I thank John Ilgenfritz of Helena for looking at my ideas (‘Lots to ‘chew on’ in The Monitor,” Jan. 22). He wrote: “A couple of weeks ago [DeVries] talked about virtually shrinking Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to 0 over 20 years by cutting its budget by 10% every session.” Let me note that we began digging this war-on-poverty pit 60 years ago. Not being draconian, I also proposed we could stretch this cutting over 40 years, almost the length of time already wasted. Also, to be clear, this proposal was not meant to be virtual, but literal. Virtually means “not really,” and we really need to do this. The lighter the chains, the easier they are to throw off, and they will only grow heavier.
Mr. Ilgenfritz also expressed doubt that the private sector could pay the bills currently being footed by DPHHS: “However, even the local ‘community chest’ had neither the financial resources nor training to sufficiently address them.” Yet as it stands the funds are already absconded and staff are already drawn from the community chest in spades. All government money and staff are private-sector resources. The state possesses no money or people of its own. This is why our community chests are gathering dust.
We’ve been bedazzled into thinking that only the state is capable of inspecting, regulating, healing and caring. Hogwash. It is as if the state spoke us into being, sustains us, and causes the rising and setting of the sun. If this sounds like a deity, to many, that is exactly correct.
