2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #240 "THE PRIVATE SECTOR DOES IT BETTER!"

      Yes, of course we need government!  But, as this column says often and in so many different ways, the private sector almost always does a better and more effective job in so many areas now occupied by government!  For example, The Nature Conservancy has developed and implemented private voluntary programs with fishermen all over the world to establish sustainable fishing in the ocean, has existing programs to plant 1 billion trees worldwide to help suck up more carbon dioxide, and to collaborate with high-tech entrepreneurs to address big environmental problems.  Governmental laws and regulations have not achieved nearly as successful results in these areas as has TNC.  Similarly, Heifer International does a far, far better job at reducing poverty around the world than do our governmental programs!  It provides farm animals to impoverished people around the world, along with training about animal husbandry as well as economic planning and banking to help make these fledgling businesses sustainable, while our governmental foreign aid money often ends up with officials in other countries driving Mercedes cars and opening up Swiss bank accounts.  And the list goes on and on.

        So here is an idea, both with Liberty and far greater efficiency and success in mind: why don’t we abolish governmental entities like the FEMA and CAL TRANS, and instead have governments enter into contracts with private entities like the Red Cross and various road grading and maintenance companies to do that work?  That would reduce the governmental role to overseeing private bids and supervising the results, all at greatly reduced and competitive prices.  In so many of these areas, the private sector simply does it better!   In fact, the only thing Big Government is Really good at is continually increasing the size, cost and power of Big Government!  Our Founders, like Thomas Jefferson, would be truly upset with us if they saw what we have allowed and condoned.  So please help us Libertarians make our Founders more proud of us!

Comment of the week: “What I if told you                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             that you read the top line wrong?”

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise! The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows on demand as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on my website at www.JudgeJImGray.com, Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.  In addition, my new book entitled “2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty: Solutions that are Practical, Effective, Responsible, Libertarian, is now available at Amazon.com.   Please read and discuss it with friends, and send in a review.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #232 "CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION: JUST LIKE BREXIT?"

       The old saying is that Big Government is truly effective at least at one thing, and that is increasing the cost, power and control of Big Government.  And what could be a better example than the California Coastal Commission?  These non-elected bureaucrats have continued to extend their jurisdiction into many things not imaginable by reasonable people.  For example, SeaWorld was forced to cancel its killer whale shows because the California Coastal Commission decided that it was cruel to the whales.  Now you can agree with this outcome or not, but no reasonable person can conclude that this commission had or should have had the authority to control it.

         Maybe you noticed, but it was the unelected bureaucrats in Brussels that caused Britain to vote to withdraw from the European Union.  People in Britain legitimately concluded that these officials were controlling many things in their lives, and that they had no effective recourse other than withdrawal.  If fact, when I heard that the bureaucrats were attempting to tell the Brits what type of kettles they could and could not use to make their tea due to their perceived overuse of electricity, I knew it was just a question of time.  So before we have a similar exit from government, let’s all do our part to vote for going back to representative government in which only elected officials, who can be held to be responsive to the voters, are empowered to make such decisions.  Maybe it’s only a question of time. . . .

Quote for the week: “There is no dishonor in losing.  But there is dishonor in not competing because you might lose.”  From the movie: “The Art of Racing in the Rain.”

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise! The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows on demand as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.