GIVE ME YOUR INFORMED OPINION........

by Terry 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Terry

  As you well know, the chief difference between the Left (Democrats/Liberals) and the Right (Republicans/Conservatives) comes down to one thing.

  THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT and the ROLE of GOVERNMENT.

  With that in mind I ask for your INFORMED opinion.

  1.What does Government do that isn't wasteful, inept and costly that the private sector can't do better?

  2.Why do people disagree on the role of government when there are thousands of examples of where Government fails to provide?

  3.Do you think Government automatically becomes efficient, orderly and manageable when YOUR PREFERRED PARTY takes office?

  Please give examples, reasons and precedents rather than the usual one-sided partisan speeches.

  Facts speak louder than assertions.

  Thank you.
• 

  Gregor

  1.What does Government do that isn't wasteful, inept and costly that the private sector can't do better? NationalDefense, law enforcement and a Justice system. Still wasteful, inept , corrupt and costly but somebody has to do it. 2.Why do people disagree on the role of government when there are thousands of examples of where Government fails to provide? I believe that there are 2 kinds of people in the world. Some instinctively embrace the ideals of socialism/communism and think they are the first ones to think of it. They ignore all the historical and contemporary examples of failed socialistexperiments. Free market capitalists see all the examples they need to justify there belief in individual freedom and it's benefit to society. 3.Do you think Government automatically becomes efficient, orderly and manageable when YOUR PREFERRED PARTY takes office? Hell no. All forms of Government are flawed. So called conservatives have grown our bureaucracies every bit as much as liberals. All the individual can do is hold their nose and vote for the scheme they feel comes closest to their ideals. Or sit out the whole process and become a cynic. I'm thinking in this direction myself.
• 

  snowbird

  1.What does Government do that isn't wasteful, inept and costly that the private sector can't do better?

  Absolutely nothing.

  2.Why do people disagree on the role of government when there are thousands of examples of where Government fails to provide?

  Some people, like children, disagree just to be disagreeable. Actually, people vote for whatever they feel is going to benefit them first.

  3.Do you think Government automatically becomes efficient, orderly and manageable when YOUR PREFERRED PARTY takes office?

  Government has NEVER been efficient, orderly, and manageable because those who make up Government are not. Yet, any form of government beats anarchy hands down. Yes, I've witnessed anarchy - a riot in fact - and it wasn't pretty.

  Sylvia
• 

  Alpaca

  Hi Terry,

  I always enjoy your posts. This conversation about government reminds me of Winston Churchill when he said:

  Democracy is a bad form of government....unfortunately it's the best thing we've got.

  I am jammin' at school right now, but will post a more thoughtful comment later.

  Cheers,

  Alex
• 

  leftbelow

  I don't know how informed I am but I have an opinion.

  1. I truly believe that beyond the Military and basic services i.e. fire, police, and roads the Government is always less efficient then the private sector.

  2. Simply put people are different and because of that they see the same things differently dependent on the point of view they are coming from.

  3. I have never voted before this year so I am new to the process but the more I look the less I see any real difference between the 2 main parties and the more I wonder if we can change then system without a major shake up. They take up different sides on issues that are marginal i.e. gay marriage but on the real issues like energy, imigration, or the overly complicated tax code they really only want a band aid solution. So to answer your question to me niether party is capable of any form of efficiency.

  It may be ill informed the the opinions are mine.
• 

  Terry

  My own opinion is this.

  1.The smaller the size of Government, the better off every individual citizen is. Government seems to only be necessary for vigilance against harm from the outside and safety concerns inside the borders. What it does, it often does pathetically.

  2.I think people blind themselves to Government ineptitude by blaming the party in power and clinging to hope that if their own preferred party comes in to office it will all be better. The premise of balance of power (democrats mixed with republicans) creates conflicts which grind the functions of lawmaking/enforcement to a halt in debate and scheming.

  Interesting you mention DEMOCRACY. This is only one form of government.

  I was intending to stay very general and make it across the board generic GOVERNMENT.
• 

  Terry

  3. I have never voted before this year so I am new to the process but the more I look the less I see any real difference between the 2 main parties and the more I wonder if we can change then system without a major shake up. They take up different sides on issues that are marginal i.e. gay marriage but on the real issues like energy, imigration, or the overly complicated tax code they really only want a band aid solution. So to answer your question to me niether party is capable of any form of efficiency.

  Not choosing is a choice.

  I think, as an example, of the Tibetans who did not form an army (or hire one) to defend against Communist aggression. They elected through INACTION, you might say, to choose extinction!

  We are all born in medias res (in the midst of things) and must swim with the flow or against. If we don't swim at all we are carried with the flow anyway.

  The question becomes sticky ethics when we opt out (JW fashion) and pretend we are NEUTRAL!

  Standing by, for example, as somebody gets beaten up is "neutral". But, by doing nothing to stop it--you become accessory.

  Our tax dollars pay for what the Government decides to do. Unless we stop paying taxes (and go to jail!) we are silent partners in whatever Government does. Whereas, if we vote and do not win (our choices aren't carried) at least we have "spoken out" against policy.

  These are all important issues for each of us to consider.

  In words of the Ancient Greeks, I personally am an "idiot". An idiot is a citizen who does not participate in the governing of the citizenry through voting. I am ashamed of this, certainly.

  My current feeling is that McCain is as close as we will ever get in our lifetime to a real maverick who is neither Conservative nor Democrat. He will cause both polarities to expose themselves as ideologues by how the react to his seat-of-the-pants idealism. He is a very interesting candidate.

  When any candidate makes both sides angry, he is de facto as neutral as possible!

  I am really thinking about voting for the first time in my life.

  I am interested in people's ideas about what Government is and can do (and cannot).

  There is so much religioso in Politics' belief system that I shy away and almost recoil at the thought of jumping in.

  Ideologues make me want to puke.

  I think McCain is as good as it gets.
• 

  Terry

  3. I have never voted before this year so I am new to the process but the more I look the less I see any real difference between the 2 main parties and the more I wonder if we can change then system without a major shake up. They take up different sides on issues that are marginal i.e. gay marriage but on the real issues like energy, imigration, or the overly complicated tax code they really only want a band aid solution. So to answer your question to me niether party is capable of any form of efficiency.

  Not choosing is a choice.

  I think, as an example, of the Tibetans who did not form an army (or hire one) to defend against Communist aggression. They elected through INACTION, you might say, to choose extinction!

  We are all born in medias res (in the midst of things) and must swim with the flow or against. If we don't swim at all we are carried with the flow anyway.

  The question becomes sticky ethics when we opt out (JW fashion) and pretend we are NEUTRAL!

  Standing by, for example, as somebody gets beaten up is "neutral". But, by doing nothing to stop it--you become accessory.

  Our tax dollars pay for what the Government decides to do. Unless we stop paying taxes (and go to jail!) we are silent partners in whatever Government does. Whereas, if we vote and do not win (our choices aren't carried) at least we have "spoken out" against policy.

  These are all important issues for each of us to consider.

  In words of the Ancient Greeks, I personally am an "idiot". An idiot is a citizen who does not participate in the governing of the citizenry through voting. I am ashamed of this, certainly.

  My current feeling is that McCain is as close as we will ever get in our lifetime to a real maverick who is neither Conservative nor Democrat. He will cause both polarities to expose themselves as ideologues by how the react to his seat-of-the-pants idealism. He is a very interesting candidate.

  When any candidate makes both sides angry, he is de facto as neutral as possible!

  I am really thinking about voting for the first time in my life.

  I am interested in people's ideas about what Government is and can do (and cannot).

  There is so much religioso in Politics' belief system that I shy away and almost recoil at the thought of jumping in.

  Ideologues make me want to puke.

  I think McCain is as good as it gets.
• 

  VoidEater

  1.What does Government do that isn't wasteful, inept and costly that the private sector can't do better?

  The private sector is notoriously favoritist and nepotist. Therefore they would not be any better than Government in the areas of criminal adjudication, legislation, civil rights or national defense. Since the government contracts with private sector for so much (and there is wide-ranging waste, ineptitude and cost in these efforts), the point is rather lost.

  2.Why do people disagree on the role of government when there are thousands of examples of where Government fails to provide?

  Because there are millions of variations that haven't been tried, and it is clear that a third party (besides citizens and business) is needed as regulator, ombudsman and/or parent. Since there are thousands of examples of business failing to provide (or even live up to their contracted obligations), why would you siggest the private sector can handle things?

  3.Do you think Government automatically becomes efficient, orderly and manageable when YOUR PREFERRED PARTY takes office?

  No. It is often ungainly, inefficient and expensive for a variety of good and bad reasons. But it is more neutral and more representative of general needs than alternatives.

  If McCain had the accoutrements of a civil rights leader as opposed to relationships with narrow minded fundamentalists, I might vote for him, too.
• 

  leftbelow

  Terry you are so right. I will make a choice (btw one of my old elders back in Texas loved to quote Rush "if you chose not to decide you still have made a choice") I am just hoping that whoever get in there can and will try to be that maverick to really make changes. I still haven't made up my mind but you make some good point and McCain has got my attention.

  I have a lot of time to make up for but I will be voting this Nov. just not sure who I will vote for at this point.