The Federal Government What's it good for anyways?

[AndreaRyc]

I see a lot of bitching about the Federal Government.  Well...some random thoughts

Without the Feds or the G:

You have no property rights,
You have no money / currency,


Government is an edifice.  It's not evil or good.  The people occupying it ...well that's where the fun begins.  Competing interests must be evaluated and resources allocated.  That's the 'sausage making' part.

Then we have the anti-gov. crowd led by the corpse of Reagan and currently the lifeless body of GW Bush.  They tell you that gov. is inherently bad!  Trust them!  Why as former presidents of the government, they ought to know.

You know who else hates the government?  The boys on Wall Street, the Chicago Syndicate and the 5 Families of NY.  Gov. is always intruding on their practices.  On their backs.  In the way.

[Archer77]

The distinction I make is the government as an institution and government made up of the individuals currently serving in it.  I appreciate the former but despise the latter.

[JOHN MATRIX]

Bush was big government. Not a conservative

[AndreaRyc]

When does the federal government become too big?

[Archer77]

When does the federal government become too big?

What is that Rubicon?

Economically, when it can no longer support itself and it's programs.   Socially, when it begins to regulate consensual adult behavior and endeavors to engage in programs of social engineering against the wishes of the people.

[AndreaRyc]

Bush was big government. Not a conservative

All presidents are big government.  The size ain't going away.  

When is a government too big?  What's an indicator?

I think we have bad government.  But for the most part, gov. is only too big when it lends a hand up or a handout.  Why?  I don't know.  I prefer people to property so I have to ask these questions.

I think 'big government' is a ploy to win an argument when nothing substantive can be spoken.  BG = any policy I do not agree with.

[AndreaRyc]

Economically, when it can no longer support itself and it's programs.   Socially, when it begins to regulate consensual adult behavior and endeavors to engage in programs of social engineering against the wishes of the people.

Well reasoned but the economic arm of your contention isn't there any more.  The fed. gov. is monetarily sovereign.  It does not use tax dollars to fund its escapades.  The wealth of the nation is tied to its full faith and credit and not the value of gold.  The only true limitation to spending is inflationary concerns and we've been dealing more with deflation. (the debt ceiling argument is an anachronism from the gold std days and has no place in our gov...it's merely polkitical theater).

I think gov. can over reach, it can be bad governance or good.  I think it's a values call in the end...just like everything else.  Big gov. does not mean bad government any more than small government means good government.

[Straw Man]

The distinction I make is the government as an institution and government made up of the individuals currently serving in it.  I appreciate the former but despise the latter.

you even despise the people you voted for?

[Archer77]

Well reasoned but the economic arm of your contention isn't there any more.  The fed. gov. is monetarily sovereign.  It does not use tax dollars to fund its escapades.  The wealth of the nation is tied to its full faith and credit and not the value of gold.  The only true limitation to spending is inflationary concerns and we've been dealing more with deflation. (the debt ceiling argument is an anachronism from the gold std days and has no place in our gov...it's merely polkitical theater).

I think gov. can over reach, it can be bad governance or good.  I think it's a values call in the end...just like everything else.  Big gov. does not mean bad government any more than small government means good government.

I like this response.  I'll think on this.

you even despise the people you voted for?

Despise may be a strong word but I certainly have a strong innate distrust of all politicians even those I voted for. 

[Irongrip400]

The government should be there to provide for the common defense, build roads/infrastructure, and bail out municipalities etc in times of natural disaster.  Not much more than that.