GrowUp.org

GrowUp.org will address the key public policy choices our various governments face.  Toward that end, we have classified and listed them below.  We have decided to group them into local and national categories as the most obvious distinction.
 
We address each policy with a consistent format: the question (or key goal of the policy), the considerations (the hopefully full range of thinking about the policy), thoughts/arguments (the best from the left and right), and finally the bottom line. 

So now we need your input!  We are looking for the full range of thinking and the best of both sides, so please submit your thoughts please submit your thoughts on any aspect of any policy to us at policies@growup.org.  Please note in your email the policy you are addressing, if you are coming from the left or the right, and if you want us to attribute your comments to you if they are published. 

We would love your feedback and promise to provide the best information and arguments from both sides.  So please give us your best case and join the debate! 

Local Government

All of us are affected by, benefit from, and pay for (to varying degrees) our local governments.  These governments roll up from city/town councils to county and state governments. 

The thrust of our founders plan was to enable most governmental decisions to occur where the people were most capable of understanding and deciding (and containing abuses) - at the local level. 

We doubt they knew or would approve of the extent to which these governments have grown, with state government employees now numbering more than 5 million (up 325% in just the last fifty years) and local government employees nearing 12 million (up over 200% in the same timeframe).  Somewhat meaningless without the perspective that the total U.S. population increased only 80% during that period, so that now state and local government employees respresent more than 5.5% of the total population, up from 3%.

Some of the key policies determined by these local governments are: 

• Taxes - how much needs to be taken and how
• Services - to what extent do we fund essential services
• Programs - which optional programs should be funded at all
• Education - how should education be promoted
• Local Defense - how do the police and judiciary fit in  
• Local Commerce - how is the private sector regulated  

National Government

Again, all of us are affected by, benefit from, and pay for our national government to varying degrees.  The role of which has been substantially expanded from its initial focus in the Constitution.  Given the greater lack of accountability to the people, this should give us pause.

And while the total number of federal employees has increased just 15% in the past fifty years, the percentage of federal spending to total GDP has increased from less than 15% to more than 20%.  This more than 30% increase is significant as all else being equal this measure would remain constant.  More importantly, both sides project a continued increase in the relative size/influence of the federal government, unless we decide to make some major changes.

Some of the policies determined by the federal government are: 

• Taxes - how much needs to be taken and how 
• Services - to what extent do we fund essential services     
• Programs - and which optional programs should be funded at all 
• Education - how should education be promoted 
• Health Care - how should health care be regulated
• Retirement - how should your retirement be provided 
• Domestic Defense - how do the police and judiciary fit in  
• Domestic Commerce - how is the private sector regulated
• International Relations - what is our role in the world
• International Defense - why are we the world's military 
• International Commerce - how much can and should we control     

And if we have missed some policies entirely, or have failed to do any of them justice, please let us know at policies@growup.org.