August 30, 2011
Irene Shines A Light
In the wake of all the destruction left by Hurricane Irene we find that it did have at least one positive effect. Irene shines a light on the fact that we are all in this together. If we recognize that simple fact then we must also recognize that we need an entity – that represents ALL people – to lend assistance when disasters occur. That entity isn’t a charity or a private company. That entity is government. Yes, I know it’s so easy to hate on government but that is the easy path to take. It feels good to vent towards a large – and at times – abstract entity but it’s not exactly intellectually stimulating and quite frankly it accomplishes nothing. Government can work if we don’t give up on it. It’s because government actually does work really well in many areas that some find it so easy to assume they can do without it. Would it be a good idea to do away with the National Weather Service? Should we abolish FEMA as Ron Paul suggests? Nobody thinks it would be a good idea to get rid of the police, the fire departments and all other first responders. It might be a good idea to – at least occasionally – extend that sentiment towards other government agencies tasked to promote the general welfare of the nation.
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If you tune into the news networks – with emphasis on Fox News – you are eventually going to hear a talking head say that businesses and families need to control their spending and so that means government does too. What they seem to imply with those sentiments is that the United States government shouldn’t take on debt or at the very least shouldn’t take on the amount of debt that it has to date.