The Federal Government can solve many of the problems facing America, by disassembling and shrinking most of it's departments and returning the majority of the money it demands from the states. NY state in turn can do the same, thereby allowing the counties and municipalities to function as the people in those counties and cities think best. I think we know best what's what for us here in Genesee County and so do people everywhere in America. I truly believe in American exceptionalism, but not Government Bureaucracy exceptionalism.
If the Federal Government would concern itself with national defense, interstate commerce, interstate disputes, affairs of state with other countries, national monetary system and maybe a couple of other items that don't come to mind right now, instead of trying to control every damn thing a lot of our problems would surely get worked out.
Our government was not established to solve our problems, it was established as a framework (originally encompassing and unobtrusive) within which the people (who own the government) were free to solve their own problems as well as achieve their goals with relative unfettered federal constraint. There are only 3 things promised us by the founding documents; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Government has grown so out of control that it no longer protects any of the three.
Thank You Mark; But I don't really think the average American is thinking "What can my government do for me?" Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd guess it's more like "I can't do anything about it". Common sense should tell us that the federal government is dysfunctional and spending us to ruin. They believe these silver tongued politicians and pundits who talk about change and so forth, and vote them in. They buy into the lesser of 2 evils BS, but it only gets worse and worse. Truth is we can only change it the same way this country started long long ago, at the local community level. As small citizen groups form and get people elected into local government and eschew the influence of the state & national party power brokers, blocks of like-minded groups will grow together organically and have the strength of purpose to resist (hopefully) the outside influencers. Ultimately it could break the stranglehold at the state levels and eventually the Federal. Didn't work for the Tea Party, but I say let's keep trying. The 2 main parties are totally corrupt and don't just add to the problem, they ARE the problem. We didn't get in this mess overnight, but hopefully we can learn from it and get back to citizen rule and the true rule of law which is the Constitution.
Dave, we live in a rural community, 70% of America live in large metropolitan areas. Government programs are a way of life in the urban world, that is why vote pandering works so well.
...lmao, the city of batavia has tried to lower property taxes via a bid on garbage collection and has run up against a wall of protests....how could any government fix the problems they created?
Wait a second, the City of Batavia's garbage proposal is a "wash" in terms of cost to taxpayers. Reducing property taxes while imposing fees is not solving any problem (there are plenty of prior posts discussing that fact). Right on Dave, Jeff, TP, Mark, and Richard! People solve problems, unbridled government creates problems. Tweet time! :-)
Mark; Government programs may well be a way of life someplaces as you say. I'm not going to argue against that. I'm saying that people have come to believe that that's the way it is and they may as well go along. And you know what, since a huge chunk of our income is seized by the government, who can blame anyone? That's different from expecting the government to take care of you. I firmly believe that people in general are not lazy, they want to earn their keep, want to better themselves and want to help their children get to a better life, and are willing to work for it, if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's really, really friggin' hard to do these days, harder than ever, I'd say. It is going to take a sea change, no doubt, won't come easily or quickly, but if we give up, it's over. Period.
Mark:
"That said, as long as the average person thinks to themselves what can my government do for me, it's only going to get worse."
Sounds like lazy to me, Don't know what nuance I missed there. But I miss stuff all the time. Anyway, we're not far apart, you're right. Like Bob wrote above, people are the solution and I know you agree with that.
The next question should be, why do people depend on the govt. to take care of them?
Why on earth would a person go to work for min.wage, pay for child care, gas, and all expenses needed to hold gainful employment, ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF TAKING THE GOVT. HANDOUTS.
Look at how much food prices have gone up in the last 5 years, gas prices, taxes, these are the things that are killing the American dream.
Believe me,nothing pisses me off more than standing at the checkout waiting for someone with 2 heaping carts of groceries ahead of me, and watching them pay for it with food stamps.
But the reality is, what I just mentioned above.
Did anyone think to ask AIG, General Motors, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cargill, Exxon/Mobil, DuPont or Bank of America (et al) why only the government could solve their problems?
The Federal Government can
The Federal Government can solve many of the problems facing America, by disassembling and shrinking most of it's departments and returning the majority of the money it demands from the states. NY state in turn can do the same, thereby allowing the counties and municipalities to function as the people in those counties and cities think best. I think we know best what's what for us here in Genesee County and so do people everywhere in America. I truly believe in American exceptionalism, but not Government Bureaucracy exceptionalism.
If the Federal Government would concern itself with national defense, interstate commerce, interstate disputes, affairs of state with other countries, national monetary system and maybe a couple of other items that don't come to mind right now, instead of trying to control every damn thing a lot of our problems would surely get worked out.
Our government was not
Our government was not established to solve our problems, it was established as a framework (originally encompassing and unobtrusive) within which the people (who own the government) were free to solve their own problems as well as achieve their goals with relative unfettered federal constraint. There are only 3 things promised us by the founding documents; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Government has grown so out of control that it no longer protects any of the three.
Government can't solve the
Government can't solve the problems of Society. As Ronald Reagan once said: "Government is the problem"
Very well said. There is no
Very well said. There is no reason for me to post as you have it covered.
Everything written, by Dave,
Everything written, by Dave, Jeff and TP is true. I agree emphatically.
That said, as long as the average person thinks to themselves what can my government do for me, it's only going to get worse.
Thank You Mark; But I don't
Thank You Mark; But I don't really think the average American is thinking "What can my government do for me?" Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd guess it's more like "I can't do anything about it". Common sense should tell us that the federal government is dysfunctional and spending us to ruin. They believe these silver tongued politicians and pundits who talk about change and so forth, and vote them in. They buy into the lesser of 2 evils BS, but it only gets worse and worse. Truth is we can only change it the same way this country started long long ago, at the local community level. As small citizen groups form and get people elected into local government and eschew the influence of the state & national party power brokers, blocks of like-minded groups will grow together organically and have the strength of purpose to resist (hopefully) the outside influencers. Ultimately it could break the stranglehold at the state levels and eventually the Federal. Didn't work for the Tea Party, but I say let's keep trying. The 2 main parties are totally corrupt and don't just add to the problem, they ARE the problem. We didn't get in this mess overnight, but hopefully we can learn from it and get back to citizen rule and the true rule of law which is the Constitution.
Dave, we live in a rural
Dave, we live in a rural community, 70% of America live in large metropolitan areas. Government programs are a way of life in the urban world, that is why vote pandering works so well.
...lmao, the city of batavia
...lmao, the city of batavia has tried to lower property taxes via a bid on garbage collection and has run up against a wall of protests....how could any government fix the problems they created?
Wait a second, the City of
Wait a second, the City of Batavia's garbage proposal is a "wash" in terms of cost to taxpayers. Reducing property taxes while imposing fees is not solving any problem (there are plenty of prior posts discussing that fact). Right on Dave, Jeff, TP, Mark, and Richard! People solve problems, unbridled government creates problems. Tweet time! :-)
Mark; Government programs may
Mark; Government programs may well be a way of life someplaces as you say. I'm not going to argue against that. I'm saying that people have come to believe that that's the way it is and they may as well go along. And you know what, since a huge chunk of our income is seized by the government, who can blame anyone? That's different from expecting the government to take care of you. I firmly believe that people in general are not lazy, they want to earn their keep, want to better themselves and want to help their children get to a better life, and are willing to work for it, if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's really, really friggin' hard to do these days, harder than ever, I'd say. It is going to take a sea change, no doubt, won't come easily or quickly, but if we give up, it's over. Period.
-Dave we are not really far
-Dave we are not really far apart, but I NEVER SAID people there were lazy etc.
A way of life because they were conditioned to believe that, it has nothing to do with work ethic etc. it has all to do with vote pandering'
And I in no way think that we should give up, in fact I think we should fight harder to reduce the size and scope of the federal Government
Mark: "That said, as long as
Mark:
"That said, as long as the average person thinks to themselves what can my government do for me, it's only going to get worse."
Sounds like lazy to me, Don't know what nuance I missed there. But I miss stuff all the time. Anyway, we're not far apart, you're right. Like Bob wrote above, people are the solution and I know you agree with that.
Something I just read and
Something I just read and think maybe everyone should.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/rand-paul-tea-party/2013/02/13/id/49011…
The next question should be,
The next question should be, why do people depend on the govt. to take care of them?
Why on earth would a person go to work for min.wage, pay for child care, gas, and all expenses needed to hold gainful employment, ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF TAKING THE GOVT. HANDOUTS.
Look at how much food prices have gone up in the last 5 years, gas prices, taxes, these are the things that are killing the American dream.
Believe me,nothing pisses me off more than standing at the checkout waiting for someone with 2 heaping carts of groceries ahead of me, and watching them pay for it with food stamps.
But the reality is, what I just mentioned above.
Did anyone think to ask AIG,
Did anyone think to ask AIG, General Motors, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cargill, Exxon/Mobil, DuPont or Bank of America (et al) why only the government could solve their problems?