Christian Message Boards: The responsibilities of government

This is topic The responsibilities of government in forum Political Discussion at Christian Message Boards.

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Posted by TB125 (Member # 2450) on :

I want to observe that there are many local, state, regional, and national governmental agencies in financial trouble because too many political managers are confused regarding the respective responsibilities of their governmental bodies and those that should be reserved for the private sectors of society.

These governmental agencies are commonly being seen to be short of funds because they are trying to do too much with a shrinking supply of tax revenues.

In order to "balance" their budgets, these managers frequently begin to cut personnel in essential departments, like police and fire crews, in order to "pinch" the public into realizing that more tax revenues are needed.

I would suggest that there is a more reasonable solution to these problems. Such managers should take a fresh look at what they are seeking to do and redefine what are the essential services that they have the responsibility to provide for their citizens.

I would suggest that these essential services are basically limited to these: safety from physical or mental harm from others, justice through laws and courts, education for dependent children and youth, and roads and highways for public transportation. In addition to these services, the federal government has the responsibility to produce a common form of currency that can be used for commercial purposes throughout the nation with confidence that its value is well established.

The limitations of this list means that governmental bodies do not have the responsibilities to provide for the pleasures of its citizens, their health care, their housing, their jobs, their retirements, their means of transportation, or their food. Providing for these services and needs should be left with the private sectors of society.

We need some basic reforms in the responsibilities of parenting and citizenship. It is not the "right" of every sexually mature male or female to produce children. That is why the safety of children should be protected by laws that govern the relationships of males and females in marriages and the raising of children.

I would make just a couple of suggestions regarding some cuts that could be made in the services that are commonly being provided by public (governmental agencies) agencies from tax revenues. These include libraries for the reading pleasures of citizens, fields and facilities for the recreational pleasures of citizens, and even health care. Such cuts may appear to be cruel and unreasonable, but these services could well be provided by private boards and entrepreneurs, non-profit agencies, and parents who accept the responsibilities to pay for such services.

I've learned about these matters from a life-time of experience, including being born in the middle of the "great depression", having persistent health problems as a child, having to live and to learn with some limited resources, being unemployed from time to time, experiencing many broken relationships, and being assaulted from time to time. Life is not always "fair" and there are no "free lunches". Governmental agencies can not smooth out all of the "bumps" or provide all of the enjoyable services, and they will go "broke" if they try. I admit that I appreciate the benefits of my social security checks each month and my medicare insurance plan and its benefits, but I would probably have been and would continue to be a better more responsible adult if I had learned how to provide these benefits from my parents through their efforts to teach me the wise management of my personal resources.

I am happy to discuss this matter with others, but I'm not anxious to get into heated arguments about this.