Bureaucracy chipping away at our freedom

A recent extended visit to Singapore, whose government is sometimes described as a benevolent dictatorship, got me thinking about our government. We are a constitutional republic, which by definition, limits government’s power.

 However, might we be drifting towards democratic socialism, which follows a reformist, evolutionary path, rather than a revolutionary path, and as socialism, advocates government ownership and administration of production and distribution? Am I mistaken, or isn’t this what we’re seeing now?

We have numerous constitutional rights, freedoms and privileges that most take for granted, and feel we will never lose.

The First Amendment gives us freedom of speech. Singaporeans do not have this right, and have no concept of this freedom we cherish. As our government becomes increasingly intrusive and controlling, we suffer an insidious loss of these rights, freedoms and privileges.

We older generations see it, but future generations could grow up knowing nothing else. Thus it becomes unquestioningly accepted. Never had it, so never lost it. As I see it, gradual loss of freedom is directly proportional to the growth of bureaucracy.

Thomas Jefferson, a fairly bright man, said, “ My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”

Where do you want your government to go? What do you want your government to be? What you do in the voting booth sets our course.

God bless America, and God bless our troops.

STEVE BRIXEN

Sandpoint