Get Involved

Next the general election. We’ve made some choices, but we have more to make. In doing so let’s consider the concept of “civic attitude.”

How does the candidate view the job involved? Is he/she likely to be too sensitive, or too callous, to the public’s interest?

Those who are the most sensitive often underestimate the financial pain that can be associated with new, even desirable, services. Government gets bigger and it continually needs additional dollars to extend services to the newly arrived, with maintenance and replacement also to consider.

On the other hand, there are those who are under-sensitive, and tend to conflate efficiency with effectiveness. Efficiency, yes, but not at the cost of insensitivity to a significant public interest. Green boxes in Bigfork, Somers and Marion, for instance. Parking lot maintenance in Kalispell. How do we value the benefits of the services provided, or denied? Who is making that valuation for us?

Let’s choose people who understand and represent a cross-section of us, who have a working sense of the world at large, and who can both listen and explain themselves to a wide range of folks. Let’s choose those who remember that their mission is to serve the public. We are not simply consumers of services. We are co-owners and co-users. We are often dealing with those we know. It should be a respectful, pleasant interchange. We are they; they are us.

I’ve heard many say, a “conservative” is someone who always wants smaller government and “liberals” are those who always want bigger government. That person is wrong. In reality, conservatives want to reduce certain government functions and liberals want to reduce certain government functions. The two groups, however, normally disagree on which government functions to reduce.

I will illustrate the point. Most conservatives believe that drugs should be illegal even though drug laws are arguably the largest way through which government is enlarged and destroys people’s lives. By comparison, most liberals believe the United States should not intervene in foreign affairs. In these examples, conservatives want vastly more government and liberals want vastly less government.

The question, thus, boils down to government’s purpose, not its size. The purpose of government has been debated and contested since man formed society, and it is based on one’s view of human nature. For Montana and the United States, our constitutions establish the general purposes of government. Notably, even at the formation of these constitutions, the founders did not agree on this topic. That we disagree on this point today is not only unsurprising; it is expected.

Experience suggests which policies are prudent. Economy suggests which policies are unaffordable. Circumstances reveal what is necessary. Enjoy the debate and get involved.