That is what former Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said on yesterday’s Meet The Press. Really! As if someone can just wave a magic wand and go “Poof, there it is”! It seems like a number of the Ruling Class (and yes, being the Press Secretary does tend to make you a member with sterling credentials) can be mini-King Canutes and just command things into being (er, when does ole’ boy Canute get replaced by Prez Obama in these tales; after all, the latter seemingly tries to do it more often).
They constantly fail to realize that Trust is an ephemeral entity – easy to go and hard to come by. And given the Scandalpalozza that have been Obama Administration man-made disasters (Porkulus, IRS, EPA, NSA, Obamacare, just to name 4 real quickly), more and more folks are convinced that Government is trying too hard to take over too much and do too much and not being successful.
Which strikes a dagger into the Progressive Mantra that Government CAN do it all and take care of us. So Gibbs wants more trust in Government by the rest of us (as it seems he’s still fully convinced that Progressive axiom holds true)? Here’s an idea:
I do agree with the diagnosis – as a Conservative, I believe in the ordered Liberty that only a limited government can provide. Lessened trust in Government, along with Obama’s regressive move back to the Rule of Man over the Western Classical Liberalism of The Rule of Law can only end badly. By definition, a limited government takes on ONLY a few responsibilities – and then should do them exceedingly well. In order to do that, the obvious must happen:
Shrinking Govt down to meet that lessened trust invested in it by its people
Then and ONLY then, once Government proves its worth and capability at that diminished task list will the Peoples’ Trust be restored. And yes, that means that a number of tasks and responsibilities that “crowded out” from Civil Society by Government overreach will have to be picked up by individuals and voluntary groups once again. Yes, things will be bumpy as Civil Society beings to “remember” its former roles and what it used to do. However, that will allow for much more flexibility and creativity when people are unleashed from the bureaucratic rules and mish-mash that have come to overly us in Government’s impossible task to be all and do all (and as we have seen, rarely accomplished the goal efficiently and well).
And at that time when that is accomplished, there will be those that will say “Well, now that Government has proven its worth again and should do more!”, our leaders should be tasked with the singular question: “Does the Constitution allow this activity by Government”?
I think most answers would end up being in the negative – and self-rescue Government from the cycle of “trust erosion”.
