| It depends on what you mean by "socialist influenced". I have been strongly influenced by Milton Friedman and others to think that a minimum of regulation is a good thing, but I am not a pure libertarian, and I think that one of the functions of government is the socialization of risk, as the insurer of last resort. Just as we all contribute to the maintenance of firefighters, police, and courts, against the day that we may need them, so it makes sense to have a "safety net" version of welfare, or federal emergency management. On the other hand, I think that most programs should be managed by the states. The federal government, however, may have a legitimate role in easing the burden on individual states. For example, California and New York bear the brunt of problems arising from immigration policy, as they try to assimilate non- English speakers into their school systems, and therefore it makes sense to afford them federal grants- in- aid. Finally, some problems are not readily addressed without federal intervention, as, for example, those involving several states or requiring expedited action. So, I have a bias in favor of minimizing federal action, but would not get rid of everything........ |
