Article I Section 1 of our state Constitution tells us that the state was "...established to protect and defend individual rights." Should it take $45,207,543,000 per biennium to carry out this function?

In my view, the state exists to help us defend ourselves, our property and our rights. Everything else can be done cheaper and BETTER and more compassionately if done privately and voluntarily. As Frank Zappa once said, "Every thing the government touches turns to [vulgar word for human excrement]"

Everyone complains that I-695 will hurt public transit. But in my county I can ride 70 miles for 50 cents. Is that fair to the people who pay for the rest of the cost of my ride? The people who use the service are not paying for it. The ferry system is even worse. The state constitution does not say that government is "...established to shift the cost of services to others who don't use the service."

-- Art RAthjen (liberty@coastaccess.com), September 16, 1999

Answers

Bravo Art! Who could say it better than that?

-- SP (sp@hotmail.com), September 17, 1999.

Art

where have you been?

Another voice of reason in this vast wilderness.

I read the states constitution also,just to see if it meantioned trade missions, Y2K parties and other critial needs, but that one line "established to protect and defend individual rights" was the only one that defined what this state was supposed to do.

I guessed the legislature change it when they also decided to pay the govenor more then the $6,000 a year that the constitution say was the max.

-- Ed (ed_brigdes@yahoo.com), September 19, 1999.