Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Now that Texas legislators are getting down to the business of balancing the states budget and the House passed its version Sunday night it is interesting to see the steady stream of groups lobbying for their particular piece of the pie. Almost all of us agree that government spending is out of control and that cuts have to be made. However we are not willing to sacrifice cuts to our own interests.
There is one thing that is guaranteed during this time of debate over what cuts to make and that is there is no way to please everyone.
But this is true of every issue that comes before our elected officials whether local county state or federal. With every vote they have supporters that helped them get elected on both sides. This is where the ability to see the big picture and character play an important part.
James Madison in a letter to Edmond Pendleton in 1792 expressed his concerns regarding spending and budgets:
If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money and will promote the General Welfare the Government is no longer a limited one possessing enumerated powers but an indefinite one subject to particular exceptions.Madison knew there would be a tendency to expand on the definition of General Welfare. That the meaning of general welfare was for the good of all would or could easily become the good for this group or that group; which is exactly what has happened. Now every dollar the government brings in (from tax payers) has a constituent group attached to it. With the downturn in our economy over the last three years families all over the state have had to prioritize their spending and downsize. It is not pleasant after
getting used to one standard of living to have to do without those things we have become accustomed.
However sometimes we learn that we did not need those things anyway.
There is a natural tendency that when times are good we spend more and forget that we need to continue to prioritize what we do with our money. Going after that bigger house and more luxurious car etc. is a snare we would do well to avoid. However many of us fall into that trap.
When We the People" are not acting with fiscal responsibility due to our culture of consumerism it is hard to expect our elected officials to legislate any differently. The truth of the matter is we need a dramatic shift in our thinking and spending habits.
The Texas budget has grown because of some really good years with surpluses that fed the idea that we could continue to spend more and more each year. Well now that the good times are over and the federal governments unfunded mandates are taking a toll on all the states we are being forced to make difficult choices in order to balance the budget.
Sacrifice" is not a word Americans value anymore.
Yes we do have a rainy day fund to help offset budget shortfalls in years of lack and that is better than most states. But it is now time to shift from thinking state government can do all things for all people.
Government was never intended to provide charity services. That is the churchs responsibility as well as non-profit organizations that provide help for families in need. They do it much more efficiently and effectively than government.
The Founders warned against the unlimited expansion of government and that is why they took great care to put into place our system of checks and balances.
- They knew the natural state of man when put into a place of power would be to continually expand that power by providing services and monetary gain to different constituent groups.
- They also knew that when the people discovered they could vote for themselves money from the federal coffers that many would do so.
-- Alexander Hamilton Federalist No. 12 27 November 1787
I think all the world would gain by setting commerce at perfect liberty.-- Thomas Jefferson letter to John Adams 7 July 1785
Of course the sad truth is that we have few if any enlightened statesmen anymore. But creating an atmosphere that promotes business and job creation should be the goal of good government. The income of the government really does go up when this atmosphere is present. The government is so large now that it invades everything we do and prohibits the individual liberty that made America great and set us apart from every other nation. It is now time to return to the basic principles of good government and
encourage business creation innovation and creativity in the people of Texas and the American people as a whole.
We and our representatives must accept that you cant please all the people when it comes to budgets.
Carol Sewell is the author of We the People: Know the Past Understand the Present Secure the Future" with foreword by David Barton.
