Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:28:51 -0500
From: Dr John R Dykers
Subject: solutions instead of sides
Joe Suprick’s post strikes an important chord that our political dialogue should focus on solutions instead of sides.
Our mutual dilemma is which problems are best managed collectively and which should be the individual’s responsibility and how that varies from person to person and location to location. It is also an important decision regarding those thing managed collectively as to whether that collective solution should be government, church, civic organization, other non governmental organization, volunteer group, etc. The “sides” issue often arises when we are deciding who pays for what. Using governmental taxing power to take from some to pay for others creates a decision point for when that is appropriate and when it is abusive.
For example, we raise money at Rotary for the eradication of polio, a voluntary giving activity. Taxes go to the County Health Department and part of their function is immunizations. Both are very worthwhile, just done with different payment systems.
John Dykers