How much government?

You know, when I was younger, it seemed to me the world was black and white with few gray areas. Life experience brings about change, and change causes a broadening of viewpoint. For example, my view of government; when I was younger I worked for the Forest Service, and I saw the importance of the government stopping the general public from destroying Wilderness areas. I saw the importance of fighting forest fire, regulating who took wildlife and trees from forest land. Even at that time, I still felt dreadful when the law enforcement officer with whom I worked wrote tickets for people breaking petty rules.

After many years of studying history, and listening to music that I love, I long for the government to keep its hands out of my pocket and its edicts out of my life. I don’t want the government telling me, I can’t drink a coke, or that my kids can't eat a happy meal, or even tell me to put on a seat belt. I think that if God can give us freedom of choice, our own free will, why does the government of the United States think they can take it away?

OK, I do want law and order, but why should the government have the right to tell me how or what I can build on land that I’ve purchased? I want freedom, not restriction. I don’t want people to hurt other people, and I want a society that is intelligent. So how much government is good government? To have safety from evil doers, I believe the government should provide a police force, and military forces along with military technology. In order to have an intelligent public, and a society that learns the mores and folkways for a productive culture, I believe schools are of primary importance, right alongside defense.

The importance of education in our republic form of government is well spoken by the father of America, George Washington on Dec. 15, 1784 stated, “The best means of forming a manly, virtuous, and happy people will be found in the right education of youth. Without this foundation, every other means, in my opinion, must fail.”

Beyond safety and an academically and behaviorally superior society, I don’t think the government should be involved… at all! Can anyone comprehend such a limited government? See, here’s the gray area, this is what I feel is important now. Someone else will have other priorities. Some will want extra taxes on cigarettes, gas, alcohol, they’ll want Fish and Game to limit people even walking on “Public Land.” Some will want the government to tell McDonald’s how hot they are allowed to make their coffee, or Amana to make refrigerators that die within ten years to have “green” compressors. I don’t.

All this being said (hypocritically) by a principal whose salary comes from the taxpayers of Idaho! You see, it’s all gray area.