The Role of Government

What is the role of the Government? With today's ever expanding Government, I decided to take a look at what I felt government's role was, compare it to the what was laid out in the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution, and possibly explore what it has become.

My description of Government's role would be an organized body that protects the rights and liberties of its citizens while providing services that the private sector is unable or unwilling to provide on its own. I know it’s a very simplified description, but I believe it gets to the heart of the matter.

The Declaration of Independence also has a brief but very powerful description of a government’s purpose.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
“Declaration of Independence”, para. 2

In two sentences Thomas Jefferson clearly stated that a government is created by consent from the governed to protect the rights of its citizens.

Once the purpose of government was agreed upon, a framework was needed. The Constitution of the United States established the necessary framework which laid out how the purpose of government would be fulfilled. Most of the specific duties of the government are laid out in Sections 8-10 of the Constitution, while the Amendments enumerate many of the Citizens rights. However even The Constitution doesn’t explain everything. Many of the duties are rather general and the actual execution can vary based on philosophy. It’s up to our established legislative bodies to come to an agreement as to how these duties are best executed.

It’s at this point where it becomes very difficult to say if our current administration is following the principles of The Constitution or moving in an entirely new direction. It would be up to the courts to make a definitive ruling on the subject, but I do believe that much of what has recently takes place violates the principles that our country was founded upon.

America is a country of opportunity not entitlement. The great draw to immigrants is that you can come to America to avoid persecution or just to have the opportunity to be successful on your own terms. The key word is opportunity. Nothing is guaranteed. Failure is possible. That is part of what makes America great. The possibility of failure motivates people to work hard, be creative, take risks that they are comfortable with, and makes success all the more enjoyable. The direction we seem to be moving is one of entitlement where we the Government will guarantee that you don’t fail. You’ll always have success. That is a promise that the Government could never hope to uphold. Even if it were possible removing the possibility of negative outcomes is detrimental to society. People will take on more risk than they can handle or they won’t be motivated to do better. Our country makes progress through American ingenuity which would be stifled under an entitlement based mentality.

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/