Hopes for the New Year

"Government is the problem."

On the contrary, government is the only thing keeping us from reverting to tribal warfare, where the richest and best armed among us rule with lead and fire.  The absence of government in our lives would not be a good thing, regardless of how rosy Republicans paint it.   We left the State of Nature in order to form this more perfect Union.  We are all in this together, and this a divided we fall endeavor.

I hope that this year will see Democrats stand up and explain that Constitutionally limited government, doesn't mean less government in your life.  Our Constitution simple divides which are state obligations, and where the federal government presides.  A 'more' Constitutionally limited government would simply shift the burden to state or county municipalities.

My hope for the new year is that an argument will rise in favor of fully funding government, so that it can meet or accomplish 100% of its stated goals.  Tax cuts demean this effort, serving only individual needs, while driving our nation into debt.  Someone somewhere has to stand up and say, "We MUST invest both time and increased taxes in our country, our Union, and especially our infrastructure."

It does not matter where these taxes are allocated or collected.  We have roads and bridges in disrepair, and it is going to take the raising of taxes to properly fix them.  Whether counties raise property tax, or the federal government sets a national gas tax, we have to raise revenues.  We are in debt and our crumbling  roads cause more damage to persons and property than drunk drivers do.

I hope that Democrats will stand up and state with certainty that meaningless platitudes like, "We are in favor of Constitutionally limited government." aren't a hinderance to our goals nor does it mean 'less government' or lower taxes.  Simply stated, We the People have basic needs, that must be met by the collection of taxes, be they by the federal government, states, counties, or cities.  We are in debt and our nation's infrastructure needs refurbished.

"I pay taxes because roads don't pave themselves."  (*A sign from the Rally to Restore Sanity.)