December 2004

The Blue Party's Looking for a Good Government

By THE EDITORS

This month, the first contribution in the Blue Party Essay Series is by our dear friend Schlomo. We asked him to write about the purpose of government, and he ably describes the perilous situation the function of government is put in when one political party routinely defames it. Republicans, as they strive with one hand to enrich themselves and their friends with government largess, slap it in the face with the other. The cynical abuse of government serves to weaken it at the same time, at least in the minds of people. This is bad, because government is most beneficial when people believe they can work with, and be a part of their own government to make their country better.

On a daily basis, federal, state and local governments function without us ever noticing. Streetlights work, sewage is treated, and students are educated, all apparently by the grace of God. If you believe the rhetoric from the right, your taxes and the government had nothing to do with it. In fact, they say, we should pay less and less taxes every year so the size of the non-existent Government should reduce piece by piece. Once the government is small enough, our water, kids and roads will be taken care of without the pesky government getting in the way.

The controlling factions of the Republican Party do not believe in government's roll in serving every person. As far as they are concerned, it should either enforce the will of God, pay corporations to do business in this country, or both. These unhealthy, irrational and think-tank created ideas have poisoned political debate in this country.

Please read Schlomo's commentary, and do not be distracted by the right's preferred debate language. People who do not believe in the great potential of government have lead us into a violent and needless war, and saddled future generations with an historic debt. We cannot expect them to lead us out.