Dear Government. Please do less.

Is it me, or does society seem to be shifting in a not-so-healthy way?

From self-reliance and independance, to self-indulgence and co-dependance.

What, exactly, is it YOU want from government?

Rather than engage in partisan rhetoric about why your team is better than my team, with generalized defences or complaints about what our teams do, what do you want the Government to do that it isn't doing?

Personally, I would like to see them do less, so I've penned them this little letter:

Dear Government:

As it is, I think we, the citizens of Alberta and Canada are truly blessed.  We have medical care for everyone, and while sometimes, it takes a little while, and sometimes mistakes are made - I don't expect perfection and I am grateful that as a society, we have agreed to all pay for a system which provides care to all of us.

Now - that being said, I realize that as a human being, I'm imperfect.  I realize that I may choose to eat or drink things that I may regret later, and that may, in fact shorten my life.  That's the beauty of freedom and having free agency.  Please don't take that away from me.  Please stop trying to run my life - I've had about enough of you treating me like a child, making new laws on a daily basis because they are in "my best interests".

Let me skin my knee and put the band-aid on myself.  Please don't offer to wipe my nose for me every time it runs.  Give me the respect and the opportunity to succeed without your hand on my shoulder.

If I choose the wrong spouse or create children without forethought - let me learn to live with the consequences of that - otherwise, I'm apt to just keep doing the same thing again, and again, and again.

And please stop using MY children as an excuse for your interference in my life.  If I'm not beating my child or causing direct harm, keep your hands off of them - they are, after all, my children.  I don't give a good God damn what Hillary Clinton says, the "village" is not raising my children - I am.  And if I choose to impart upon them my own religious beliefs, I would appreciate you staying out of my business and not "re-educating" them when they get to school about YOUR view of morality, thank-you. 

Last I checked, the idea that our state is governed under the "Divine Right of Kings" died off sometime in the 17th century.  So please stop with the arrogance that YOU know what is best for all of us, admit that, most often you are just as stupid and flawed as the rest of us and therefore, shouldn't really be in the business of running our lives at all.

Thank-you for keeping Order, for building roads, for providing health care..  and now that those services are established, take a break.  We don't need you to justify your existence by constantly coming up with new laws and new programs.  Leave the rest to us.   Sure - we'll screw up from time to time - but that's what people do.

We are human, we are flawed, but the freedom to make mistakes and grow is what makes life worthwhile. 

Please don't take that away from us.

Yours truly,

The Citizens of Alberta and Canada