Myopic vision in the Tea Party

John Esperian, Las Vegas

Friday, Aug. 19, 2011 | 2:02 a.m.

Regarding the Tea Party and its mission to return our nation to smaller government, some of us would like to ask where these champions of less-intrusive government would wield their scalpel.

Would it be less intrusion in the mission of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps? Or perhaps absolving of intrusion in the areas of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security?

How about less government intrusion in unemployment compensation for those out of work, looking for a job? On the state and local levels, would less intrusion work in education, fire and police protection?

What the mad hatters in the Tea Party prefer is the dissolution of entitlements for the needy — those who need the social net most of all — and fewer taxes.

But the solution simply will not come about unless there is adequate revenue from taxes together with restricting wasteful spending such as the ongoing conflagrations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Tea Party faithful might take note of one area every American should think about, and that is less intrusion by religion in the U.S. government — and instead preservation of the founding principle of separation of church and state, an idea which may not sit well with Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry and their prayerful followers.