Honest Personalized Checks On The Proportions of Government
The size of government is truly huge. When one thinks of government, most look just at the Federal government workers which number 11,028,000 jobs. They include grantee jobs, uniformed military personnel, Federal civil servants, contractor jobs and postal jobs. Counting the unemployed, those collecting social security benefit checks, collecting welfare payment checks, local and state hourly workers, cops teachers, firemen, librarians, road departments and state legislature, those figures mushroom into a huge personalized income tax bill supported by taxpayers personalized checks!
Most economists have come to the conclusion that cutting taxes, regulations and reducing the size of government spurs job growth. Also, studies back up the conclusion that keeping total spending below 25% is desirable for growing the economy. Any ideas of bailing out the economy by wild spending sprees seems foolishness. The only logical real-world way for individuals or businesses who are in trouble to rescue themselves is to become more inventive and cut back on expenses.
Government size has mushroomed over the last fifty years. Not only the size but the scope of executive branch involvement has shifted significantly with the Woodrow Wilson presidency and every follow up president. Most ingenuously point to FDR as the tax and spend president, but they all have been guilty since Wilson.
In 1900 the federal government consumed less than 5 percent of total output. In 1950 the federal government consumed roughly15 percent of total output. In 1999 the federal government consumed roughly19 percent of total output. Today it is out of control. Government employment is outpacing manufacturing employment and many feel it is mushrooming too big to sustain itself.
Gigantic government size has resulted in a one party type government all in favor of expanded power and regulation. Decisions are being taken away by regulation and both political parties have turned away from any policy change for cutting the size or scope of government. People feel helpless to challenge the direction since policy decisions never make it to the ballot and most politicians betray their campaign promises.
If you don’t work for the government, you’ll likely have to put in 45 years of employment before you qualify for social security and retirement. With government workers this is not so. After only 20 years service they can retire with pensions, annuities and other rich benefits. One often hears of the police, fire department and military cry out how dangerous their jobs are. But what about private sector construction workers, roofers, iron workers, forest industry labor, the fishing industry whose jobs are much more dangerous in comparison? These people have no job security unlike government workers.
How one looks at the unemployment numbers tells a story that bears a little digging. For instance the March 2009 unemployment showed a 8.5% unemployment rate with 13.2 million collecting. Looking at the unofficial U-6 data for the report, reveals another story. Unemployed workers discouraged for more than a year are magically dropped from the role and if you factor that in you have real unemployment approaching the 20%
If we want to see the entire picture, we need to look at all those who receive a paycheck from federal, state, and local taxpayers. That includes those on social security, unemployment, welfare and you get a fair understanding of the scope and real size of government.
“The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments.” - William Borah, U.S. senator. Thomas Paine, the revolutionary thinker said: “It is time to dismiss that inattention which has so long been the encouraging cause of stretching taxation to excess.” When will citizens be free to vote for the size of government? Article brought by Personalized Checks