Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Position on Federal Grants - Practical or Principle

As mayor of a small town I regularly make decisions about applications for federal government grants.  I have long struggled with whether or not to stand on principle and oppose the application for federal grants or go with the practical wisdom and make the application on the basis that if we don't get that money someone else will.  I took me a couple of years to arrive at the following conclusion.

I was elected to represent and serve the best interest of the people of Fort Gibson, OK.  So I apply for the grant programs because that serves my town.  My refusal to make that application only hurts the people of my town.  The Congressmen and Senators, who created the unconstitutional grant program, take no note of my refusal so I have had no positive effect on federal government policy.

I am also a United States Citizen and patriot so I have an obligation to speak out against these federal grant programs that are typically beyond the constitutional scope of federal government.  It is this type of spending that is bankrupting the United States and gradually eroding the sovereignty of our state and local governments.  When the federal government gives us money it always comes with strings attached.

So my conclusion may seem to be hypocritical and strict constitutionalists may argue that I should refuse to paticipate in such programs on the basis of principle but I have found that sometimes the practical trumps the principle. 

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