CNN poll reflects great divide between big, small government philosophy

Commentary by Kay B. Day

CNN released results of a national survey of Americans about the power of the federal government, and the results aren't very surprising. I've often said Americans are not as stupid as Washington politicos believe. CNN said 56 percent of those polled believed, "[T]he federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans."

Respondents' views broke down predictably along partisan lines. CNN disclosed, "[O]nly 37 percent of Democrats, 63 percent of Independents and nearly 7 in 10 Republicans" agree with the majority.

The CNN survey about government power reflects a great divide between those who believe government is the solution to everything and those who believe less government leads to more solutions to everything.

A perfect example is healthcare. Criticism towards other Americans for their chosen lifestyles is in vogue only because government has assumed control of a large sector of the healthcare market. If I must pay for my choices, it's no one's business what I do. Only because government has agreed to subsidize so many are choices significant.

I've often wondered what the impact would be if everyone in America shed their health insurance and/or opted out of Medicare. At the same time, what would happen if Medicaid were extended only to the truly needy? Would we then have a truly freemarket for medicine? Maybe, if we also instituted reasonable tort reform.

A wrinkle in the solution stems from the government increasing its own employee rolls even as the private sector trims rolls. For every government employee hired, the taxpayer will subsidize benefits. I've frequently suggested a simple means of decreasing federal expenses. As jobs become vacant, fill them only if they are vital and necessary to the wellbeing of the nation.

CNN's poll comes as no surprise. Washington would do well to acknowledge the value in the survey findings.