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How about effective government? I wouldn't care if it were big or small as long as it was effective.
I want it to be effective too but the problem is neither side wants to compromise at all. How effective are we with no compromise and continuous filibustering?
Not an expert on politics nor do I claim to be but it would seem to be that a smaller government would do less damage to us as a nation then a bigger one. I see no real difference in the two parties other then the left seems to want more religious freedoms & is ok with things like Pro-choice. The right wants to see everyone here living under a Christian rule of sorts. No gay marriage, Pro-life, etc. But it does seem that both of them do want bigger government.
I want it to be effective too but the problem is neither side wants to compromise at all. How effective are we with no compromise and continuous filibustering?
You can't compromise when the two sides don't share a baseline set of values upon which to start the negotiations. We used to have that but now we don't, and I don't see how it can ever come back.
You can't compromise when the two sides don't share a baseline set of values upon which to start the negotiations. We used to have that but now we don't, and I don't see how it can ever come back.
How about effective government? I wouldn't care if it were big or small as long as it was effective.
Yes!!
I will add that I am much more concerned about the degree of corruption in government than the actual size (although I confess I favor smaller Federal govt)
We've had BIG government for many decades and it's here to stay.
The main difference between the major parties comes down to whom they prefer to tax and whether to spend most of that on creating bomb craters in the mideast or on improvements here in the USA.
I think is where we are really at.
However, I don't think the "right" question is do we want big government or small government. I think question is what do we want government to do?
For example, here in Colorado Springs we have the worst snow removal I have ever seen (as compared to western NYS and the Maryland and Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.). It's not just inconvenient, but downright dangerous, and I think the people here are stupid to accept it. But they want small government. So they make up all sorts of excuses for poor snow removal. Their thinking is to decide how much they want to pay before they know how big the problem is. That's now how to do a budget and provide services. Decide what level of service you want, then determine the price tag, and try to reconcile the two.
The issue is, with a truly small government, are people's interest and well-being actually protected the same way they are, with big government? With progressive government programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and others, citizens are essentially guaranteed a certain state of quality of life and well-being. People have guaranteed health care, elderly people won't have to work until they literally drop dead of advanced age, etc.
With small government's suggested approach of charities and church-sponsored financial aid to those legitimately in need, the guarantee goes away, and people's well-being, and in some cases, their lives, are almost wholly-dependent on the charities' intentions and good will.
End result: big government is a series of compulsory, mandatory programs to ensure its citizens' livelihood. Charity and religious organizations are a voluntary counterpart at best and at worst, people run the risk of suffering greatly (i.e., more poverty, homelessness, starvation, etc.), if the charity doesn't deem the individual in need as meriting their assistance. IMO, the people's basic needs are therefore better-served with big government.
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