Thursday, April 16, 2015

Eliminating Federal Agencies

The EPA was directed to set standards for radi...
The EPA was directed to set standards for radioactive materials under Reorganization Plan No. 3 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Federal Government Agencies that are wasteful and their functions can be performed better at a lower level of government, like State Government, should be phased out for the most part. Agencies like the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Education could become an advisory board to state governments that should then push most decisions down to local levels. In that way they have no power to force states or local governments into curriculum that is not appropriate. Staff could be reduced by layoffs and attrition.

 The Environmental Protection Agency is a duplication of state agencies which have a better understanding of local needs and are not funded to the tilt when they prosecute violators. Having the federal agency become a best practices guide to the states and reducing staff and funding is ideal.

Any government program that can be outsourced to the private sector should be outsourced to the private sector. Private sector companies have more flexibility in hiring and firing without the long retirement funding needs of the government. They are usually run by more knowledgeable and enthusiastic leaders. And they operate outside of the political sphere, making corruption less likely.

Any government program that can be overseen at the state level should be pushed down to the state level were budgets are balanced, workers have more direct contact with customers, and law makers are more responsive to constituents. Just the same, any state programs that can be run by townships, cities, and county governments should be moved to these lower levels of government.