IF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS THE ANSWER, IT MUST BE A REALLY STUPID QUESTION.

*It must have been a really stupid question!

As I watch the beginning of the “Trump Era” of the United States national government I’m heartened to see that our new President appears to get this point. What do I mean? What I mean is that since the founding of this Republic, it has been continually proven that if your intent is to screw up a situation, push for government to get involved. AND if you want to screw it up to the highest level, get the Federal government involved. The greatest stroke of genius of our Founding Fathers was to draft a Constitution, which above all else was to minimize the size and scope of the Federal government. Now for 225+ years We The People have worked, on a near continuous basis, to totally depart from this foundation.

Over these last 2+ centuries, those who would hold themselves as “leaders” in various levels of our government have continually answered every “problem” with the answer “Government”. The “solutions” provided with this answer then begins the expansion of the problem in most every instance. I have asked elected and employed members of our governments, at various levels, “Can they provide an example where a government program was the actual solution to a problem?” You should try this exercise with those in your government and watch the reaction. I’m interested in hearing if you have ever been given a straight answer? Or, does the answer involve the Federal government being the “solution” to a problem that was created by previous inferior government involvement? I find this seems to be the situation every time. And the “higher” the level of government involved, the more expensive and problematic the “solutions” become.

The Design of the Founders was that, in most any situation, the government closest to the people affected was the best government for a situation. This was why they were very specific in the powers and responsibilities of the then Federal Government. Sadly, our “leaders”, and our fellow Citizens, have used the judicial system to turn this whole brilliant design on its head. Just think about it. For example, I’ll use what is now a 20+-year situation here in Cleveland County, NC. For at least that long there has been a discussion of building a new reservoir for the Cleveland County Water System. If this were, in respect to the law and government, 100 years ago, the Citizens residing in Cleveland County and their local government would have studied the situation. They would have held local meetings and discussions among the Citizens and their local government officials on the merits, and demerits, of the project and reached an up or down decision. Then the dam would have been built and the reservoir filled, or not, years ago.

But wait, over these 100 years we have allowed the government at every level, all the way to Washington, D.C., to now have a say in this local decision. I totally understand that the State of North Carolina having a say because Cleveland County is established by, and operates under a Charter granted by the North Carolina General Assembly. But why does Washington, D.C. need to be involved at all? The simple and correct answer from anybody other than government itself is, “They DON’T!” But NO!, that is not true. You see, because the US EPA has gone totally out of control and declared dominion over ALL things water (well, all except one little river the EPA polluted in CO.) they must demand an “Environmental Impact Study” for the EPA to approve, or “No Go.” And then there’s the US Army Corp of Engineers that has to be involved and have input because they… (Not sure why)? So, now 20 years later we still have no decision, on what many see as the most critical infrastructure project in Cleveland County, after more than 20 years of “discussion”. And how many more new rules and regulations have been put in the way at every level of government over this 20+ years of discussion? And how much has been added to the costs to build this reservoir over these 20+ years? And who created these two very serious questions about this important project? Government! Even worse, it’s the Federal government. So, we’re back to the original point, “If the Federal Government is the answer, it must have been a really stupid question!”

God Bless America! And America, Please Bless God Again!!