The Primary Purpose of Government

By Chuck McGlawn
Wars are raging in Iraq and Afghanistan. The powder keg in the Middle East is threatening to set the world aflame. One cannot deny that US citizen security is at an all-time low. This might be the perfect time to consider, just what is the primary function of the federal government?

Let us go to one of our basic documents. To paraphrase the Declaration of Independence, (which was the Mission Statement for the soon to be ratified US Constitution) humankind, has the right (natural rights) to LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS. To secure (that is to protect) those rights governments are created, and government gets it power to protect those rights from the governed.

Our Government has failed us big time. The attack on the World Trade Center was clear proof of that. While our military is off to far-away-places with strange sounding names, involved in regime change, spreading democracy, taking on the job of policemen of the world (or school-yard bully, I really cannot tell which). The job they are supposed to be doing goes unfilled.

In the last fifty years, the US Government has spent trillions of dollars developing an offensive military force. Most of which became obsolete before it got used. Any fifth grader, with a proper education could tell you that our government is only empowered to develop a defensive military force.

Bring our troops home, not only from Iraq and Afghanistan, but also from the over 100 nations we now occupy. Muster-out all the troops except enough for an invincible defensive force. Half of the money required to house our troops abroad returned to the taxpayer. The tax credit would exceed 75 Billion dollars, and would trigger a spending frenzy that would launch an economic upturn unprecedented in America’s history. The resulting increased Federal tax revenues returned to the taxpayers, would further fuel the skyrocketing expansion of our economy.

All of this growth would create a shortage of labor. US businesses would be running full-page ads in Mexico and other Central American nations for willing laborers.

Some (just some) of the increased tax revenues accruing to State and City governments could fund State and City Police Intelligence Agencies. These agencies could develop defensive plans that fit the geographic area where the increased tax revenues occur. States would no longer be dependant on the one-size-fits-all defense measures planned by the Federal Government. The rest of the tax revenues could be returned to taxpayers.

Oh, and the other half of the money being spent to house US troops abroad could be put out to private bid on National defensive weapons systems weapon systems so diverse, so cutting edge and so state of the art that another 9/11 style attack would be hugely reduced. Then, a national policy that no longer had its nose stuck into every nations business, and citizen security would be at an all time high.