To the editor:
“What I crave must be gained by my own effort.” So said Miriam Davis Colt on the American frontier in the 19th century.
She knew that government must not do for the people what they can do themselves. This principle is as valid today as then. So Miriam would be dismayed that some Leelanau mothers in 2024 depend on public largess to provide PLAY GROUPS for their children, a parental activity they can easily organize themselves using social media apps like MeetUp. And Miriam would gasp at the $900,000 annual public cost.
“Putting on play groups is NOT government’s job, Mom, it’s YOURS!” And the putative justifi cation for it? “Early childhood development,” a meaningless euphemism that sounds good to the ear and evokes a warm feeling of moral superiority in liberals, that emotional fix they crave. So let’s hope our new county board members heed Miriam’s admonition (and the Founders’ vision of limited and thrifty government husbanding the people’s wealth against waste and extravangance) and defund this unwarranted program. Such action is well within the scope of their lawful powers, as AFFIRMED by the county administrator during the (fabricated) recall 2 years ago. It’s high time to rekindle that old American spirit of self-reliance and independence as America is reborn. And as four years of societal chaos, economic misery, and official corruption mercifully recede. “The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.”
Hang in there, Americans, the nightmare will soon be over.
Curt Raftshol Suttons Bay
