Opinion: Needs should be met by the people

People see me say I don’t want government doing something and often jump to the conclusion I don’t want that thing done at all. Sometimes they are right, as in the case of legislation enforcement. More often they are wrong, as in the case of environmental protection, security, or justice.

Government is more likely to make a mess of it.

I love the natural environment, which is why I oppose letting government control it or set rules concerning it. I’ve seen what happens when government is put in charge of protecting the environment. So have you. The most obvious example is the devastating wildfires that result from a century or so of wildfire “prevention.”

I’ve also seen state-controlled forests that looked beautiful from the car, but were a barren clearcut once you pulled over and ventured away from the road. Sure, private property owners also clearcut, but this shows letting government “protect” something isn’t better.

How about security? It would be terrible for America to be attacked or invaded. I believe an effective militia -- which, by the way, is all the people, not something government runs -- is the only real defense.

Government’s idea of “national security” is to wander the globe antagonizing other governments with its military to the point they start financing attacks on American soil. By making enemies of the people under those governments, you make them willing to die for a chance to strike back.

You don’t make America safer by invading, occupying, and destroying people’s homes. That’s how you recruit young people to join the fight against you; against the people in America you claim to be protecting. Great for military contractors, terrible for Americans.

It may even be worse to let government control justice. It has gotten so bad most people mistake punishment for justice. Those are not only not the same, but are closer to opposites. Government’s courts don’t deal in justice, despite the name they give themselves. It is a rare accident if any justice comes out of a court. The market could do better.

If something is needed or wanted, there is a way to get it without stealing from – taxing -- the population; a way to provide it voluntarily, without government.

Government only needs to step in to force us to accept things we don’t want badly enough to pay for them. I believe all those things should be allowed to go away.

Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:

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