We are in the midst of an election season. A time when the electorate is more energized
than at any time in my lifetime. What
that will translate into will not be know for sure until November. What we do know is that government is growing. Freedoms are being lost. Corruption seems to be everywhere. We often focus our attention on Washington,
but the problem is not limited to the federal government. State and local governments are taking our
freedoms as well. It is all under the
guise of the public good and we as the citizenry have done nothing to stop it.
We complain about the federal government mandating
healthcare, regulating this and that, limiting oil exploration, and over
taxing. However, we still want our
social security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment benefits, and more. Government does have a role to play, but it
should be a limited role. Are we so
child like that our every little action must be controlled? Where do we draw the line? There are many laws that we may think are
good laws. They may even mandate the
right thing for us to do, but is it good to be commanded in all things. A simple example would be the seat belt
law. Should we use are seat belts, yes. However,
is it the government's role to mandate it?
Some of you would say yes, but then what if the government told what you
can and cannot eat? This is road we are
headed down just because we cracked open the door a little.
The same kind of problem exists on a local level as
well. Many of you do not see it, but
each time a zoning board or city council rules on what a person can or cannot do
on his or her property they are limiting our freedom. They argue they are looking out for the
better good of the community, or improving the quality of life. The argument sounds good, but at what
cost. Master planning, zoning
regulations, building and health codes all may have their place. Local governments will tell you they must
have zoning ordinances to have a good city. If that
were completely true, the city of Houston Texas would not exist. There are no zoning laws in Houston. I am not proposing doing away with all zoning
laws or other local ordinances.
I am saying that over the past decade or two local governments
have been expanding more and more into our lives and taking our freedoms away. Their intentions may be good but that does
not make it right. We are letting them do it.
I assume it is because we are just going about our lives and are not
seeing the affects. I am afraid that by
the time that enough of the electorate see the problem it will be to late. Government at all levels will continue to
grow until one of two things happen: First, and I am afraid the less likely, is
that the people rise up and put a stop to it at the ballet boxes and in city
councils. The second is that government will
devour all our freedoms and fall under its own weight of tyranny.
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