Changes

You probably need a license to hunt, or own a gun.  You even need a license to cut someone else’s hair for pay.  You have to understand how government works in order to get anything done.

You probably need a license to hunt, or own a gun.  You even need a license to cut someone else’s hair for pay.  You have to understand how government works in order to get anything done.

When something bad happens, such as the bridge collapsing about a month ago in [[Minnesota]], we need to know which part of government is responsible.  Was that President [{George W. Bush]]'s fault?  How would you find out?

When something bad happens, such as the bridge collapsing about a month ago in [[Minnesota]], we need to know which part of government is responsible.  Was that President [[George W. Bush]]'s fault?  How would you find out?

With all its regulations, government can seem to be all-powerful.  But actually our government is limited in power. There is much that it cannot do.  It cannot seize our land, unless it pays us for it.  It typically cannot enter our homes, unless it has a warrant.

With all its regulations, government can seem to be all-powerful.  But actually our government is limited in power. There is much that it cannot do.  It cannot seize our land, unless it pays us for it.  It typically cannot enter our homes, unless it has a warrant.

3. Eliminate certain government operations entirely?

3. Eliminate certain government operations entirely?

There was a time when did not have a federal government.  For over ten years after the Declaration of Independence, we even lacked a president.  Many did not see any problem with that. Think about what we need government for, and what we could do better without government involvement.  Take the Post Office, for example, which was one of the first functions of federal government.  We can mail a letter to anywhere in the United States and, for a mere 37 cents, it will be delivered within a few days.  Federal Express charges 30 times as much, though it will deliver it faster.  Yet the Postal Service delivers more mail in one day than Federal Express delivers in an entire year.  The government asserts a monopoly over ordinary mail delivery (expensive urgent delivery, like that provided by Federal Express, received an exemption from the Postal Service, 39 C.F.R. § 320.6).  If you set up a mail delivery service in your town, then the government would force you to stop.  Do you agree with that policy?  Would we be better off with a less powerful federal government?  Would it be wise to eliminate the federal government?

There was a time when we did not have a federal government.  For over ten years after the Declaration of Independence, we even lacked a president.  Many did not see any problem with that. Think about what we need government for, and what we could do better without government involvement.  Take the Post Office, for example, which was one of the first functions of federal government.  We can mail a letter to anywhere in the United States and, for a mere 37 cents, it will be delivered within a few days.  Federal Express charges 30 times as much, though it will deliver it faster.  Yet the Postal Service delivers more mail in one day than Federal Express delivers in an entire year.  The government asserts a monopoly over ordinary mail delivery (expensive urgent delivery, like that provided by Federal Express, received an exemption from the Postal Service, 39 C.F.R. § 320.6).  If you set up a mail delivery service in your town, then the government would force you to stop.  Do you agree with that policy?  Would we be better off with a less powerful federal government?  Would it be wise to eliminate the federal government?

[[Category:Lectures]]

[[Category:Lectures]]