Politicians, in their never-ending attempt to make us believe that they are needed in order for civilization to continue, do all they can to make our lives complex. Many of them are trained as lawyers, so our laws and regulations read like convoluted, almost incomprehensible gibberish, so that we'll need more lawyers to interpret, argue and defend whenever we happen to violate some edict we didn't know existed.

Taxes, regulations, and licensing complicate our lives enormously, aside from driving up the cost of every single expenditure we make. We're forced to go to expensive licensed doctors and clinics for the simplest of ailments, who then write us a prescription we take somewhere else to get filled by another licensed individual and firm. What could have been a $5 remedy ends up being a $100 fix.

In the upcoming elections, we'll be hearing about numerous complex issues: Resolving the mess in Iraq, dealing with budget deficits, the high cost of medicines and health care, prison shortages, etc.

The political issues candidates will be discussing were not created by you and I, but by the very same politicians who now call on us to fix what they screwed up... by electing them to office.

Take a few minutes out to consider how much simpler your life would be without government... from simple little things like buying something advertised at $1 for a dollar bill instead of $1.07... to something like setting up a business and not having to spend half your time being sure you comply with regulations.

Now, just for fun, check the personal philosophy of someone noted for producing elegant, complex, but entertaining movies, and who also has held elected office, as Mayor of Carmel, California.

So, socially, you're live-and-let-live. How about politically?

I suppose. I don't see myself as conservative, but I'm not ultra-leftist. You build a philosophy of your own. I like the libertarian view, which is to leave everyone alone. Even as a kid, I was annoyed by people who wanted to tell everyone how to live.

As an ex-politician, does that extend to your view of same-sex marriages? That could be the polarizing issue of the presidential race.

From a libertarian point of view, you would say, "Yeah? So what?" You have to believe in total equality. People should be able to be what they want to be and do what they want -- as long as they're not harming people.

Speaking of politics, do you think Arnold Schwarzenegger should have run for governor?

If he wanted to, why not? Arnold is a smart guy who has done a lot with his life. Obviously, he's a very disciplined guy. Now, if he wants to do it, more power to him. But, boy, it's going to be tough. I had a lot of people try to talk me into running for governor before he came along. I said, "No chance." When I ran for mayor, everyone thought I was positioning myself, being that Reagan had become president. But I was only interested in helping the community here.

Helping the community?
What a novel and simple idea for a Mayor to have.

C'mon back tomorrow, when Chris Basten writes more about the unending complexity government adds to our lives, in "One-Stop Shopping"