Government does bad things, too
Regarding the Sept. 28 editorial “Government can do good”:
Commentator Rex Nutting’s comments need a few corrections. He should read the United States Constitution. Article. I., sect. 8, gives the few, specific powers granted to the federal government. All others are reserved to the states or the people. The federal government was to be chained down by the Constitution. Unfortunately, the monster has broken its bonds.
1. We are a republic. Democracy is mob rule, in which people vote for those who promise the most. ( Article. IV., sect. 4)
2. The land belongs to the people, not government. (Amendment X)
3. Education is a state and local function. Let teachers teach. Show them some respect by giving them a raise in pay and reducing useless paperwork. If you think teaching is easy, then try it. (Amendment X)
4. Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme. It robs Paul to pay Peter.
5. The FDA and EPA have become bloated federal bureaucracies with a political agenda.
6. How much money has been wasted on bridges to nowhere?
7. Building communication networks should be a capitalist enterprise instead of a government function. (See number 1 in the original article.)
8. Government should get out of the way and let private companies develop our nation’s vast energy resources.
9. While we have gained benefits from federal research projects, it could have been done at a lower cost by private companies.
10. Defense of our nation does not mean being the world’s policeman. We should never attack another nation without a formal declaration of war. The last time that Congress legally waged war to defend this nation was World War II. Since that time, we have actually moved our country more toward fascism and communism. I say this as a person with partial ownership in Government Motors. GM.
— Joe Teeter
Gold Hill