If asked about some issue, “Should the Towns decide or should the State decide?” many people would answer that the Towns should decide. But for many issues that is the wrong question. The right question is “Should the Towns decide or should individuals decide for themselves?”
Should Towns decide what firearms you might possess? NO! Individuals should decide for themselves. Furthermore, the State should prohibit Town restrictions on the individual “right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state.”
Should Towns (i.e. school districts) decide where your children go to school? Or should individuals have the freedom to “choose the best public, private, charter, or home school program for their children”?
Should Towns (school districts) decide what materials are appropriate for kids, or should individual parents decide for their children?
Should Towns decide that everyone should wear masks, or should individuals decide for themselves?
Should Towns/schools decide that nobody may wear an XX wristban,d or should individuals decide for themselves?
Most Republicans agree on issues like these. Individuals, not Towns, should make these decisions. There are many other issues where Towns are not involved, but the question is similar: Should the State decide, or should individuals decide for themselves? Perennial examples are seat belts and life jackets.
The fundamental question is “Should government decide or should individuals decide?”
The GOP platform repeatedly favors the principle of individual freedom over government control:
- “preserving freedom, limited government, and unlimited opportunity for all”
- “the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, unimpeded by intrusive government regulation and control”
- “limit our government, not our freedom”
- “individual liberty is guaranteed under the Constitutions of the United States and New Hampshire”
- “liberty of the people must be protected above the power of the government”
- “free people, free markets, and free enterprise”
Back to the question at the top. The platform is mostly silent as to “Should the Towns decide or should the State decide?” Both are governments. The whole purpose of government is to protect individual rights. (Declaration of Independence: “That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men.” NH Constitution: “in order to ensure the protection of other [natural rights].”)
Our platform and founding documents all indicate that, as much as possible, decisions should be made by individuals, not by government, whether local or state. The platform does have one statement that is directly on point: “We believe that local governments should not be allowed to infringe on individual rights and that the state should ensure protection from such local government overreach.”
The principled vote on an issue is not to habitually let the Towns or the State decide. It is to determine which position gives more liberty for individuals to decide for themselves and then vote on that side.
Authors’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers.
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