Post Scripts: Tough times and getting tougher

Times are tough these days and getting tougher, it seems. When a company falls on tough times, one of the first things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers are encouraged to find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their employment could well be eliminated as well.

So maybe our own government should not be immune to similar risks. Someone suggested that the House of Representatives should be reduced from 435 members to 218 members and Senate members down-sized from 100 to 50. One person per state and also reducing the staff by 25%. Just think how much money that would save.

This would mean that remaining members would have to be more efficient. We might also expect that smaller committees might lead to a far more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might even be easier to keep track of what our representatives and senators are doing with their time.

Congress has more tools available to do their job than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established. (Telephones, computers, cell phones, to name a few).

Let’s look back in history to former president, Thomas Jefferson, and study a few of his quotes. He said democracy would cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work, and give it to those who choose to not work. It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as they develop. A principle of his, which if acted on, could likely prevent one-half of the future wars of the world. He also predicted future happiness for all Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of American citizens under the pretense of taking care of them.

President Jefferson also declared that from his reading of history he was convinced that bad government results from too much government. He also said that to compel men to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors as sinful and tyrannical.

And, finally, a very interesting quote. In light of government financial problems, it’s interesting to read what Jefferson said in 1802. "I believe banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

Now mind you, these are quotes of Thomas Jefferson, not my thinking altogether. Maybe we need to get rid of politics and credit cards.