Rubin: Devolve government to save the republic
The article reflects on the 250-year journey of America’s self-governance, emphasizing the original vision of the Founding Fathers who crafted a system designed to balance liberty and power. These men, primarily statesmen and patriots rather than career politicians, understood the dual threats of mob rule and government overreach. They established the Constitution to ensure that no single branch of government could become too powerful, creating a framework that allowed for a relatively small federal government focused on core responsibilities. For much of early American history, this system functioned effectively, enabling innovation and prosperity as states maintained significant control over their governance.
However, the article argues that this foundational vision has significantly deteriorated over the last century. The federal government has expanded into an enormous, bureaucratic entity that often operates independently of the people’s will, with unelected officials crafting regulations that have the force of law. This growth has led to a staggering national debt exceeding $38 trillion, with interest payments becoming one of the largest expenditures in the federal budget, surpassing military and educational spending. The author calls for a necessary shift towards a smaller federal government, advocating for a return to the principles of local control and individual liberty that the Founders envisioned. He posits that solutions to contemporary issues will not emerge from Washington, D.C., but rather from local communities, urging for leaders who prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency over political expediency.
In conclusion, the article serves as a clarion call to restore the balance of power envisioned by the Founders, emphasizing the need for statesmen who will face the financial realities of the nation and prioritize the long-term well-being of Americans over short-term political gains. This revival of the original blueprint for liberty, the author argues, is essential for ensuring a government that truly serves its people and fosters a thriving society. Les Rubin, the founder and president of Main Street Economics, encapsulates this urgent need for reform, encouraging a return to the core values that have historically underpinned American governance.
America’s experiment in self-government began 250 years ago with the deliberate and inspired design of men who understood the promise and peril of human nature. The Founders of our republic were everything except professional politicians. They were statesmen, part-time legislators, and full-time patriots who risked everything to reject the tyranny of a distant king.
Our forefathers knew that unchecked power corrupts and that freedom requires limits and balance. The Constitution they created was designed to protect liberty from the two great dangers of mob rule and government overreach. It established a system of divided powers, where no single branch could dominate and where the federal government’s authority was carefully limited.
For much of our nation’s early history, that framework worked as intended. The federal government remained relatively small and focused on its core responsibilities. The states handled most of the governing, and citizens were free to build, create and innovate. In that environment, America flourished.
However, over the last century, that vision has eroded. Washington has grown into something far beyond what the Founders imagined. What began as a government designed to serve the people has evolved into a vast, unaccountable bureaucracy that seeks to manage every aspect of their lives. Federal agencies now write rules that carry the force of law without ever being approved by Congress. Tens of thousands of regulations are created by people who have never been elected and answer to no one.
The result is a government that is too large, too costly, and too distant from the people it claims to represent. We are governed today by career politicians who spend their days worrying about the next election instead of the next generation.
We can no longer afford the government we have built.
The national debt has surpassed $38 trillion and continues to grow at an alarming rate. Interest payments on that debt are one of the largest items in the federal budget, now exceeding what we spend on the military, education or infrastructure.
It is time to stop this madness. It is time to devolve government. Yes, that means a smaller federal government with a much smaller bureaucracy, focused on the specific things outlined in the Constitution. The laws and regulations are a product of our elected officials, not the bureaucracy. It means restoring the balance between local control and federal authority. It means recognizing that the solutions to our problems will not come from Washington but from Main Street.
The Founders intended a limited national government, focused on defense, diplomacy and protecting individual liberty. Everything else was to be left to the people and their local representatives. That model worked for generations, and it can work again.
We need leaders who will be honest about our financial reality, who will stop pretending that endless borrowing can continue forever, and who will have the courage to tell Americans what we can and cannot afford. We need statesmen, not salesmen.
The Founders gave us the blueprint for liberty. We must now find the courage to use it.
Les Rubin is the founder and president of Main Street Economics/InsideSources
