Let the Market Work: Shut Down the Government

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At his blog, johnstossel.com, John Stossel wonders why so many “useless Cabinet departments” are kept operating. He says they should be shut down, and suggests the government “let the market work.” He writes:

This week Republicans and Democrats got together to avert a government shutdown.

Too bad.

There’s so much that ought to be shut down.

Useless Cabinet departments, for example, like Housing and Urban Development, Labor and Agriculture. Agriculture employs almost 100,000 people. Why? Independent farmers grow our food. They don’t need a giant department.

Let’s get rid of the Department of Education, too. Why does it even exist? Education is a local responsibility and none of the federal government’s business. Yet its spending is up 300% over the last 10 years.

The department didn’t even exist before 1979. Has education improved since then? No. Government’s grand plans, like No Child Left Behind and Common Core, helped no one but bureaucrats.

Trying to justify itself, the department funded studies of everyone’s favorite government program, Head Start. The “experts” were surprised to learn that the much-praised program has no effect. By third grade, there was no difference between kids that attend and those who don’t.

Education is best left to local governments and parents.

We don’t need a Commerce Department. After all, commerce just happens. Get rid of the bureaucrats and sell the buildings.

Get rid of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

I know, Medicare is popular. “Free” stuff always is. But government’s current health promises are unsustainable. As we live longer and want the newest and best medicines, Medicare is on track to go broke.

I’m on Medicare. I get everything my doctor suggests. I never even ask about price. That’s insane.

Medicare and Social Security take money from the young and give it to those of us who had decades to invest and save. That’s just unfair.

Let people shop for free-market plans. Let the market work.

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