Just what we need, another government department

Why is it that people think that the solution to all our problems lies with the government? I came across an organization last week that makes my blood boil. The Peace Alliance wants congress to legislate the formation of a new federal department, the department of peace. Now don't get me wrong, I value peace as highly as the next person, I just do not believe that the federal government has any role in promoting peace within or without our borders. Leave that to individuals. If our government stuck to its constitutional mandate of protecting our borders instead of fighting wars in countries where we don't belong, perhaps our levels of peace would increase. We do not need yet another drain on tax payer dollars.

According to them:

A Department of Peace will work to:

-- Provide much-needed assistance to efforts by city, county, and state governments in coordinating existing programs; as well as develop new programs based on best practices nationally

-- Teach violence prevention and mediation to America's school children

-- Effectively treat and dismantle gang psychology

-- Rehabilitate the prison population

-- Build peace-making efforts among conflicting cultures both here and abroad

-- Support our military with complementary approaches to peace-building.

-- Create and administer a U.S. Peace Academy, acting as a sister organization to the U.S. Military Academy.

Last I looked at the constitution, the role of the government was to protect against the unlawful initiation of force - through the police, settle disputes - that's the courts, and defend the borders - that's the armed forces.

The government has no mandate to build peace-making efforts among conflicting cultures both here and abroad.

I hope that there are still sensible people in congress who will realize that a department of peace is a lovely feel good concept but that it has no role in government.