Shari Crall You Get What You Pay For from North County Times

When we are contently assailed with lies and half truths about the evils of government workers, public school teachers, custodians, police, and fire fighters, it is nice to see some sanity once in a while. Believe it or not I found today's sanity on the editorial pages of the North County Times!

Weird two days in a row, our local CON propaganda outlet had something that wasn't hateful or inaccurate. No banner headline running down of unions or the middle class they created. No fooled by FOXnotNews type slime as their lead editorial.

No today the North County Times placed a well written, rational forum piece about the importance and VALUE of government work on their editorial page.

FORUM: In this democracy, you get what you pay for

By Shari Crall North County Times - The Californian Sunday, March 20, 2011 12:00 am |

I'm a wannabe. A wannabe government worker, that is. Not to get some great pension or benefits. Not to put my hand in every American's wallet. I'm a wannabe government worker because I believe many things are done better collectively than individually, and that some functions mandate an application of authority.

For instance, I don't have the interest or ability to check whether other drivers on the road have licenses or that their cars don't pollute or that my food is safe or the road is paved and in good repair, etc. These are functions I am willing to pay for, together with you, because I get benefit back.

Because of the American government, we have a stable political climate, currency system, judiciary, and even a bailed-out banking system, so I can conduct business in a relatively safe environment. Government offices process title claims, business sales and myriad other small tasks that give me a life that runs smoothly and enables me to focus on what I want to focus on: my family and furthering my education

I am throwing back to the '70s with all this complaining about the cost of government ---- "love it or leave it." We take too much for granted. Go ahead, move somewhere without government to work through all this minutiae for you. Try getting a land deed in Haiti, pre-earthquake even, or Somalia, or put your money in a bank in beautiful Greece.

There was a time when America was proud of its genius in embracing Locke and Rousseau's social contract, the idea that societies flourish when they communally accomplish the busy work. I pay a percentage of my income for that, and what I get back are smooth pathways, emergency responses, a society invested in education and the potential of individuals.

As a nation, we seem to feel entitled to government services we don't want to pay for.
When a parolee murders a beautiful young woman, we scream, "Where was the government?"
When a hurricane devastates, we yell, "Where is the government?"

When potholes go unfilled, we demand, "Where is the government?"

I'll tell you where: laid off, on furlough or working through high case loads. We sound like spoiled clients miffed that we are not getting five-star service from a budget motel.

The move to see ourselves as only government customers, not citizens, belies reality.

Government is not a service industry and we are not the served. Rather, we are the other partner in the contract, the other provider. What we don't contract with our partner to do, we need to do ourselves. We turn over certain rights and responsibilities to the collective because we want to free ourselves from the attending restraints.

The American way is not magic, and it is not free. I am willing to pay my fair share.
SHARI CRALL is a resident of Temecula. Her birthday is Tax Day.