criteria the government sets in place to qualify for those services. So you can get the government service so long as you don't make too much, have kids, or any other myriad of criteria the government sets (sorry you have to cut and paste the links)
http://mwhodges.home.att.net/summary.htm
Look at the government dominance of our economy and how that has changed since the 1930's
http://mwhodges.home.att.net/gov-trend.gif
I do believe that corruption exists in every level of government. Corruption AND HUGE WASTE. Corruption is INHERENT in an environment where there is SO much power. Take away the power, and you take away the ability to be corrupt. When government has less power it intrinsically will be less corrupt. When government takes less money from the people, it will waste less money.
People spend their money more frugally and more effectively benefiting them than the government does. Let people keep their money. We will all be better off. Stop giving government so much power, there will be less corruption.
As for government not changing but the landscape aroung government has. I disagree. Looking at the growth of government (see the link i provided above) you can see that government spending is growing by leaps and bounds for 'social programs' This is inherently unfair because only select few benefit from these social programs while everyone pays for them.
Unlike national defense where the entire country benefits from the protection of our armed forces.
Look at the link and you'll see that government is indeed changing. It is going from a system that provided protection from foreign invaders and protection of citizens from criminals, and protection of my rights vs yours to an entity that collects WAY more money in taxes (as a percent of an individuals income) and then decides who they want to give the money back to.
Governments largest role use to be to protect. Now its largest role is to collect money (in taxes) and re-distribute it to whomever it deems worthy. (in other words however it will buy the most votes)
If you think that isn't true, go look at the graphs in the first link. Government spending use to be mostly for defense. Now its social programs. And only select few (those who meet the government instituted criteria) get to benefit from those programs.
In the meantime, those programs CREATE dependence because those people rely on a handout, not on doing something themselves. (which most could do, but why do something when it will be given to you)
Good post.
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