Limited Government

Limited Government:

“Man is not free unless government is limited.” –Ronald Reagan

We are a nation of laws. There are hundreds of thousands of laws, both forbidding and requiring. With each law, a freedom is denied, personal responsibility is removed, and liberty eroded.

Until November 1, 2006, Oklahoma was the only state that prohibited a person to get a tattoo. A liberty denied citizens by Oklahoma’s state government for over 40 years. One state legislator said that he opposed legalizing tattooing in Oklahoma because, “I have one [tattoo] and am sorry that I got it”. Imagine, an elected “representative of the people” using his personal reasons to deny a freedom from the populous.

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot long retain it." - Abraham Lincoln

Oklahoma’s struggle to legalize tattooing, serves as one of countless examples of how a few people, special interest groups, or influential politicians, can limit the individual freedom and responsibility of many. As a nation of laws, America must deliberate carefully the effect of new legislation and its erosion of our freedom.

Oregon auto dealers have recently asked their state legislature to pass a blue law forbidding the selling of automobiles on Sunday. This is an effort to cut costs and prohibit some dealers from staying open and benefiting for the Sunday closure of other dealers.

The Associated Press wrote: “If lawmakers don't approve the restriction on Sunday sales, Oregon dealers could opt for a voluntary pact among themselves. Dealers, however, figure a state law is needed to ensure that nobody takes advantage of the others' closure.

Here, a small number of people (the auto dealers) are pushing the government to enact a law that will affect a great number of people. In a free marketplace, the auto dealers should be able to close or open as they choose without government interference.

In most states, we have lost the freedom to choose to wear our seatbelts, the freedom to smoke indoors, even the freedom to purchase some products on Sunday. We will continue to lose our freedom until we start to stand up for our rights.

How large should our government be and how much control over us should it have? This year, the federal government is expected to eat up approximately 45% of what we produce (gross domestic product), not including the additional costs that state and local governments will require. In 1929 the federal government cost just over 11% of our GDP.

There is a movement in America toward more government regulation, more government subsidies and involvement. As we ask more of our government, we exchange freedom and personal responsibility for what shall be granted. There cannot be more government without a loss of freedom.

For more detailed information about our government's spending: http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_20th_century_chart.html#copypaste