Why do we need a government?

"What's a government, Mama?"

I looked at my three year old son and wanted to say, "I have no idea." I said something about it being a group that leads us and protects us, but all of this talk about taxes and marriage and abortion and cars and real estate made me think maybe I don't know what the government is.

Do you know what the President does? Do you know who your Congressman is and what he does? What is the difference between the state and the US congressmen? And what does the Supreme Court do? I'm sure that I learned all this at some point in high school but the relevance of it was lost on me until now.

Now we have a President that has just told the CEO of General Motors that he is fired. Can he do that?

Iowa and many other states are trying to decide if two women can get married. They are redefining marriage. Can they do that?

First of all, let's just say that government is a group that has the power to make and enforce laws within a larger group. It's purpose is to reward the good and punish the wicked. (I am definitely open to debate on these definitions.)

Why does this matter to me? Because what if our government decides that driving a car is wicked? Then if you get caught then you will be punished.

What if it decides that being in love with a goose is good and it rewards those who do so.

Doesn't anyone remember that quote by.... wasn't it Alex de'Toqueville?... "America will cease to be great, when America ceases to be good." Today our government is trying to redefine what good is, in order to stay great. But good can't be redefined. Good is written on our hearts. Justice is justice. Freedom is freedom.

Why do we need a government? To enforce the law. But what happens when the government itself decides to not abide by the laws it enforces. Does it bother anyone else that the Treasury Secretary of the United States, Tim Geithner, didn't pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for several years before he was appointed, and Obama's aides didn't think that that would be such a big deal when they suggested him for nomination?

Let's remind ourselves of why we have a government and hold them to it. Go to www.house.gov where it is really easy to just send your representative a letter. Go to www.senate.gov and find out who your senator is.

Do you care? Does it matter? Be informed America! Ignorance is bliss, but knowledge is power.