His solution is to pass Senate Bill 1 which is to make the state Ethics Board independent of the legislature, and to pass Assembly Bill 626 which would provide for a voluntary system of public financing of campaigns.
David Meyer, a Madison resident, says that outsiders with common sense need to get involved in politics. His reasoning is that those who are partially or completely disengaged from the political process should become active. He says that those with the most power and biggest voice are strong-arming many issues, like inclusionary zoning, the smoking ban, and mandatory health insurance, to name a few. He suggests that we call on or write to our community and elected leaders and that a dose of common sense will set us on the right path.
I would suggest that our government is working exactly as planned and people who are organized get their agenda enacted. The problem is not the process, but the role of government itself.
Beginning in the 1850s and lasting until the 1920s or so, the government's share of GDP in most of the industrial economies was about 6 percent. Now it is 35-45 percent. Although I do not have the figures, I would say that in most Asian countries it is about the same or higher. I have heard Asian Americans say that the United States is so wealthy it (meaning you and me) should provide for people who are unable to take care of themselves. This is a good and noble thought. However, the result has been a government that has become involved in every aspect of our lives through regulation, subsidies, and taxation. It is not surprising that an institution with such power would become corrupt. Almost all of the problems that were supposed to be solved still exist and many have become worse. / Many Asians have emigrated to the United States and succeeded in the private sector. This success has been achieved in spite of racial, regulatory, and cultural barriers that they have encountered. While some have achieved success using government programs, the vast majority has been successful in spite of government obstacles! There is much evidence to show that less government is better for us.
In a future column, I will discuss how a reduction in government led to a higher quality of life in New Zealand.
John S. Pinto is a longtime Madison resident and owns Delta Vending Services and Delta Enterprises, which deals in real estate. |
