The Rule of Law – Federal Activism
Do you care whether your voice is heard in government? If so, insist that the federal government get itself under control.
The Founders created a federal government of limited authority, leaving most decisions to the local level – where your voice can be heard. Now, though, Congress sees nothing it won’t address – except the issues it is supposed to address.
It’s a beautiful design. We should have 50 laboratories in which to experiment, find best practices, and meet the particular needs of a diverse nation. Utah doesn’t have to be New York, and New York doesn’t have to be Utah.
But Congress simply can’t resist the temptation to control everything. It’s just got to be the super legislature, city council and school board all wrapped into one. Why? Because Congress believes it knows best. It has completely lost discipline.
As I’ve discussed here and here, federal activism robs you of your rights. It waters down your vote and influence. Now, to affect significant policy for your child’s education, you don’t talk to the principal. You don’t go to the school board. You have to hop on a plane and lobby members of Congress (or their interns – if you’re lucky). Why? Because Congress figured it knows better than your principal and school board. What about you and your ability to influence policy? Well, c’mon, who knows better what your school needs – you or Congress?
One man said to me, “But what if my school board gets it wrong?” Then, vote them out! You could do that. You can’t vote to throw out Hillary Clinton. You can’t vote to throw out Ted Kennedy. You can’t vote to throw out John Kerry. So why would you have them control education in Utah, unless you figure voting is just a silly tradition?
Also, along with your ability to affect government, it should be plain that Congress shouldn’t take on extra work. It can’t find time to do the work it is supposed to do. I’d love to have someone lay out an argument that the immigration system isn’t broken. Why, then, has Congress refused to deal with the issue? Partly, because of federal activism; Congress must be too distracted doing other stuff.
And, as was admitted this week by the longest-serving member of the committee that should deal with immigration, part of the federal government’s failure to do its work is because of “gutless” politicians. Monday, I’ll discuss how cowardice undercuts the rule of law.
The Founders created a federal government of limited authority, leaving most decisions to the local level – where your voice can be heard. Now, though, Congress sees nothing it won’t address – except the issues it is supposed to address.
It’s a beautiful design. We should have 50 laboratories in which to experiment, find best practices, and meet the particular needs of a diverse nation. Utah doesn’t have to be New York, and New York doesn’t have to be Utah.
But Congress simply can’t resist the temptation to control everything. It’s just got to be the super legislature, city council and school board all wrapped into one. Why? Because Congress believes it knows best. It has completely lost discipline.
As I’ve discussed here and here, federal activism robs you of your rights. It waters down your vote and influence. Now, to affect significant policy for your child’s education, you don’t talk to the principal. You don’t go to the school board. You have to hop on a plane and lobby members of Congress (or their interns – if you’re lucky). Why? Because Congress figured it knows better than your principal and school board. What about you and your ability to influence policy? Well, c’mon, who knows better what your school needs – you or Congress?
One man said to me, “But what if my school board gets it wrong?” Then, vote them out! You could do that. You can’t vote to throw out Hillary Clinton. You can’t vote to throw out Ted Kennedy. You can’t vote to throw out John Kerry. So why would you have them control education in Utah, unless you figure voting is just a silly tradition?
Also, along with your ability to affect government, it should be plain that Congress shouldn’t take on extra work. It can’t find time to do the work it is supposed to do. I’d love to have someone lay out an argument that the immigration system isn’t broken. Why, then, has Congress refused to deal with the issue? Partly, because of federal activism; Congress must be too distracted doing other stuff.
And, as was admitted this week by the longest-serving member of the committee that should deal with immigration, part of the federal government’s failure to do its work is because of “gutless” politicians. Monday, I’ll discuss how cowardice undercuts the rule of law.
posted by steve u. at 8/19/2005
Subscribe
6 Comments:
Steve,
Can you post specific recommendations about how you plan to help remove Federal Government bloat? I applaud your ideals, but all I hear is a lot of criticizing, vague recommendations, and no real ideas.
How many other political leaders do you have open dialogue with about this type of issue? Do you know if you have any real support anywhere? I think the changes need to happen and I hope that you will be able to make a difference.
I think a good law would be that every elected official be required to blog for the people every day like Steve Urquhart does. But I guess that would be like making it a law that every elected official be a good leader. Maybe some things just can't be legislated. Thanks for blogging Steve. Thanks for allowing reader comments. Thanks for the good leadership. I'd sure like to hear another audioblog again from you one of these days. I think the audioblog is a very powerful way of communicating with the people and I think the audioblog could help you to defeat Orrin Hatch if you put it to use.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jon J.
You are addressing the wrong person.
You should be DEMANDING ANSWERS from the triple decade senate veteran
Guess what, you're not going to get an answer. Well, you'll recieve a response, but no answers.
Because Hatch has no answers. After 30 years.
Jon, this all starts with removing Hatch. Then REAL work can be done.
I'm with Jon J - this is Steve website - i would like to hear what steve is going to do - ask hatch on his website why the federal government is so big and bloated and what he has done about it, if anything, but on this site it wouldn't hurt Steve to tell us what he plans on doing that hatch, bennett, garn, moss, bennett haven't been able to do over the last 45 years.
Jon J., I think if you read all the entries, you will find specific ideas -- the main one being to balance the federal budget each year. In the present climate, such a common-sense idea would be revolutionary.
<< Home