state of the government

In keeping with tonight’s annual State of the Union address, the Intramuralist takes a stab at our 6th State of the Government address. In our initial analysis, we made the following observations:

• The State of the Government is too partisan.
• The State of the Government is too influenced by money.
• The State of the Government is too big.
• The State of the Government is too financially imbalanced.
• The State of the Government is too far removed from the Constitution.

Allow me a few brief notes on each state…

Government is too partisan. This isn’t rocket science. When Pres. Obama’s tenure began, then Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was famously quoted as saying, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for Pres. Obama to be a one-term president.” One could make a case for Republican obstructionism. As Obama’s tenure continued through November of last year, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) famously refused to allow hundreds of House-passed bills to even be discussed on the Senate floor. One could make a case for Democrat obstructionism.

The facts are that congressmen intentionally stymie one another’s policy initiatives, and the President now utilizes Executive Orders to bypass congressmen. Then each complains about their opposition, acting as if they are somehow standing on a perceived moral, high ground. The point is that each blames their partisan behavior on someone else.

Government is too influenced by money. Again, people blame someone else or a single judicial decision for this issue, claiming a moral (instead of hypocritical) high ground. An excellent example centers around billionaire donor Tom Steyer, who gave approx. $75 million dollars to liberal candidates in the 2014 elections; he will undoubtedly be active and vocal in future elections.

Steyer does not want the Keystone XL pipeline built; the project has bipartisan support. The administration, though, says they need more time to examine the issue. Note that the project was introduced in late 2008. It’s thus hard to believe that Steyer’s money — and influence — is irrelevant. The Intramuralist, therefore, continues to conclude that there has been a easing of morals in governance due to an easing of lobbyist/donor restrictions, that began in the late 1970‘s.

Government is too big. Let’s make this simple… There’s no budget. There’s no firm spending limits. There’s little accountability. Government keeps expanding. How can this be wise? How can wise men and women continue to ignore?

Government is too financially imbalanced. Whether monies are spent on war, Obamacare, or wars on Obamacare, the government continues to make no attempt to balance their budget. Any entity with this much deficit spending for this long with no repayment plan will at some point cease to exist. The elect continue to kick the financial can down the road, thinking it will somehow be paved by future generations.

Government is too far removed from the Constitution. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Our founders desired a country that would be internally peaceful and externally protected. Too many today, though, feel arrogantly justified in dictating exactly what a more perfect union should be for each of the rest of us.

So again I ask, where do we start?

Consistent with our mantra, I believe we start with respect — both from us and from our leaders. Respect means being wise enough to recognize the reality of our morally, digressing state — and being humble enough to recognize that no single one of us has it all figured out.

Respectfully…

AR