The other day, a commentator asked a GOP candidate this simple question. “What is the federal government doing that it should not be doing?” The candidate did not have a ready answer and did a soft-shoe talking-point response that had little to do with this question.  But isn’t the answer to this question the crux of conservatism?  Should not each candidate running for office under the guise of conservatism not have, at the constant ready, a litany of unnecessary federal government programs and activities? Admittedly, the easier response is to take the question in the negative and respond with functions that the federal government “should” perform.  National defense, food inspection, air travel, interstate transportation, settling disputes, treaties, and managing the currency leap to mind as list-fillers. But to return to the question, what are some activities of the federal government that we could do without, that we should...(Read Full Post)