Remarks on Restructuring Government

Following are the remarks I made in Santa Fe on May 25, 2010, in the Capitol building before the New Mexico Task Force on Restructuring Government:

I represent no organization here today. I speak only for myself, an American concerned about the present state of government.

I do not seek to be harsh and/or disrespectful. But I need to say acouple of things and I will be blunt.

I know that government on all levels is bloated beyond its proper functions. Yesterday, I sat appalled at what I heard said here. It's not merely the extent to which most of you intrude upon individual rights in so many ways. But also that most of you seem oblivious to that intrusion.

I recognize that the problems you are struggling with are difficult and complex. As Representative (name omitted) said today, "Restructuring means to throw everything out and start fresh with a blank canvas."

I agree with that analogy. I urge you to do this. Let's have a sleek and streamlined government. The one principle to guide you is this: the only proper function of government is the police to protect individual rights domestically and the courts to defend individual rights by settling disputes. That is all.

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Nota Bena: I could tell that the Senators, the Representatives, the advisors and the members of that Task Force had no idea what I was talking about. I looked into their faces and saw silence. I don't know if any single one of the people in that room actually heard what I said.

It's okay. It's a start. The words have to get out there. Eventually, enough of us telling the government what the proper function of government is, some of it will might soak in---especially to men such as the Representative who recognize what re-structuring means.