Limited Government

01 February 2004 | Me

[Voice in your head]

There seems to be a disagreement, regarding just what exactly limited government is. The recent expansion under the current administration has not helped. I just want to make sure that we are all on the same sheet of music. Below is my understanding of what would need to happen, for our government to be limited. If there is anything wrong with this, please let me know.

Disassociate our federal government from all boards, commissions and committees.

Eliminate the following departments of the federal government:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Education
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of Labor
- Department of Transportation
- Department of the Interior

Some of the departments above have some necessary agencies. For these exceptions, do the following:
- Keep the Bureau of Census and place it in the executive branch. If the Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics are deemed necessary for addressing the state of the union, then place them under the executive branch.
- For agencies that deal with the collection of weather, terrain and oceanic data, such as the National Weather Service, et cetera, place these agencies under the control of the CIA or DIA and allow the CIA or DIA to determine what functions to keep and what to eliminate.
- Place agencies that deal with nuclear emergencies and waste under the command of the department of Homeland Security. This includes test sites.
- Retain the Center for Disease Control and place it in the Department of Homeland Security. Limit its scope to infectious diseases, HIV, and other diseases or viruses of a national security nature.

Within the departments that remain, eliminate the following:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Agency
- National Drug Intelligence Center
- Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
- Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
- Internal Revenue Service

For remaining infrastructure and real estate, do the following:
- Sell all laboratories, equipment and research facilities to the highest bidder. Restrict bidders to American citizens, American educational institutions, and American-based businesses. If equipment is of a sensitive nature, give it to the Department of Defense or CIA, as appropriate.
- Sell all national parks and federally owned land not used by the military or remaining agencies to the highest bidder.
- Sell all other infrastructure to the highest bidder.

Within the Executive Branch, eliminate the following:
- Council on Environmental Quality
- Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
- Office of National Drug Control Policy
- Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Office of the First Lady

Sell the US Botanic Garden, Library of Congress, all museums, all galleries, and the National Zoo.

Place the US Copyright Office under control of the Department of Justice.

Eliminate the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration.

Combine NASA and the Space Command. Place them under the command of the Air Force or create a new department within the Department of Defense. Place the CIA under the command of the Department of Homeland Defense.

[BackInBlack]

I'm with you on a lot of that -- agriculture, education, all sorts of things can be eliminated from federal jurisfiction. But I'd keep things like the Department of Transportation, since that genuinely involves interstate commerce.

[BackInBlack]

One more thing: how about just eliminating NASA? What good does it do human beings? And who gave the federal government the authority to explore space?

[A.J.Armitage]

Sell the US Botanic Garden, Library of Congress, all museums, all galleries, and the National Zoo.

Should Congress be the only legislative body in the world without a library?

[Voice in your head]

"...I'd keep things like the Department of Transportation, since that genuinely involves interstate commerce."

The internet genuinely involves interstate commerce, too. Should we establish a Department of the Internet? What is it about genuine involvement that justifies a continuing role for the government?

One more thing: how about just eliminating NASA? What good does it do human beings? And who gave the federal government the authority to explore space?

NASA is a fine tool for research and development of space, which is now part of our national defense strategy. It will benefit human beings, because humans benefit by the advancement of American interests, but that is not why we should or should not keep NASA.

[Voice in your head]

"Should Congress be the only legislative body in the world without a library?"

Only if the other legislative bodies in the world choose to have libraries.

[BackInBlack]

"The internet genuinely involves interstate commerce, too. Should we establish a Department of the Internet?"

No, but we could have an office that deals with internet issues in the Department of Commerce.

"What is it about genuine involvement that justifies a continuing role for the government?"

It's not just "genuine involvement" -- it's genuine involvement in things that the Constitution has mandated that the federal government regulate. If the Constitution says the feds have to deal with interstate commerce -- as it does -- then failing to do so would be to reject the rule of law in favor of a flexible, activist view of the Constitution.

"NASA is a fine tool for research and development of space, which is now part of our national defense strategy. It will benefit human beings, because humans benefit by the advancement of American interests, but that is not why we should or should not keep NASA."

Then what is the reason? As I said, the federal government was never authorized to explore space. If we want to conduct research on defense, we don't have to do it under the auspices of an organization with an extra-Constitutional mission.

[Voice in your head]

"No, but we could have an office that deals with internet issues in the Department of Commerce."

Yes, but should we? Likewise, should we have a Department of Commerce? I do not think so.

"It's not just "genuine involvement" -- it's genuine involvement in things that the Constitution has mandated that the federal government regulate. If the Constitution says the feds have to deal with interstate commerce -- as it does -- then failing to do so would be to reject the rule of law in favor of a flexible, activist view of the Constitution."

The government has the power to regulate interstate commerce, but not the duty.

"The Congress shall have power... To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes..."

I think that government should minimize its regulation of interstate commerce, because the marketplace can perform better without social engineering and government bureaucracy clogging the gears of progress. I think that government should focus its efforts on protecting our rights, especially from threats against our right to life from current and potential foreign enemies.

"Then what is the reason? As I said, the federal government was never authorized to explore space."

I could have worded what I wrote a little better. The reason is not the second sentence: "It will benefit human beings, because humans benefit by the advancement of American interests, but that is not why we should or should not keep NASA." The reason is the first sentence: "NASA is a fine tool for research and development of space, which is now part of our national defense strategy." That is not a justification for the creation of NASA. But, it is a justification for retaining a trimmed-down version of it, if it is put under control of the military.

"If we want to conduct research on defense, we don't have to do it under the auspices of an organization with an extra-Constitutional mission."

And that is kind of what I am addressing in the sentence above. Just as an interstate highway system is kosher, due to the power to regulate interstate commerce, military-related research and development is kosher due to the power to provide for the common defense.

[Celtman]

Years ago, I had a book titled "The Liberty Amendment', which has a pretty complete plan for paring the federal government down to a size where the income tax would not be needed. Obviously it never went anywhere, but it still seems like a good idea.

[B4Ranch]

Have you read Molon Labe?

[Celtman]

Have you read Molon Labe?

      No, I haven't.  But after checking into it, it sounds like it would be interesting.

[B4Ranch]

It is interesting because it shows what's possible.