Russia Today: Thom Hartmann: How Big Should Government Be?

Source:Free State MD

In this editorial, Thom Hartmann said that government should be big enough to insure that all Americans have access to quality affordable health care. And I guess that means health insurance as well and education. Does that mean that Thom believes that the Federal Government should be running the entire healthcare and education systems in this country? I know he’s in favor of Medicare For All, which would basically make Medicare the sole provider of health insurance in this country. I disagree with him on that, but I know he’s in favor of Medicare single-payer for all. But my question would be for Thom, does that mean he’s also in favor of the U.S. Government running the entire health care system in this country, or just as it relates to health insurance?

The United Kingdom use to have a nationalized healthcare system. Both health insurance and health care delivery. Before they started privatizing parts of their health care system and allowing for some private hospitals and health insurers. And my other question for Thom would be does he want to nationalize the education system in America as well? I agree with Thom Hartmann when it comes to regulation, to make sure we are consuming safe products. That won’t kill us, at least instantly, but that’s different from prohibition. My points about regulations would be about cars, toys, food inspection, so we do not get poisoned things that we have to use everyday. Or do use everyday, so these products are as safe as possible, even if they aren’t good for us. Like food to use as an example, but that we do not get poisoned from eating a meal or something.

And that we work under safe working conditions, just as long as the public sector isn’t trying to run the private sector and vice-versa. They both have different roles and both are needed for a country to become and remain a developed country. We agree that government shouldn’t be running the economy or running industries and I would add, or nationalizing any industries. Including education and healthcare. So the question for me at least not asking myself this question since I already know the answer as far as where I come down, is what should government be doing at all levels, not just at the Federal level? And it first starts with the United States Constitution and what authority does government at all levels have to do in this country.

And once you’ve figured that out, you meaning anyone, then it becomes about what should government be doing with the constitutional authority that it has. So for example, for me it starts with what government shouldn’t be doing. Because I believe there’s more that government shouldn’t be doing than what it should. So to me big government, is government that does too much trying to do for the people what they can do for themselves. Basically so I do not want government trying to run our lives and making decisions for us that we can do for ourselves. Like where we can send our kids to school, or what we can say to each other, as long as we aren’t libeling people or inciting riots. Or giving out classified information, that sort of thing. Or telling us what we can and can’t do with our own lives.

And after we cover what government shouldn’t be doing, then it becomes about what the states and locals should be doing. A bottom up approach rather, in a classically liberal, but still liberal direction. Rather than a top down heavy-handed socialist, or dictatorial direction. So I want the states and localities to run the things that they should be running basically that we do not need a national approach to be running. Things like education and public assistance, social insurance, to use as examples. I would block-grant most if not all the Federal social insurance programs to the states and localities. And let the Feds serve as regulators to see what’s working and that basic national standards are being met. And then leave the rest as far as what government should be doing for the Feds.

Like protecting us from foreign invaders, terrorists, national criminals in conjunction with the states and localities, protecting our borders, overall immigration policy, national-security, foreign policy. And also serve as a funding source in areas like education and job-training. So everyone has access to a quality education in America, including job training for low-income and low-skilled workers in this country. So they can live in freedom as well. So overall the Federal Government of my dreams would be smaller than the Federal Government of today. Including in defense and I do not want the U.S. Government trying to run the lives of Americans, or trying to police the world as well.

But I would invest more in infrastructure and rebuild this country, just not have the Federal Government run that. But approve a lot more new infrastructure-projects that need to be fixed, or built and invest more in like I said education and job training. Again, just not running those things, so that all Americans have access to a quality education in life. No matter how they start out, or the income level of their parents. But also so low-income low-skilled parents, can get themselves the skills that they need to live in freedom in life as well. And not be dependent on government for their economic survival, no matter the level of government.

When I blog about limited government, I’m actually blogging about limited government. Surprise surprise, it sounds too simple that it must be true. But I’m not blogging about what Libertarians would call small government. That I just want government limited to doing what we need it to do. Not trying to run our lives from an economic, or personal point of view. Or trying to tell us what we can do with our own lives, but there to do for us to serve us by doing the things that individuals can’t do for themselves.