Voting seems like a placebo.

Going to the polls once or twice a year is like going do the doctor, hoping for a panacea, and being given a sugar pill. Sure, it eases your mind, but the problem still exists.

The real panacea is action that is taken much more regularly. That action is for me to become very well acquainted with my elected officials. Whether I “voted” for them or not. I need to get to know them, get to know how to contact them, and keep in touch, more than once or twice a year. Preferably once a week, if not daily.

I would argue that my vote today did little if anything. The votes that really count are the ones that will be cast every day in the legislature halls of my city, state, and nation. The votes that really count will be by those citizens who were given power by the people to represent them in official matters of state.

Just for fun, I decided to find a list of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies. What I found caused my jaw to drop. As of today, this list shows 479 departments and agencies. FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE!!!

Do we really need the government doing all of this stuff for us? Take a look.

U.S. Government Departments and Agencies

Access Board
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Administration for Native Americans
Administration on Aging (AoA)
Administration on Developmental Disabilities
Administrative Committee of the Federal Register
Administrative Conference of the United States
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
African Development Foundation
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Agency for International Development (USAID)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Agricultural Marketing Service
Agricultural Research Service
Agriculture Department
Air and Radiation Hotline
Air Force
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (Treasury)
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau (Justice)
American Battle Monuments Commission
AmeriCorps Recruiting
AMTRAK (National Railroad Passenger Corporation)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Antitrust Division
Appalachian Regional Commission
Architect of the Capitol
Archives (National Archives and Records Administration)
Arctic Research Commission
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Arms Control and International Security
Army
Army Corps of Engineers
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Interagency Coordinating Committee
Atlantic Fleet Forces Command
Bankruptcy Courts
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
Bonneville Power Administration
Botanic Garden
Broadcasting Board of Governors (Voice of America, Radio|TV Marti and more)
Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade (Treasury)
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (Justice)
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Bureau of Industry and Security
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Bureau of Prisons
Bureau of Reclamation
Bureau of the Census
Bureau of the Engraving and Printing
Bureau of the Public Debt
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Capitol Visitor Center
Census Bureau
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Central Command (CENTCOM)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
Chief Acquisition Officers Council
Chief Financial Officers Council
Chief Human Capital Officers Council
Chief Information Officers Council
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
Coast Guard
Commerce Department
Commission on Civil Rights
Commission on Fine Arts
Commission on International Religious Freedom
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)
Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
Community Planning and Development
Compliance, Office of
Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US CERT)
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Congressional Research Service
Constitution Center
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Copyright Office
Corporation for National and Community Service
Corps of Engineers
Council of Economic Advisers
Council on Environmental Quality
Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Court of Federal Claims
Court of International Trade
Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia
Customs and Border Protection
Defense Acquisition University
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Defense Commissary Agency
Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)
Defense Contract Management Agency
Department of Defense (DOD)
Defense Field Activities
Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS)
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
Defense Legal Services Agency
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)
Defense Security Service (DSS)
Defense Technical Information Center
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Delaware River Basin Commission
Denali Commission
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Department of Defense Inspector General
Department of Education (ED)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Labor (DOL)
Department of State (DOS)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
Department of the Treasury
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Director of National Intelligence, Office of
Domestic Policy Council
Drug Enforcement Administration
Economic Adjustment Office
Economic Analysis, Bureau of
Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Economic Research Service
Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs
Economics and Statistics Administration
Education Department
Election Assistance Commission
Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of
Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
Employment and Training Administration
Endangered Species Committee
Energy Department
Energy Information Administration
English Language Acquisition Office
Engraving and Printing, Bureau of
Environmental Management (Energy Department)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
European Command
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)
Farm Credit Administration
Farm Service Agency
Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Federal Consulting Group
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Federal Election Commission
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Executive Boards
Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council
Federal Financing Bank
Federal Geographic Data Committee
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac)
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds
Federal Interagency Committee on Education
Federal Interagency Council on Statistical Policy
Federal Judicial Center
Federal Labor Relations Authority
Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
Federal Library and Information Center Committee
Federal Maritime Commission
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae)
Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Reserve System
Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board
Federal Student Aid Information Center
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Federal Transit Administration
Financial Management Service (Treasury Department)
Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, National Commission
Fish and Wildlife Service
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Foreign Agricultural Service
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Forest Service
Fossil Energy
Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
General Services Administration (GSA)
Geological Survey
Global Affairs (State Department)
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Government Ethics, Office of
Government National Mortgage Association
Government Printing Office (GPO)
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation
Health and Human Services Department
Health Resources and Services Administration
Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Office
Helsinki Commission (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe)
Holocaust Memorial Museum
Homeland Security Department
House Leadership Offices
House of Representatives
House of Representatives Committees
House Office of Inspector General
House Office of the Clerk
House Organizations, Commissions, and Task Forces
Housing Office (HUD)
Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Indian Affairs, Bureau of
Indian Arts and Crafts Board
Indian Health Service
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
Industry and Security, Bureau of
Information Resource Management College
Information Resources Center
Innovation and Improvement Office
Inspectors General
Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Institute of Peace
Inter-American Foundation
Interagency Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group
Interagency Council on Homelessness
Interior Department
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
International Labor Affairs, Bureau of
International Trade Administration (ITA)
International Trade Commission
Interpol
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Japan-United States Friendship Commission
Job Corps
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
Joint Fire Science Program
Joint Forces Command
Joint Forces Staff College
Joint Military Intelligence College
Judicial Circuit Courts of Appeal
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
Justice Department
Justice Programs, Office of
Justice Statistics, Bureau of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of
Labor Department (DOL)
Labor Statistics, Bureau of
Land Management, Bureau of
Legal Services Corporation
Library of Congress
Marine Corps
Marine Mammal Commission
Maritime Administration
Marketing and Regulatory Programs (Agriculture Department)
Marshals Service
Mediation and Concitiation Service, Office of
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Merit Systems Protection Board
Migratory Bird Conservation Commission
Military Postal Service Agency
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Minority Business Development Agency
Mint
Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
Mississippi River Commission
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
Multifamily Housing Office
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
National Agricultural Statistics Service
National AIDS Policy Office
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare
National Capital Planning Commission
National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
National Constitution Center
National Council on Disability (NCD)
National Counterintelligence Executive, Office of
National Credit Union Administration
National Defense University
National Drug Intelligence Center
National Economic Council
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Gallery of Art
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
National Guard
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
National Indian Gaming Commission
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
National Institute of Justice
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Interagency Fire Center
National Labor Relations Board
National Laboratories (Energy Department)
National Marine Fisheries Service
National Mediation Board
National Nuclear Security Administration
National Ocean Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Park Foundation
National Park Service
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)
National Reconnaissance Office
National Science Foundation
National Security Agency (NSA)
National Security Council
National Technical Information Service
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
National Transportation Safety Board
National War College
National Weather Service (NOAA)
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Navy
Northern Command
Northwest Power Planning Council
Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education
Office of Compliance
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)
Office of Government Ethics
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Office of Mediation and Concitiation Service
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Office of Special Counsel
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Office of the Pardon Attorney
Open World Leadership Center
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Pacific Command
Pardon Attorney, Office of
Parole Commission (Justice Department)
Peace Corps
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)
Pentagon Force Protection Agency
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Policy Development and Research
Political Affairs (State Department)
Postal Regulatory Commission
Postal Service
Power Administrations
President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Presidio Trust
Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office
Public and Indian Housing
Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (State Department)
Radio Free Asia (RFA)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)
Reclamation, Bureau of
Refugee Resettlement, Office of
Regulatory Information Service Center
Rehabilitation Services Administration (Education Department)
Research and Innovative Technology Administration
Risk Management Agency (Agriculture Department)
Rural Business and Cooperative Programs
Rural Development
Rural Housing Service
Rural Utilities Service
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
Science and Technology Policy, Office of
Science Office (Energy Department)
Scientific and Technical Information, Office of
Secret Service
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Selective Service System (SSS)
Senate
Senate Committees
Senate Leadership
Senators on the Web
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Smithsonian Institution
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Social Security Advisory Board
Southeastern Power Administration
Southern Command
Southwestern Power Administration
Special Forces Operations Command
State Department
State Justice Institute
Stennis Center for Public Service
Strategic Command
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Supreme Court of the United States
Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement
Surface Transportation Board
Susquehanna River Basin Commission
Tax Court
Taxpayer Advocacy Panel
Tennessee Valley Authority
Trade and Development Agency
Transportation Command
Transportation Department
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Transportation Statistics, Bureau of
Treasury Department
TRICARE Management
Trustee Program (Justice Department)
U.S. AbilityOne Commission
U.S. Access Board
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
U.S. Army
U.S. Botanic Garden
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. International Trade Commission
U.S. Military Academy, West Point
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
U.S. National Central Bureau – Interpol (Justice Department)
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
U.S. Sentencing Commission
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
U.S. Trade Representative
Unified Combatant Commands (Defense Department)
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
United States Mint
Veterans Affairs Department (VA)
Veterans Benefits Administration
Veterans Day National Committee
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
Vietnam Educational Foundation
Washington Headquarters Services
Weather Service
West Point (Army)
Western Area Power Administration
White House
White House Commission on Presidential Scholars
White House Office of Administration
Women’s Bureau (Labor Department)
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars