We don't need more government

Sen. Obama has indicated that he is in favor of a national health insurance exchange program based on public and private coverage. And that the insurance companies could not reject (screen) applicants based on illness.

In other words a government controlled health care system. Which means a new government department of health. Adding another governmental department means more government control and less freedom of choice.

If anyone has ever served his/her country in any government capacity such as the military, knows first hand how the government can mess things up. That is from the lower level of enlistee right on up. Not that everything gets messed up but once they did, the situations never improved.

Take our government controlled education system. No child left behind has done away with the one thing that made this country so great - competition.

Johnny is an "A" plus student. However, Jimmy is a "D" student. So in order to make Jimmy feel better about himself the standards are lowered. So on a grading level Johnny needn't work as hard to maintain his "A" level performance and Jimmy has to work even less because now the playing field favors Jimmy. So, where is the competition? There is none.

You still have the some people who are gifted and will seek knowledge because it is in them. Then you have those that say: "I needn't put forth any effort because I'll pass because they can't leave me behind."

So, now we have children that don't have to compete to get good grades. No effort is required to get passed to the next level. Out all of this, a quality that is needed in our society is now gone and is reflected in our schools today and that is respect. Respect for the teachers, the educational system, their country, their parents, their community, and most important - respect for themselves.

If you are not expected to put forth any effort, why bother? That is, unfortunately, the main message that come across in our government-controlled educational system.

So, I disagree that we need another government department telling us what to do. We need less government. That also applies to the State of Illinois. Sometimes less can be best.

William Swearingen

Elgin