Late Columnist Robert Novak's first column was dedicated to a unique Nebraska politician, a retired farmer named William Purdy.
If anyone politician typified limited government conservatism, it was this long unsung hero of the plains.
Despite its disrespectful tone, Novak's profile foreshadowed the Anit-Big Government backlash that is whipping through Washington and every state capitol from East to West.
William Purdy ran for the Nebraska legislature on the following promises:
1)He would serve only one term.
2)He would give no floor speeches.
3)He would propose no legislation.
4)He would vote against every item that would increase taxes or government spending.
Fifty years after writing a shallow send-up of the freshman lawmaker, Novak developed a keen distrust of government which sharpened his respect for this stalwart, limited government dissenter.
We need more legislators like Purdy at every level of government in this country:
Legislators who refuse to become professional politicians who distance themselves from their constituents and enhance their own power.
Legislators who talk less, listen more, and deliberate before voting. It is appalling how many legislators do not even read the bills which they vote on!
The last thing this country needs is more laws. Why not enforcing the ones already on the books? Besides, every time that the government tries to stir up change or fix the market, another coven of bureaucrats appears or garners pay raises while the economy worsens.
Most importantly, every politician must be committed not just to opposing taxes, but opposing spending. No pork barrel projects, no entitlement enhancements, no bribes to induce constituents to vote for you in the next election.
Will the next William Purdy please stand up? You have my vote!
No comments:
Post a Comment