How Many?

Ok - so it's been a few days now. I've recovered from the outcome of the election and am ready to vent again. I won't lament, weep, wine over the outcome of the presidential election. It was quite obvious that the people spoke and the people are now getting what the people asked for. Change (as in quarters, dimes, and nickels, right?). Hope (ain't just a small town in Arkansas). So, the next 8 years (the girls remind me it's only a 4-year term, but I've already conceeded 2012) will be a long ride.

Let me direct you to this site http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml
where you can look up information on any of the ______ federal agencies. The fill-in-the-blank isn't for a colorful adjective, although I'd probably agree with your choice. It's for a number. If you would like to spend the next 45 minutes actually counting the number of departments, email me or post the number.

Is it necessary to have this many?

Every administration has added some department or beefed up spending. Reagan added the US Department of Education (mistake, by the way). Clinton directed more spending in the Department of Defense. Bush added the Department of Homeland Security. What will Obama add? Unlike families' budgets or even a business' where when we add some spending, we obviously eliminate spending elsewhere (you know - to BALANCE our budgets), I have a grave feeling that our elected officials won't be taking the same approach.

I'm not an economist, but I remember some basics from Econ 101, and I'm pretty sure this "bailout" government intervention into our economy is only going to prolong the recession. If the banks, auto industry, and manufacturing industries are allowed to "fail" naturally, the economy will bounce back, and rather quickly. People, especially Americans, are resiliant. Yes, there will be unemployment for a certain amount of time. Politicians are so fearful of that that they will do anything to avoid it - even risk the economy by enacting emergency funding.

It all comes back to those _____ politicians (this time, choose a colorful adjective). If anything needs to be stopped, capped, regulated, it's them. Put term limits on all of them, not just the executive branch. There should be no such thing as a "professional" politician.

So, how many departments does a nation need?