Letter: Reader says no thanks to Jordan's suggestions
By wherald
As for last week’s column by Peter Jordan, "Be careful what you wish for," I was not so impressed. I felt that I must set the record straight. I have risen above the 'sound bite tea party mentality' as Mr. Jordan put it, if not, for just one moment and realized that, for all of Mr. Jordan's smarts, he obviously is like a lot of other left wing, liberals outside of Massachusetts, he just does not get it.
Alderman McClendon may have used hyperbole in his recent statement in regard to the chain link fence issue, but what he says is true, at least for me. I'd prefer a less bloated government at all levels. Mr. Jordan failed to make one good point.... the private sector runs circles around every single service that local, state and federal government's provide. Those same hard working individuals that so effectively pick up trash would be much more efficient and accountable to a private sector business owner instead of an top heavy local government. This is not a growing “frustration” with government. It is a long-standing tradition of history in this great country of which most of us are all too unfamiliar. He acts as though, if it weren't for Franklin government, we'd all be drinking water right out of the Harpeth River and flushing our commodes into same. The last time I checked, there were several other, much more effective and efficient water and sewerage disposal sources in and around this county.
Yes, we have top quality education in Williamson County, but is it without its inefficiencies? No, the competition with private education, private sector employment demands and accountability to the taxpayer have definitely made education in Williamson County better than most of t he surrounding counties that do not have the same pressures.
As for the environment, I would remind Mr. Jordan that the “fox is watching the henhouse.” We have had clean water and air regulations in place for years, but that did not keep the bureaucrats from missing Egyptian Lacquer, did it? Government regulations only stamp out freedoms and lull the citizenry into a sleepy dependence, they most certainly do not provide for or make our lives easier or safer.
As for health care, I cannot believe that any free thinking man would want any government that can't balance their budget operating our health care system. The reason we have the best health care in the world has absolutely nothing to do with government. In answer to Mr. Jordan's question, "Do we really want our government to leave us alone as far as health care is concerned?" I am not sure of Mr. Jordan and the mouse in his pocket, but you bet your bottom dollar that I do! Just as our elected representatives in D.C. want, all I want is to decide on my own when, where and how I get coverage! Maybe Mr. Jordan wants to elect an elitist class of government that asks us to do one thing, but does an entirely different thing, but I do not! (i.e., social security taxes that we have to pay but our Congress does not; congressional leaders that ask us to drive Yugo's when they fly 747's and jet set around the globe; Golden parachutes for retiring members of congress when they vilify independent business CEO's from doing the same)
His other examples are quite laughable...the FDA and FAA for crying out loud!
These bloated government agencies stand as towering, examples of total ineptness. We are all really hopeless if we have to depend on either of them to do anything other than spend our hard earned taxpayer money.
As a previous attendee of a “tea party,” I take issue with most of what he writes, but what is most concerning with me is that as citizens we have become used to our local, state and federal governments ordering us around like sheep to the slaughter.
Mr. Jordan, thanks, but no thanks, I will never be careful what I wish for, especially when it comes to less government intrusion, less taxes, less regulation and more freedoms, even if I am the last man that wishes that government would actually do something useful and “go away!”
Victor F. Andrews
Franklin, TN 37064
Posted on: 1/28/2010
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