Recently I was asked why I was running for NH State Representative. The easy answer would be that I was corralled into it. Really, there was an open seat as one of the reps was not running for re-election so I had an opportunity to “put my money where my mouth was”, so to speak.
One of the main reasons that my wife and I moved to New Hampshire was the lower level of government intrusion into people’s lives. My overall view is supporting free-markets and individual liberty. I believe that when people have the freedom to engage in capitalism, the free market can solve many problems that arise. I also believe people should be able to run their own lives, as long as they don’t interfere with the rights of others.
Proponents of government programs and projects usually proclaim that given problems will be solved. “Leave it to us” actually seems to mean “you can’t handle it yourselves”. More insidiously, the actions (or inactions) of bureaucracies that are put in place to run the program often can’t reach the goals that were set.
Sadly, governments’ track record of success is poor. All the good intentions that people have when a program or project is suggested rarely seem to show in the finished product. Frequently, the program not only doesn’t assist the people that it was intended to help, it worsens their situation.
A few examples are: the Veteran’s Administration hospitals, where our veterans get sicker or die waiting for promised care; Social Security, where contributors’ money that is supposedly saved for their own use gets spent somewhere else; welfare programs that give the poor a “hand out” instead of a ”leg up” leaving them poor for generations; licensing regulations & systems that purport to protect the public but actually protect an entrenched cartel; the Affordable Care Act that promised to improve access to medical care and lower premiums but did neither.
Some people feel more comfortable with an aristocratic form of government, where “elites”, “experts”, or “the best and the brightest” people should be given relatively free rein. Yet, time after time, this approach doesn’t produce constructive or effective outcomes.
If I recall correctly, it was Dr. Walter E. Williams that asked: How many containers of strawberries does your local grocery store stock? Does a Bureau or Council decree the number? Or, does the produce manager look at the store’s records to gauge how many containers have sold in the past and use that figure to place her orders? Which method would probably be more effective?
Look south to Venezuela for a dramatic example of how complete government control of the economy can’t deliver electricity to light homes or food for people to buy. This country purportedly has access to huge oil resources that could support a bustling economy and yet they have rolling blackouts, lack of clean water and medical supplies, empty grocery stores, and regular people are digging through garbage for food.
Our nation was founded on individual freedoms with a small government that would guarantee those freedoms. The right to own property, to speak freely, to worship as one choses, to have the means to defend yourself and your family are examples. These rights have an associated responsibility to not interfere with others who are enjoying their rights.
During the years I was a nurse, I helped people who weren’t able to help themselves. They mostly came to my facility of their own free will. I made suggestions that could improve their health. I did not, however, go to their homes and tell them how to run their lives. Or worse, I did not support laws that would force them to change their lifestyles.
Many State “solutions” disenfranchise, rather than encourage, individual self-reliance and success. Lots of folks believe that, when push comes to shove, some level of government will come to the rescue. Too frequently in emergencies like hurricanes, people are left dependent of their own resources and, thinking that they would never need them, were left in the lurch until some agency was able to arrive with aid.
If elected, I plan to use my votes to support the individuals of Gilford and Meredith, to protect their freedom and liberty, to discourage their dependence on the State, and work to prevent government infringement in their lives.
Rick Notkin
Gilford
Candidate for State Rep
Gilford / Meredith
