Cut the size of government

Well, we have had several tries at a stimulus package by government. So I would like to put forward a stimulus plan of my own. This is of course, coming from a fiscal conservative, and therefore is very pragmatic.

Number one on my list is to cut the size of government, both federal and state. If we limit federal spending to no more than 15 percent of GDP by reducing the Fed to only the functions granted to the Fed by our very own precious Constitution we would move ahead in making our country much more competitive in the global market. Tax is a cost of doing business. Reducing the cost of government makes all of us more competitive in a world market.

For State government, it should not take more then 10 percent of state GDP for its function. This is for the same reason as the Fed. We want our states to provide an environment where businesses have a better chance of competing in the world market. If state and federal government can't do the job with a total of 25 percent of GDP there is something wrong. Under the current administration this figure is approaching 45 percent. Wealth of nations is not built on how much government can take out of the market place, but by how little.

County and city governments are not as problematic because they are closer to the people and we the people can control these governments much more easily.

Now, here is the stimulus. Drill here and drill now. The one thing that can hurt us more then any other is to let the middle east continue to have control of the energy we still need, without any home competition. We are not ready to move to an alternative energy now. Maybe in 10 to 15 years we will be ready, once we develop good clean (green) nuclear energy so that all electricity in our country is either hydroelectric or nuclear. Building enough nuclear plants in the next 10 to 15 years will provide a huge needed stimulus to our economy, along with the drilling and production of our own oil. Keeping energy cost low is the most important issue in the foreseeable future to keep our economy rolling along.

During this 10 to 15 years we can complete a change over from gasoline to natural gas for our trucks and automobiles which we have plenty of as a nation. Later well be electric and fuel cells for auto's.

Finally we need to keep government out of the private sector. As Ronald Reagan said, "Government is not the solution to our problems, Government is the problem."

This has been proven so true during the past 20 years. Look around and look to the cause of all the crisis we have faced as a nation. I shudder every time I hear that the government is going to fix a problem.

Dave Nelson

Gardnerville