The proper role of government

This OP-ED appeared in the Connecticut Post as a response to David Horsey's attack of the proper role of government and of Libertarians. David Horsey is a Liberal/Socialist who comments frequently. As a Libertarian/Republican I felt compelled to respond.

What is the purpose of government? To a Liberal the purpose of government is to "justly and fairly" shape society and its inhabitants. To a Libertarian the purpose is to provide for the mutual lawful defense of Life, Liberty and Property and to allow people to freely and lawfully do as they wish.

These views are diametrically opposed, the former is dictatorial and requires a large government, the latter celebrates individual freedom which includes success, failure, and philanthropy and needs limited government. Liberalism insist in making laws that favor some groups at the expense of others. Libertarians insist that laws apply to everyone equally.

On Monday, November 15, in the Connecticut Post, Mr. David Horsey wrote a lengthy attack against the notion that laws affect everyone equally (New libertarians exhibit myopic selfishness). In his column Mr. Horsey describes Libertarians as selfish and rich blockheads that resist the "just" taking of their property by the humanitarian tax collectors who work for a benevolent government that wishes nothing more than to "liberate" the poor. Really? How many of you see the IRS or the local tax collector in that light?

Horsey's ideological tome merits a response as his world view is shared by so many, especially in Connecticut.

We have gone far astray from our founding in 1776 when we stated clearly and loudly that our government was instituted to secure for ALL persons their inalienable rights to Life, Liberty and Property. And although, we failed to protect all Americans at that time we righted that wrong with the largest amount of bloodshed in American history.

Regrettably today, many people like Mr. Horsey occupy all layers of government, experimenting with social-engineering programs forcing government to increasingly plunder the working population especially the rich. Taking from some because you can is wrong. Taking from some because they can afford to be robbed, is wrong. Taking from some because the government is doing the taking is a perversion of the Constitution's intent.

No longer are we a nation that protects ALL Americans from injustice. Now we use the law to justify theft from some to give to others. This action will not assure our survival, but it will continue to pave our demise.

To add insult to unjust injury the money unjustly taken from the rich and others is used by an incompetent government to do nothing well. Mr. Horsey's claims to the opposite flies in the face of our vision. Witness: the 2008 financial sector meltdown driven by sub-prime mortgages,the communities reinvestment act, Katrina, Fannie, Freddy, the Fed, Public Housing, Welfare, the bankrupt Social Security system, Medicare and Medicaid, the VA, etc., etc., etc.. The list of governmental failure delineated by both the Left and the Right is so vast as to fill an encyclopedia. Governments by their structure, being able to tap into a never ending feed bag (taxation), have no incentive to do anything well and they never do. However, government has been "successful" in keeping whole segments of the population poor and uneducated, this is quite an achievement.

My disdain for government is balanced by my superior respect for the 325 million individuals that comprise our nation. We are great. We the people are great. President Lincoln affirmed that our government was "a government of the people, by the people and for the people." That government was successful and we prospered. Mr. Horsey and others like him have inserted the word "some" into this most effective concept. Horsey would say: a government of some people, by some people and for some people. This is neither natural nor just. An unjust nation must fail as we failed once before. Injustices must be righted so that our great nation may prosper once again.

Pragmatically speaking, freedom means being able to keep what you honestly earn. Without this feature, freedom is a naked joke. John Adams warned us that property rights are more important than any other right that man could contrive. What good is freedom of speech if you're hungry? What good is the 2nd amendment if you can't buy a gun? What good is working hard and innovating if the government is our greedy partner?

I take great pride in the rising to prominence of so many Libertarians nationwide. I pray that they stay true to our adoration of our founding principles and that there is time to restore the great gift to freedom that our country has been to the world since our founding.