Focus on the Common Good: A case for ending our obsession with State and Federal funding

A recent nation-wide study conducted by the University of Illinois, found that many "rural" communities are well above the national average in prosperity. Rather than focus just on growth, this study identified specific outcomes and tackled the question, "Why some rural places prosper and others do not." The final conclusion of the report identified educated populations, a diverse economy -- mix of farm and non-farm jobs, creative class occupations and balanced income distributions. This study further identified civic and religious engagement and community interconnectedness as key factors in success.

While I am clearly biased, this sounds a lot like Southern Minnesota! Let's face it, we have a pretty darn good place to call home. Our small-town networks of charity, faith, education and friendship are a priceless commodity. The Illinois report gives a glimpse of hope in otherwise dark times. As a community, we should elevate the importance of our community networks in promoting community prosperity. Whether these networks are referred to as the living church, Blue Zone "moais", social networks, Tibetan "camps" or just neighborhoods, government programs cannot compete with the human touch.

Community support and prosperity should not be driven exclusively by government solutions. Instead, our government institutions should provide the important infrastructure base that allows these networks to prosper-- the foothold at the base of the pyramid. We cannot expect our government to be everything for everybody.

Too often lately, it seem our community ethos and energy has been spent chasing state and federal money -- stimulus funds, "jobs" bills, bonding bills called jobs bills and other pork projects. Make no mistake, I strongly support parochialism and protecting our turf, especially in regards to funding formula inequities. Yet, the wedge politics and hand-wringing committed to gaining these entitlements does little to promote pride and the common good. We should get off the treadmill that bribes us into chasing institutional money, fueled with the demand that the institutions take more of our money -- and our children's money. Why should we demand that they take another dollar when all they send us back is a quarter?

Government certainly can do good, but it cannot always do the most good. Institution building should not be confused with community building. We should place more confidence in our local networks and end our obsession with gaming the treadmill system. The on-going effects of the great recession will certainly threaten the social and economic fabric as we know it. As a community, we must think long term, not rely on the short-term models currently being offered by the state and federal government.

A lot of ink has been used analyzing the "no new taxes' theory of the right. This pledge certainly has many downsides and is easily perceived as anti-good government. Yet, no ink is spilled on the "no new reform" pledge of the left. The public correctly fears that any new taxes would be spent on new programs, not strengthening existing programs. Government programs are not inherently good or right. They must efficiently promote the common good, not just promote "good."

In the pursuit of prosperity and the common good, we should have more confidence in, and strengthen our local networks. We should demand that our government institutions serve our communities, not let government institutions demand that our communities service them. The first step towards this goal is to recognize and minimize our obsession with government funding.

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