Here is a question we the people ought to debate often. In fact, it is rarely raised. Politicians avoid the question. Columnists and various pundits do too.

The question is NOT how and where can we cut government spending. It is NOT how and where we can ferret out government waste. It is NOT whether we can cut this benefit. Or raise this tax. Or whose ox do we gore and whose do we fatten.

The question we ought to ask is this: Should government be doing this ( this activity)?

We know the U.S. Postal Service is bleeding money. Losing billions every quarter. Our pundits and politicians debate whether to cut Saturday service. Or how we might re-negotiate with postal unions They should ask: Should government run this service at all? Many countries privatized or semi-privatized their postal services. They removed government from the equation. Their post offices make money and pay taxes to their governments. While ours clings to taxpayers like the leech it is.

We know Amtrak bleeds money. We debate what routes to keep and where to trim. Our question should be: Should government be in the railroad business at all?