Only the People Can Keep It

I'm hearing from a lot of my Republican friends these days. They sound almost panicked...lashing out here...slashing out there. "Well," said one, "I would vote for Obama because I know we need change but he's just going to waste my tax money on more liberal programs."

Republicans don't understand government is exactly what the people asked that it be. Indeed, it is what we, the people, have demanded. And we all complain about it even as we benefit from it.

For example, farmers depend on crop subsidies while others complain they are a waste. Some complain about the HeadStart and School Lunch programs as a waste just as others depend on them for the health they bring to their children.


Some complain about how much we spend on the defense of this nation while others understand such spending is justified to secure our nation. Some complain about spending on Interstate highways while they and others enjoy using them to get to their favorite vacation spot.


How about the taxes we pay for Medicare and Social Security? What about the funds we pay to help EPA set air and water standards. Or to the Agriculture department to regulate meat packing so the bacon won't make us sick? And of course, it's a pretty good thing we have those government backed mortgages, isn't it?


The point is: we need government. We demand government. We just don't need THIS government...and I will not list all the things you know so well that are wrong with it!! THIS government is stripping government of every dollar it can to fund its misadventure in Iraq and leaving every branch of government, department and agency operating today on the barest of budgets.


Can we do better? Sure. And that is the responsibility of each new generation -- to throw themselves into the political process with an unbridled commitment to make it better. That is what Ben Franklin meant when he said, "You have a republic, if you can keep it." It IS a fragile government...and only the people can secure it, strengthen it, and redress grievances when discovered.


Only the people have the power to "keep it."