Defense of big government

I can no longer remain silent while people like Rob Leach (Nov. 28 letter) suggest big government’s goal is to transfer wealth from the rich to the poor. Tiny governments do that.

Big government defends the nation; builds seaports, airports, spaceports, schools, highways, dams and bridges; funds defense research and manufacturing; supports medical and technological progress; establishes infrastructure and treaties for commerce; protects us from rapacious businesses and polluters; maintains law and order; and transforms society from backward villages into a secure nation with shared talents, technologies and public resources – laying the foundation for our pursuit of happiness. Without big government, the rich could never fend off the Genghis Khans and Adolf Hitlers, who’d soon confiscate their pots of gold.

The higher tax rates of the 1990s provided jobs, a balanced budget, no noticeable stress on the rich, and better pursuit of happiness. Suddenly, the greedy screwballs came out of the woodwork and started yelling that we need to cut taxes. Look where that got us.

Private enterprise has cash but scarce work for our unemployed. The work left undone is the education of skilled workers, improving the quality, reliability and productivity of our infrastructure, and building a more peaceful world.

Mickey Thompson

Spokane