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I wish when people debate these issues they wouldn't lie. I NEVER said I supported Bush or voted for him. I also never said that the GOP didn't grow a massive bureaucracy. If I had my way America wouldn't borrow one cent.
If we can't do it with 15% of GDP it shouldn't be done.
Simple as that.
I agree with you. Then why blame just the left. Both parties suck and are corrupt...we really need a third alternative.
I agree with you. Then why blame just the left. Both parties suck and are corrupt...we really need a third alternative.
The left is the only side calling for even more government bloat. The right wing politicians who call for smaller government but VOTE for larger government are even lower than the Pelosi wing of the House.
The American government and politics is a reflection of the American people. The DC area by itself just happens to be the place where it all comes together.
So you get on my case for supposedly stereotyping D.C. folk but then you go on to stereotype Silicon Valley folk with a slight smirk towards the important work that goes on there...
Interesting.
Anyway and for the record, I know there are a lot of good, decent people in D.C., MD and VA who are doing good and important work. And I know that not every penny of my hard earned tax dollar is wasted on public sector union protected bureaucratic bloat and entitlement. But look through the other city boards and you will see what I mean about economic desperation and the deep concerns of Americans outside of the Beltway.
Reading this sub-forum reminds me of Katniss listening to the conversations of the sheltered elite in the Capitol and how disgusted she was by what she heard.
I read through my post three times and couldn't see anywhere that I gave a "slight smirk" toward Silicon Valley. I think the engineering work in the tech sector is great and I'm glad to see it spreading to other cities and countries. All I said was that designing apps and other such engineering feats is not everybody's calling. Some people are drawn more to politics and international relations, for which a place like Silicon Valley doesn't provide many opportunities while a place like DC does. One realm of interest isn't inherently more or less important than the other.
I try to engage with you in the complexities of the relationship between the market and government, but you seem to be so deeply rooted in a free market ideology that you don't seem interested in moving beyond the most basic talk radio talking points of "grrr.... government bad".
I get that and sympathize with it but, obviously, the private sector caused a vast majority of the recession we've been dealing with for the past 5 years and obviously, through social programs and military / industrial spending, government has caused endless problems of its own. But if you actually think liberals are for big government and conservatives are for small government, then you weren't paying attention in the 80s when deficits exploded under Reagan, the 90s when the budget ran a surplus, or the 00s when entirely Republican control led to huge deficits. You can't conveniently leave out military spending when assessing big versus small government. It seems to me both parties, to their core ideology, are for big government. I just saw the other day that, statistically, Democrats have actually managed smaller governments overall despite rhetoric to the contrary.
I read through my post three times and couldn't see anywhere that I gave a "slight smirk" toward Silicon Valley. I think the engineering work in the tech sector is great and I'm glad to see it spreading to other cities and countries. All I said was that designing apps and other such engineering feats is not everybody's calling. Some people are drawn more to politics and international relations, for which a place like Silicon Valley doesn't provide many opportunities while a place like DC does. One realm of interest isn't inherently more or less important than the other.
I try to engage with you in the complexities of the relationship between the market and government, but you seem to be so deeply rooted in a free market ideology that you don't seem interested in moving beyond the most basic talk radio talking points of "grrr.... government bad".
I get that and sympathize with it but, obviously, the private sector caused a vast majority of the recession we've been dealing with for the past 5 years and obviously, through social programs and military / industrial spending, government has caused endless problems of its own. But if you actually think liberals are for big government and conservatives are for small government, then you weren't paying attention in the 80s when deficits exploded under Reagan, the 90s when the budget ran a surplus, or the 00s when entirely Republican control led to huge deficits. You can't conveniently leave out military spending when assessing big versus small government. It seems to me both parties, to their core ideology, are for big government. I just saw the other day that, statistically, Democrats have actually managed smaller governments overall despite rhetoric to the contrary.
You wrote...
Quote:
I think a lot of highly educated people with interests in international affairs or such come here because there are interesting jobs for highly educated people with those political interests. They wouldn't really be happy coming up with the latest app or marketing refrigerators...
"marketing refrigerators"?
You know you are putting down people who aren't in D.C. doing "truly important global work" with that remark.
C'mon, now...
Everybody knows Reagan wasn't a conservative. He was a big government republican who started out as a socialist.
I've always said that the U.S. defense budget should never be more than 4% of GDP in peacetime.
Bring our boys home from Europe and Afghanistan and let's enjoy the peace dividend.
Tell me...how come showing concern about billions of dollars of government waste is always turned into "he hates government workers"?
At least your honest. Most others here try to cover up selfishness with a sense of D.C.'s superiority over the rest of America.
Nothing to be embarrassed or dishonest about... if we all agree that the government should be trying to keep Americans employed...
Then there's nothing wrong with the government employing more Americans.
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