The only issue I have, and it is a common theme in these discussions, is the over simplification of what went on with the founding of this nation. There is a reason that the founders allowed for amending the Constitution and made allowances for change in the role of government. These brilliant men knew their limitations and knew they could not see the future. So they trusted future generations to do the right thing and make use of these tools to modify the federal government with the times.
The issue is that trust and the assumption that the future generations would make good use and do it right. In some ways we have, in many we have not.
We need federal entities like the Military, the FBI, the FAA, the CDC etc. especially in the modern world. For example providing nation spanning highways for military, commercial and public transport is very much in line with the founders intent.
The sole purpose of the Constitution is to ensure our rights, and in those is the life, liberty, pursuit of happiness concept. We pursue happiness by work, our work requires venues for of operation, customers and the deliver of our efforts. Our liberty to travel as we see fit in made easier and protected by the things the government is GOOD at.
A large amount of things need to go back to the states, the federal government needs a serious diet. The problem is when it is framed in all or nothing rhetoric that ignores the realities of 2010 verses 1798 then the best ideas become part of a string of crackpot verbal flotsam. There were and are some things that have come under the realm of the federal government since its founding that have been good and necessary, those have to be acknowledged and allowed to continue and worked into arguments about “reducing the fed”.
If the ideas of conservatism cannot be heard by voters because all they hear is crazy talk and rhetoric, then none of these arguments really matter for spit.
I will agree with you on most of your points. I think the thing that is lost on almost everyone is the idea of self reliance. From my readings of the Founders, I saw them trying to keep what has occurred from actually occurring. The government is insatiable and gobbling up power as quickly as it can find another morsel to gobble. Government is mostly bad, I think the Founders were counting on individuals to do most of the governing themselves. I think where we have failed is allowing individuals more and more latitude in not accepting that responsibility.
I saw a movie called Kite Runner, which was really good in my opinion. One of the things that stuck with me from this movie was what the main character’s father considered the worst possible sins, which are our natural laws (this is while he was denouncing the mullahs) it was theft. I will copy it here, I hope that is ok.
“There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft... When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.”
I was amazed at its simplicity. Anyway, the more complex laws become, the more complex the way around them, to the point that regular people on the street have no idea what they are reading or hearing. I guess a start to turning this around would be to make the congress a part time job again. Make them look after their local constituents. Call lobyists what they are, bribers.
I am probably better off imagining what I would do if I won the lottery.