Talk about a non-problem. I was driving about town this morning when I switched the radio to the local government-subsidized news outlet. Conservatives who wish to counter the argument that talk radio leans predominantly to the right point out that there are in fact left-wing talk shows on the radio–they’re on National Public Radio stations.
The topic for discussion was the question, “Why is trust in American institutions so low?”. The host and guest talked briefly about the social institutions of the agricultural era, such as barn-raisings and quilting bees. They moved into the various fraternal organizations such as the Elks or the VFW.
The topic of social institutions is in fact a worthy one that merits some discussion. Most people are social animals, to varying degrees, and widespread voluntary cooperative efforts are a hallmark of a civilized society.
But this being a conversation on government-paid radio, the topic quickly moved to why people have lost faith in government.
At that point I was almost at my destination, so I was spared what I think were the usual bromides about how Republicans have ruined the party by being so tea-partyish, and haven’t cooperated much to expand government. (Oh how quickly we’ve gotten the presidency of George W. Bush.)
Now, I happen to think that some government is useful and even essential. But I suggest that a declining faith in government is a good thing, and well-earned at that.
Government has fought a war on poverty, and poverty has won. Government has waged a war on drugs. Civil rights, not to mention a sense of proportion, have gotten trampled. Government has invested billions of dollars in alternative fuels, in an attempt to direct the country into a post-petroleum age from on high. By contrast, we might have been better off stashing the money on a fleet of rockets and then sending them into the sun.
Cynicism about government, in other words, is well earned. When politicians, interest groups, and corporations that seek to benefit from crony capitalism combine to expand government, the results are often harmful. A smaller government that focuses on doing a few things well, on the other hand, is more likely to succeed. Ironically (to the leftist mind), the best way to improve the trustworthiness of government is to have it do less.