[Dannyboy]

I think we're all in agreement that our government should be much smaller than it is now. The question is, what should make up the government and what should not? I think the DEA should go. I don't have kids and I got a pretty good edjumacation in public school so I can't really complain but I know that people think the Dept. of Education should go. The FBI should probably be trimmed down but should stay. The ATF should definitely be drawn down and reconfigured or possibly eradicated. I've left out quite a bit because I want to see what everyone else has to say. So, what else needs to go?

[Frohickey]

Consult the historical records, and compare what government agencies were around prior to FDR, and what are around now.

Trim to the level prior to FDR and his New Deal.

[priv8ter]

Get Rid of:

Housing and Urban Development? What do they REALLY do?

DEA, ATF(Who NEEDS them when you are Personally Responsible).

Department of Commerce?????




We need to Keep the Department of Defence, some FBI, education is okay, I like the Park Service and most other stuff the Department of the Interior does...

[benewton]

If the department or activity cannot be traced directly to the Constitution, as opposed to law or the administrative mandates, it should be GONE.

It's not really all that hard.

Check with the Libertarian party for further info.

[Standing Wolf]

Trim to the level prior to FDR and his New Deal.

That'd be a good start.

[Joe Gunns]

How 'bout Jefferson-sized? Everybody that worked for the executive branch could be listed in a column and a half of the 1801 newpaper!

[Frohickey]

We need to Keep the Department of Defence, some FBI, education is okay, I like the Park Service and most other stuff the Department of the Interior does...
US Constitution Article I Section 8 (http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8)

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; Treasury Dept
To borrow money on the credit of the United States; Treasury Dept
To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes; Commerce Dept
To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States; Naturalization Service/Treasury Dept
To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;Treasury Dept
To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States; Treasury Dept
To establish post offices and post roads; Postal Service
To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; Patent Office
To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;Justice Dept
To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations; Justice Dept
To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;
War Dept
To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years; War Dept
To provide and maintain a navy; War Dept
To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;War Dept
To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions; War Dept
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; War Dept
To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;Treasury/Commerce/Justice/War Dept
To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof. Congress


Aside from the Treasury, Commerce, Justice, War Depts, and Post office and Patent office, the federal government is not granted any other powers by the US Constitution. Everything else is retained by the people or the states. Federal government is not even supposed to have 40% of the western US land mass. That should be in private hands so that it could be taxed by the states! :uhoh: