Putting the Good in Government

Do you remember your first experience at a national park?

Were you a kid who loved the park rangers funny hats?

Or was it more recently? Did you hike, bike, ski, run, swim? What did you see? Did anything take your breathe away? Was there a small moment that made you reflect?

This week, I embarked on a road trip through Utah and Arizona’s national parks. It was both a reminder of the vastness and beauty of our natural world and a reminder of the strength of our national government.

At a time when trust in government is at its lowest, it was a gentle reminder that our government does so much for us on a daily basis that we take for granted. The postal service, food inspection, disability benefits, Medicare, safe drinking water, and interstate highways are all services that the government provides to us. They often go unnoticed because they are woven into our daily lives.

But when you look at national parks, you can see the need for a strong federal government.

We often look at the government in the light of capitalism, but the government is not designed to be a money making machine like our corporations are. The government is there to equitably provide for its people, give its citizens basic services affordably, and organize large scale programs where private industries can’t.

There are certain things that are not about making money, but about providing essential services to all.

Today’s post is short and sweet, but I leave you with photos of the vast beauty of these United States.