By Doc Vega
For generations Americans have struggled to define the role of government in society and what justifies the laws and regulations that are imposed upon us by that entity. Our concept of what government is, what it should be allowed to do, and how important a role it should play in our everyday lives is constantly under debate. However, there is one point that liberals, conservatives, and libertarians can all agree upon, and that it is that our present incarnation of federal government is the biggest and most imposing that it has ever been.
Creating the illusion
For many years our government was viewed in awe by normal everyday citizens. The people were intentionally fed media positive narratives, the public schools portrayed the federal government in a magnanimous role, and our lawmakers themselves portrayed the US government as an all-powerful, all knowing entity that deserved the greatest possible admiration, of course, the fact that politicians wanted to be held in high esteem by the general public was to be expected. The perception of the public has much to do with how the government is viewed whether in a beneficial role to society or a detrimental light. Washington DC used to take into consideration the reaction of citizens to the passage of legislation and how other issues were dealt with. Today, it seems that the federal government has been so emboldened by the apathy of the American public that it has become blatant in its abuses of power in the broad daylight of public knowledge.
Public perception
More education, modern instantaneous broadcasting, and the crucial impact of national and world events have necessitated better awareness of government’s role at home and abroad, but still a large percentage of low information voters make possible the enactment of destructive legislation in our society. These are people easily swayed by biased news coverage favorable to liberal government policy that parrots rather than reports what decisions are being made by the White House. It is clear that not only the media, but government funded public schools have shaped the opinion by the public of the federal government.
Our founders had it right!
The role of government in society was determined long ago by our forefathers who penned the US Constitution. After a draconian overreaching British colonial government had taxed without representation and forced colonists to conform to unfair fiscal policies that rendered the first Americans into economic duress, eventually leading to a war of independence, our founders vowed never to allow this again. They never wanted big government dictating, over regulating, and overtaxing again!