By [email protected]

Our society’s current trend for directing almost all blame and responsibility to the executive level is alarming. This is a trend that has always led to the downfall of representative government. Under these conditions, the executive branch becomes, rather than a branch of government, the government itself. One might consider what type of government this describes.

An effective organization is characterized, not by an overarching involvement of the head in all matters, but by the capacity of subsidiaries to function with relative autonomy; thus leaving the executive free to focus on those activities most pertinent to his or her office.

Our government changes slowly by design. It’s a failsafe. Removing red tape and bureaucracy is not always a good thing, and seldom occurs without the loss of individual freedoms. Boundless individual freedom and a perfectly effective government cannot exist simultaneously, though we seem to think we’re entitled to both. The federalization of the 13 colonies, President Clinton’s unilateral allocation of the Escalante Steppe, and the recent Patriot Act are all examples of this trade off. This isn’t always a bad thing, but remember that any legislation that increases the speed and efficiency of government almost always requires us to surrender individual and states rights. The safest way to increase efficiency is for individuals and local governments to act more responsibly.

David JonesElectrical EngineeringFirst Year [email protected]