Get Small

Mark Steyn, in reference to Governor Mark Sanford’s Argentinean walkabout, (among other things) makes some fantastic points, but this one struck me as particularly relevant.

In a republic of limited government, the governor, two-thirds of the state legislature, and the heads of every regulatory agency should be able to go “hiking the Appalachian Trail” for a lot longer than five days, and nobody would notice...

This is dead-on right and we’d all—particularly in New Hampshire where we can still try to pull this off—best consider heading back in that direction.  (And no we're not there anymore) 

Local and State Government should not to be a profession but a necessary evil, barely if at all tolerated.  And it should exist in a condition that attracts civic-altruists (not narcissists), whose goal is at every opportunity to whittle away at the “necessary” parts we already have to keep the evil at an absolute minimum.  By my thinking, people who still actually have to work for a living outside their public service will want to get on with their regular jobs, leaving the governing and the freedom where it belongs—in the hands of the people. 

(Please note--I know many people who want to serve but can't or no longer will because of the demands our growing legislative agenda and process place on NH house members--and yes I contend that it is an intentional growth for ill purposes.)

To move on.  There are always more political opportunists, and these are the worst sort.  They feel inclined to use their position in government to gather about them money and influence—no matter their competence.  But they should be excused as promptly as the next election--if not sooner, so that examples of such abuse continue to provide adequate grounds for the people to keep the size, salaries, and benefits afforded those in public political service to the bare minimum lest they become the reason for seeking office.

State legislators (well, all of them really) ought to be more like weekend warriors who show up once a month for two days, (or more precisely for just a few days a week for a month or two every two years) to put a tiny bit of grease on the wheels of our limited government.  Businesses could excuse them the same way they do our citizen soldiers, and that would be that.  

It would be so much easier for everyone to keep up.  It might inspire a more diverse cross section of people to run for public office.  It would give everyone more time to study real issues, and relate with their constituents at the town level.  (Where issues towns could not fully resolve on their own would only then find their way to the county and then maybe state level)

This would cull the endless stream of nonsense we have been forced to endure (Thousands of bills per session)—where only the serious and necessary business that percolated up to state government would find its way onto that very limited legislative schedule.

Reducing useless legislation (and our tolerance to it) reduces our legislators exposure to outside interests in the otherwise growing bubble of government in Concord (to borrow again from Mr, Steyn) where much derided lobbyists and special interests do things with our government we may neither see nor hear until well after the damage is done.   Giving them no reason to appear keeps the interests of citizens above all others.  Imagine that?

And since we all know that money is power in government,  and a government with no money has little or no power, reducing the need to govern staunches the push for unaccountable revenue streams  that trickle in by the millions to be abused by legislators who no longer feel the need to answer questions about the states impact on local property tax bills.

Where state government is concerned, we have a head start, but that advantage is waning.  We the people of NH, need to demand shorter less frequent sessions.  The less time the crooks have to wander around our House, the less they can steal from us.