Republicans have campaigned over the last several years on the idea of espousing smaller federal governments and expanding state and local autonomy. While I have found a good number of individual Republicans of whom this has been true, this is NOT true of the national party, and specifically not true of the Bush administration. In this article, I will attempt to enumerate several examples of how the Bush administration is antithetical to small government, and why true small government Republicans should seriously consider reform or separation from a party that no longer represents their interests.

• No Child Left Behind:  By increasing federal control over education through NCLB, the government ignores the glaringly obvious: averaging test scores means that HALF of all American children will be "below average". You cannot change that statistical fact, and you certainly cannot legislate it away (for more information, a Webster's definition of "average" MIGHT help. Federal controls will not increase the quality of education, nor will it cause students with learning disabilities to suddenly and mysteriously become "un-disabled". What it WILL do is hold put the values and mores of political correctness firmly in place in the American educational system and undermine the individual values and diversity that make this a great nation. It will do this by requiring schools to teach lifestyles and values that are often incompatible with the values that parents teach in their home. This is abhorrent and irresponsible a practice as teaching religion in the same public schools.
• Opposing California's Medical Marijuana Law: Outgoing AG John Ashcroft has consistently opposed this law, and similar laws in other states, denying states the right to decide in this area. The federal government, under Ashcroft, found Ed Rosenthal guilty of marijuana cultivation and conspiracy in 2003 in their efforts to fight this law.
• Fighting Oregon's Death with Dignity Law: While Ashcroft has consistently failed in his attempts to overturn this law, he has spent a good deal of time and taxpayer money pressing for continued federal appeals in his attempts to undermine the wishes of the voters of Oregon.
• Demanding Harsher Prison Terms: Ashcroft throughout his tenure as AG advocated for harsher prison terms, and went out of his way to track federal judges who do not give them, going against the states' wishes for lesser prison terms.
• Seeking the Death Penalty: In a dozen cases in New York and Connecticut where federal prosecutors sought lesser sentences, Ashcroft directed them to seek the death penalty.
• Opposing Stronger Emission Standards: The Bush administration joined in a lawsuit against California's emission standards because they are stronger than federal emissions standards.
• Joining in Local Zoning Disputes: A Christian church in Maui was denied zoning by the zoning commission, citing traffic and safety concerns. The Justice Department has weighed in, accusing Maui of religious discrimination in an area which should remain a local concern.

The Republican Party has consistently pushed for bigger government, not smaller, and the only sane and responsible choice for true "small government Republicans" exists in third parties such as the Libertarian Party.