What are the roles of government?

by Steve Schmidt, Darby

Rhetoric using labels such as communists, Marxists, socialists, liberals, and conservatives are frivolous, divisive, and a waste of time.  Most people cannot even define those terms. We would be better served to dialogue about what we believe should be the proper roles of government.  Before we get into promoting specific policies or programs, let’s first try to identify and come to agreement as to what we conceptually want our governments to do. Then, and only then can we have productive discussions about how our governments should respond.

A commonly held agreement as to what governments should do is a powerful motivator for positive changes. It moves us out of the rut our country currently is in. How do we get to that common agreement? We should work to engage on this subject as groups and communities with a mutual goal of trying to understand each other’s perspectives. Let’s talk about it. Let’s list the agreed upon roles of government for all to see.

The range of perspectives about what we want our governments to do is apparently large. Some want a hands-off approach while others expect governments to be actively engaged on many issues. I suspect the result of our dialogues would land us on a common agreement somewhere between those two views.

If we continue on the path we are on, we will continue to talk past each other because we often have different expectations for government. I would like to find that common agreement.  I hope you will solicit and participate in these communications. It won’t be easy or always comfortable, but I believe it is essential.