What good government means to me: an essay Adam Van Handel Guest Column This spring, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-13) and Greater Media Newspapers co-sponsored an essay contest, "What Good Government Means to Me," for eighth-graders in the 13th Legislative District. More than 150 students submitted entries for the contest. The first-place winner was Adam Van Handel, from Ms. Eisen's class at Carl Sandburg Middle School, Old Bridge. The second-place award went to Charles Gunningham from Mrs. Grieco's class at Joseph R. Bolger Middle School, Keansburg, and the third-place award went to Monica Bastawros from Mrs. Carey's class at Hazlet Middle School. Below, we are reprinting Adam Van Handel's essay. We offer our congratulations to all who entered. Abraham Lincoln explained government well in his Gettysburg Address. A good government should be "Of the people, by the people and for the people." A government is meant to rule the people so there isn't anarchy and chaos. However, the people, for their sake, should control the same government. A government that is not connected to its people is a government ripe for disaster. Marie Antoinette, for example, ruled but did not know who she was actually ruling. She did not understand that they were starving. She was not connected to her people and her people made her pay for her ignorance. People should not fear the government; the government should fear the people. A government that uses tyranny and fear to control its citizens is not a good government. The government should know that it only has the power the people gave it and that the people can also take that power away. With this knowledge, the government should do what is right for its people because it fears the people taking its power away. The government needs to know what its citizens want, in order to concede to their wishes. A people-fearing government should desire to discover its citizens' wishes at any cost. Therefore, it should respond to most, if not all letters and e-mails it receives. Such a response will make the people aware of the government's position and whether or not the person's wishes will be met. However, the government must also be able to make decisions on its own. It cannot wait for the people on every issue. This does not mean it can disregard the people, it only means that sometimes decisions need to be made without the immediate input of the people. At the same time, the government must always place the needs of the people above its own needs. In my opinion, a good government needs power to operate effectively, but that power must always be kept in check. There must be some way that the people can limit the government's power. This limit should not be a burden on the government, because the people gave it the power it has. Without the people, a government is worthless. A good government should know and understand that. To me, a good government leads the people where the people want to go, not where the leaders wish to go. Governments are made to keep the people from fighting among themselves. According to the dictionary, government is a political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens or inhabitants of communities, societies and states. It directs the affairs of state, community and political administration. In my opinion, a good government is a political group used to lead its citizens and has only the best interests of the citizens in mind. It cannot become thirsty for power, money, revenge or land. No government is perfect, but our government is the best in the world, for the people. Adam Van Handel is a student at Carl Sandburg Middle School, Old Bridge