Strengthening Constitutional Self-Government

No Left Turns

The Nanny State

A progress report. Conservatives just now are busy fighting each other over how to move forward. Suggesting that government should trust we citizens with the management of our own affairs, might be a fruitful direction. A query: has anyone made a list of things that are illegal to do in one’s own home?

Discussions - 5 Comments

When George W. Bush visited Canada, John Robson, a libertarian editorialist for the Ottawa Citizen, had the opportunity to ask him if he thought there was any single government activity that government should really stop because private citizens could run things better. Bush had no answer for him.

My husband is on the Benevolence Board at our church. They make decision based on a Biblical criteria for individuals that seek our assistance. Larry Burkett states, in no uncertain terms, that believers should not be told to seek assistance through the government. It is the burden of the church to assist believers as far as possible. There are numerous scriptural references to assisting those in needs - widows and orphans and others. He also suggests that churches should take the lead in the community to assist others and not leave it to the impersonal government. We've relied on a system of "social welfare" for 40 years and it has not done a darn thing to relieve poverty. Instead, it has created a class of dependency and a political system stuck on supporting those who are dependent, thereby stunting any real progress on eliminating the "great society" legislation forever. Two classes of people - welfare recipients and politicians - completely reliant on the government for their relative positions in life. Sad...truly sad...

The church should not be immune to criticism in not stepping up to accept their Biblical role as providers for the community. There are thousands of examples across the country but those same politicans who want to uphold the welfare system so they can stay in power will also be some of the same ones who will decry "separation of church and state". Apparently, they have forgotten the role of the church and religion in human history. When government fails, it is often the church that people seek for guidance. If we, as Christians, cannot give hope to the hopeless, then who are we? There are so many examples where private citizens or even community groups could step up and provide services better than the government. I'm sorry that Bush could not think of even one.

As a conservative (and not a libertarian) I support smoking bans, just like I support laws barring my neighbor from playing loud music all night long.

Liberty is very important, as is the bill of rights. But conservatives do themselves no favors by allowing this conversation to be dominated by shrill libertarians who sound like a bunch of teenagers complaining about their parents...

I agree with you about the GOP fighting over leadership. Just pick the strongest person, and get ready to battle the media and the left-wing illuminati.

If you're looking to beat back the nanny state, I think it's well past time for conservatives to look in the mirror. [...and I would also suggest that your sentence read "us citizens" not "we" - you need to be objective...in more ways than one! (haha)]

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