The governor’s ADN commentary of March 25 held an encouraging message: Individual Alaskans’ collective acts will pull us through the current health crisis. I’m with him on that thought. Being self-reliant is an Alaska hallmark.
His message was less clear when he said apprehensively “For so many, we look to government to provide services during a crisis.” He went on “We forget, as Franklin Roosevelt said, ‘government is ourselves.’” I hope the governor’s message simply means that we all need to have an oar in the water, that collectively we are “the government” and that organizing in such a form, as a government, is a force multiplier. That’s always been true.
I hope, especially at a time like this, that the message is not a thinly cloaked and too-often conservative dogmatic meme of “government is inherently bad, parasitic, and beware those that work for or rely on it.” In a crisis, many do look to the government for services. Especially, it seems, financial bailout services.
Our leaders of both parties are equally quick to the draw with massive piles of taxpayer cash for businesses, institutions and individuals, aid to the needy and less fortunate among us of every economic and social strata. The government as savior.
– Bob Lacher
Palmer
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