Sunday, June 24, 2012
Dear Commissioners Dacey, Mark, Taylor, Tyson, Allen, Sampson, & McCabe,
We have often thought differently from each other. Whether we agree or not, I'd like for you to understand my view of good government.
As you know, I'm a member of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association (CCTA), and we espouse smaller, less expensive government, freeing up free enterprise, personal freedom with personal responsibility, and adherence to the Constitution. Those aren't just ideas we talk about; they are deeply held convictions.
We want government that creates an environment in which all our citizens can realize their full potential, or not, as they choose. Everyone needs equal opportunity. There will never be equal results. Some of us choose to excel. Some of us would rather "hang out" and do as little as possible. Fine. Each choice leads to a natural outcome. Let it be so. Choices lead to consequences. What must be guaranteed is opportunity, and only opportunity. No more. No less.
It's pretty easy to see that approach as fair for all citizens who are able in body and mind, but what about those who cannot take care of themselves? Should government step in to look after them?
You gentlemen have clearly answered, "Yes," on multiple occasions. My answer is an emphatic, "No!"
As I've explained before, when government takes from one person to give to another, that is stealing. My rationale is that I don't have the right to take from one neighbor (under threat of force) in order to give to another (less fortunate) neighbor; no one in our country does. Therefore, we the people could not possibly have conveyed that right to our government. Hence, government does not have a legitimate right to behave in that way.
Are the unfortunate among us deserving of charity? Most certainly. Let the private sector handle it. For much of my life, it was handled that way, and it was handled well. Family is the natural first line of defense, followed by friends, churches, and philanthropic organizations.
I feel real anger when my elected representatives wrest hard earned money from taxpayers in order to give it to individuals or small groups of individual people. It is wrong. All taxpayer monies spent should have the potential to benefit all citizens.
Then there's the question of giving raises to our county employees when the people providing the funds are seeing the value of their assets go down (by about 40% nationwide), are loosing their jobs or are worried about it, are not getting COLAs if they are on fixed income retirements, and are seeing the incomes from their businesses declining at alarming rates. These people are the Craven County taxpayers you represent. They need and want to pay less taxes. Instead, you are asking them to pay the same, or more, in order to give county employees raises. Please remember whom you represent, and show some concern for our financial well being.
In the current economy, the only acceptable sign that county employees need raises would be if they were quitting in significant numbers, or if, when county jobs were advertised, not enough qualified applicants came forward to fill them. This is not the case, is it?
Quite frankly, I want representatives at all levels of government who, when faced with a proposal for spending taxpayers' money, will ask themselves first, "Is this an appropriate activity for government and an appropriate use of tax dollars?" I want representatives who, if the answer is, "No," will vote against the proposal no matter how worthwhile the project, and no matter what level the taxpayer funds are coming from. "If we don't spend it, someone else will," is a cop out. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. It's time to take a stand.
I believe we the people should make it our mission to find and support representatives who will stand with us and help us get back to good government so that all who want to can thrive in peace and freedom.
Most sincerely,
Raynor James
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