Deciding between wants, needs sets agenda for government

I have spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about what is going on in the hallowed halls of Congress that serves the needs of the people.

To address the needs of the people, I suggest that we go directly to the people and propose two categories of questions: What do you need? And what do you want?

Quite often the words “need” and “want” are used interchangeably. These two words are not the same and if not used properly they can lead to confusion and miscommunication.

What do you need? Items that would fall under this category would be: food, shelter, employment, education, clothing, safety, safe drinking water, reliable utilities and safe, reliable infrastructure. The above should be the basics that are available to all who adhere to the laws of this country and pay taxes.

The responsibility for providing these goods and services should come from a combination of sources: local governments and federal government.

Note: Remember, you pay taxes. The government only has money because “we the people” give it money.

What do you want? How this category is addressed, is strictly up to you.What you want plays directly into the American spirit of free enterprise and entrepreneurship. This is the category where you get to call the shots and no one gets something for nothing!

When our fellow citizens are: fed, housed, educated and clothed, let’s see how much hate is still left in all of us.

Gerald M. Bigelow

Mill Creek

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