[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 14, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BRIAN RERICH'S ESSAY

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                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 14, 2015

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share them with my House colleagues.
  Brian Rerich attends Alvin High School in Alvin, Texas. The essay 
topic is: in your opinion, what role should government play in our 
lives?

       Government holds a power constitutionally given to those 
     who represent the people, for the people, in order to make 
     decisions on the people's behalf to protect rights of life, 
     liberty, and property as stated by the Founding Fathers. The 
     foundation of all governments are based around the concept of 
     united groups banning together to protect each other or their 
     own property from other groups of the uncivilized, leading to 
     formations of countries with ideologies reflecting the ideas 
     or aggressions on which they were founded regardless of 
     governmental nature.
       Philosophically a government's role in everyday life should 
     be to fulfil its duty of creating, and enforcing laws which 
     protect the people and their rights while having their best 
     interests at heart. Government's should also terminate those 
     that violate those rights and laws or cause aggression to the 
     people, given that the punishment is just and fair from 
     prison to military action, even if it is members of the 
     regime that must be terminated. However the government should 
     remain checked and balanced to ensure that it is constantly 
     protecting and representing the people. It is not the 
     government's job to regulate or judge every aspect of a 
     person's life, but to safeguard it, even if it means 
     defending a person from themselves in some cases. As stated 
     in The Declaration of Independence, ``Governments are 
     instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the 
     consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government 
     becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the 
     People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new 
     Government, laying its foundation on such principles and 
     organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem 
     most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness'', the only 
     thing the government is required to do is help the people it 
     governs. The Government has a responsibility just as the 
     people who give it power do. They must protect and serve with 
     integrity and distinction for the betterment of society and 
     humanity. This ensures progression, protection, unity, and 
     equality for all, preserving that which is the fabric of 
     America, as well as what was sewed into it during its 
     founding.

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