The Case for Government

Does the government have a role to play in Americans’ lives? If you ask a libertarian or Tea Party activist, the answer would be a resounding no. The Tea Party rode to Washington in the 2010 midterms on a staunch pro-liberty, anti-government platform, and these days, it seems that citizen backlash against Washington – whether from Occupy Wall Street protesters or Tea Party activists – has never been higher. On everything from education to the environment, the GOP candidates have been candid in their desire to reduce the size of government and let the free market reign.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be the first one to admit that our government has a host of flaws. Yes, it’s too big and bureaucratic. Yes, there are countless examples of mismanagement and waste. And yes, the housing crisis and financial meltdown are great examples of how government oversight and regulation needs to be tightened. But fundamentally, I believe the government is still a net positive.

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