Catastrophic Mistake

Catastrophic Mistake

by Rick Adamson 6.11.16
© 2016 Rick Adamson

One of the most significant, if not the most serious, missteps that the federal government has ever taken was its choice to issue Treasury checks to states, entities, and individuals beyond block grants to states.

When the federal government began subsidizing individuals and entities directly, or even states outside of block grants, everything shifted. Suddenly, the federal government became a constant presence in the lives of everyone in the United States. Some individuals, businesses, and states became focused on what financial benefits they could extract from the federal government.

As a result, the political landscape evolved. Elections became increasingly centered around these concerns, leading to a divided electorate. Nowadays, it seems nearly impossible for any President, Senator, or Representative to secure election without embracing the numerous subsidy and grant programs that now dominate the federal budget.

Many of these programs were never envisioned by our founders and arguably fall outside constitutional bounds. The very foundation of the federal government was built by the states and their citizens for specific purposes, the foremost of which is the protection of liberty, resulting in some even contending that they are largely unconstitutional.

This development has come to pass because we, the citizens, and our elected officials often overlook fundamental aspects of human nature. People naturally seek power and control, and when left unchecked, that power gravitates toward those who are determined to claim it.

This is only to be expected.

The issue at hand is that the federal government was never designed to oversee numerous matters. Functions like the military and treasury are clear responsibilities, but local high school policies? And why is there federal funding flowing to K-12 schools in Texas? Isn’t Texas wealthy in oil? Shouldn’t they be capable of funding their own schools? Is it because the federal government takes so much from Texas citizens that they feel obligated to return a portion? Or perhaps it’s about exerting control over educational institutions across Texas and the country.

Schools exemplify just one among countless regulatory schemes created by career bureaucrats and politicians. These initiatives stem from a belief that these officials are better equipped to manage public finances than the local communities.

The reality is that the federal government struggles to effectively handle myriad responsibilities, often failing to improve due to a lack of understanding. Their solution is typically to ask for “more money.” Bureaucrats often resort to guesswork on issues that could be better addressed locally. In short, the federal government is frequently incompetent.

Our founders designed a system of limited government because they understood human nature.

Too bad we have forgotten.

And That’s that!

References:

Redefining the Federal Role in Social Welfare: 1995 [ 👉 here]