The Purpose Of Government

This Feb. 27, 2012 photo released by the State Attorney's Office shows George Zimmerman, the neighborhood?watch volunteer who shot Trayvon Martin, with blood on the back of his head. The photo and reports were among evidence released by prosecutors that also includes calls to police, video and numerous other documents. The package was received by defense lawyers earlier this week and released to the media on Thursday, May 17, 2012. (AP Photo/State Attorney's Office)

Call me old-fashioned, but I still hold with the ancient Greeks who said government has only one purpose, to improve the lives of citizens. If it doesn't, there is no reason for it, no reason at all, which is why I was a little surprised that with the nation at war, our intelligence services in a complete mess, as we just heard, the deficit soaring and jobs going overseas, the Senate decided the most important thing it needed to do was debate a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The House will soon follow.

Full disclosure here. I am for civil unions, but I'm not sure that gay marriage is any of the government's business one way or the other. What irritates me as a taxpayer is that the Senate is debating this knowing full well the amendment has no chance of passing. Approval requires two-thirds of the House and Senate, and neither house can count a simple majority in favor. Still, they press on because an advocate says voters want people to be on the record on this. Well, who says?

It is the politicians who want their opponents on the record so they can use this issue to raise money, but it is a con. Nothing will change. Nothing. If Congress cannot figure out what to do with its time, members might skim Peter G. Peterson's new book "Running on Empty." He believes the country's heading toward financial collapse. He blames both parties and he says Democrats should find some ways to rein in the cost of entitlement programs while Republicans should get busy trying to look beyond tax cuts as the solution to every problem, but they won't.

Too many politicians have forgotten that government's only purpose is to improve citizens' lives. They've come to believe it's there to improve their lives.


By Bob Schieffer

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Federal Government:
The purpose of government is to serve and protect the needs (defined as the essentials of life) of the people as a whole; the government should not involve its self in business or make decisions that help only a minority (such as wealthy and/or big businesses) of American people. The Government should Control a strong military that protects its people from harm by feign threats, Government should not concern its self with the securing resources or combating other nations ideals or troubles (this might sound cold, but the fastest way to learn how to swim is by being thrown in the water) "If it does not directly affect the peoples security, then government should not get involved" (this is meant as a physical harm not the hindering of business practices) government should not concern its self with the economy or business practices unless they are causing real harm (Physical/ mental) to citizens of the country or their lively hood (meaning businesses cannot put undue pressure on someone, like the use of harm to either their person their property) The government should print, monitor, and control a stable form of currency. The government should not mandate any kind of social security savings by its people (with inflation people find the money they save is not worth as much as it was at the time they were required to save it) Government is not to be in charge of everyone's spending habits. Government should require school until the age of 16 but it should allow the private sector to run the schools (as we all know the private schools more often than not provide better more structured education toward a particular end) in other words allowing vocational High schools (Its seen great success in other countries, it doesn't require students who want to be lawyers to study biology or other things that won't help them in their career path).
The government should tax each of its people a percentage (%) of their income (otherwise known as a flat tax) so in that way the wealthy pay more and d the middle class pays less and the poor pay next to nothing but it is all equal because everyone pays from what they have.
State Governments:
The state Government should maintain order by maintaining a police force in order to protect people's rights that would be awarded by the state legislature. The states should have no form of military and should not either pay for or maintain defensive facilities. The state not impose any effect on businesses positive or negative (i.e. should not give loans to businesses, or give business standards that they must obey) The state should not restrict business unless it does real harm to citizens or the environment of the state (pollution for example destroying land potential for farmers with acid rain, soil erosion and more). The state should create manage the construction of roads in order to allow safe travel. Also the state should maintain emergency response units for the protection of their citizens. The state should create the other legislation as its people see fit through the election of representatives.