Commentary by Eugene T. Paslov: The destructiveness of anti-government sentiment

The 238 House members, many of whom are Tea Party freshmen, are from districts that have been fueled with anti-government rhetoric, who lash out against everything from health care reform to immigrants, to public education and teacher unions, to the elderly, the sick and the poor. They held the country hostage during the recent debt-limit debacle. We all suffered.

The vitriolic debate over debt limit, spending cuts, tax breaks for the rich and assaults on the middle class has caused Standard and Poor's to issue a downgrade in the United States' once-excellent credit rating. The actual downgrade (the first in our history) was a result of political intransigence. Our political system proved dysfunctional.

Middle-class wages have been stagnant for the past 30 years. The richest corporations are expanding exponentially, but not for the benefit of American workers. Every night on TV we see stories about children who are homeless and hungry. We see unemployed families, desperately wanting to work. Few jobs are being created. The Republicans and Democrats need to get their act together, to negotiate, compromise, and enact legislation that will create jobs and help the middle class.

Republicans pontificate that if we just deregulate more, eliminate taxes and pass a balanced-budget amendment, all will be good with the world. That's absurd. Look at the Bush administration. Many right-wing R's claim they are not anti-government. They just want smaller government, not a "nanny state" (an anti-government designation). And when one listens carefully, it's easy to hear the sound of cracks in national compassion. We were once known as a compassionate nation, "the greatest in the world." Our politicians don't talk about "greatness" or "compassion" anymore.

Sometimes the language of those who want a different America is subtle: "Let's balance our national checkbook. We can't help everyone. Let them take care of themselves." One local letter-writer caught my attention. He concluded "... Very few of humanity's problems are solved with more money or government programs." (Virtually none are not.) This writer even suggested that the "last 50-80 years bears this out." Unfortunately, the letter-writer revised history. It's the opposite. Examples like the New Deal, the G.I. Bill of Rights, civil rights, voter rights, anti-poverty programs, a federal highway system, and Social Security and Medicare are just a few of the government programs that worked. All made our nation great.

Politicians need to think boldly about creating jobs, growing the economy, and developing compassionate responses for those in need. If elected policy-makers refuse, get rid of them.

Remember that businesses in a democracy cannot exist without competent, strong government. Let's find ways to make government better, not make it disappear.

• Eugene T. Paslov is a board member of the Davidson Academy at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the former Nevada state superintendent of schools.