It's Not the Proper Function of Govt to provide assistance to the poor or disadvantaged, imho. Helping our fellow citizens in difficulty is a good thing, and admirable. Using govt as our tool for that purpose is a specious method, imho.
When we use govt for this purpose instead of providing for helping our fellow citizens thru private organizations or personally, we plant seed that will bear bitter fruit.
--- When this method is used, the relationship between ourselves and those in need changes in a fundamental and profound way. It is no longer a matter of we (as individuals and voluntarily associated groups) using our power and money to do good in the world as we see fit and think best, but rather govt taking our money to do what it thinks best. When we, as a society, allow this, we disempower ourselves and make govt not only more powerful but also the arbiter of what is right and just. Also, those aided see the help not as coming from other people who care about them and go to trouble and expense to help them; who wish them well and will be pleased and proud to see them self-sufficient and contributing members of society. Instead the aid comes from govt and usually fails to inspire effort to succeed or pride in independence. It's impersonal. It sets them up to define themselves as parasites. To settle for being dependent on govt rather than independent citizens.
Bureaucracies grow and grow. They are inefficient in their supposed aims, and become in time entities whose real purpose is their own well-being and growth.
(Some time back I read that more than half the cost of the USA welfare system is Not benefits paid out but rather the salaries of bureaucratic workers in the system, maintaining offices, etc.)
The welfare system in the USA is an example of the unfortunate outcomes of using govt to do what it ought not be involved in. It has, imho, done much more harm than good to those it purports to help. The welfare system began out of good intentions, but has, over the decades, become a creature which perpetuates dependency on govt handouts from generation to generation, weakens the family unity and interdependence of welfare recipient families, and drains resources from the taxpaying citizens who could be much more efficient and wise in helping others who are in need.
--- While failing to achieve it's purported purpose, the bureaucracy continues to grow and become more complex. It is, itself, a drain on the taxpayer. Also, as it grows its political power increases. 'Bigger' means more voters working in it; More political contributions coming from it, etc. It becomes a powerful entity in its own right. One whose preferences and desires will not be ignored by politicians. As another example of this, consider the public schools, where the teachers' union's well-being takes precedence over the quality of the education provided the students.
Govt has a tendency to grow if we let it. When the citizenry sees govt as a tool they can use to achieve any purpose they think worthy, govt will grow and grow. It will transform from our servant to our master.
--- Pretty much everything govt does, it does poorly. Imho, we can expect that big govts which have their fingers in everything will collapse of their own weight eventually. Cold comfort, that <G>.
I would prefer to see govt small.
I would like it if whenever a social problem were considered, the Last answer we would consider would be to use govt in addressing the problem.
But people don't generally see things this way, else the libertarian party would be a major force rather than a very minor one.
End of Rant <G>
regards,
diana |
