PurpleCrayonWriter
Just a Kid at Heart
That was pretty good, Nailz. I mean that. I'm not sure I could have come up with all of those government agencies.
A few random thoughts and initial reactions:
1. What has the cost been to the American people for all of the above? We're over a trillion dollars in debt -- and climbing. We're mired in red tape, waste, fraud, and corruption. Whereas you apparently see government as a loving grandmother cradling all of us in her tender arms, others see government as an octopus with tentacles that reach into too many places, especially our wallets. You see government as helpful at every turn. Others see a government they can't get away from. Regardless, what isn't arguable is that all of the services you cite as being wonderful cost us way too much -- more than we have, more than we ever will have, and more than is good for our economy, which is one of the reasons why we're in a deep recession. Government is taking more money from the private sector than the private sector can pump back into the economy. It's very, very simple. Economics 101.
2. While it's not arguable that government is supposed to provide necessary services (police and fire being but two) an argument can be made about the quality or effectiveness of many of the services you cite -- the public school system, for example. No one -- from either side of the aisle -- believes the public school system works any more. Many believe it is an abject failure. And how many bridges, buildings, and other public facilities have collapsed, sometimes killing people, because some lazy government official mis-read, mis-handled, or was paid to ignore critical information? Every one of the government agencies you cite has not been immune from the red tape, fraud, and corruption I mentioned in #1.
3. Regarding socialized medicine, all I can do is point to how it's run in other countries (Canada, UK, Europe, for example). I have friends in those countries. Many tell me about long lines waiting, about substandard care, and about crushing taxes to pay for it all. UK's Daniel Hannan (MEP) has repeatedly warned the U.S. not to follow in England's footsteps. America's health care leads the world in quality and innovation. I do not trust our government to improve it. On the contrary, I know our government will destroy it. The health care bill is one hell of a scary document -- especially if you're over 65. Apparently, our current government thinks old people should die and get out of the way. Health care rationing is a better descriptor for the health-care reform Obama proposes. I'm not sure if you've read the health care bills snaking their way through Congress. But you're not alone. Obama hasn't either. Nor has 98% of the members of Congress. I've read a lot of it. I've heard about a lot of it on talk-radio programs. The bills are nightmares. Total disasters. No wonder senior citizens are storming town hall meetings to raise hell. They don't want to be denied care just because they're of a certain age.
4. You seem to romanticize government services while ignoring their many downsides, accepting all government services as equally good. Or just. Or even Constitutional. America's form of government is unique. Our Constitution was written to severely limit the federal government -- precisely so that it didn't become the all-encompassing entity you just wrote that it is. So instead of looking at government and saying, "Wow. Look at everything government does to help me get through my day" you should look at each government service and ask, "Did the Constitution allow the federal government to do this?" I think you'd be surprised how many times your answer would be "No."
5. The Federal Reserve is a good thing? Many believe it is at the root of America's -- as well as the world's -- problems. Our Founding Fathers did not want paper money. That's why Article I Section 8 states:
The Congress shall have power...To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;
And why Article I Section 10 states:
No state shall...coin money...make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts...
What that means is this: Only Congress can coin money. And the choice of the word "coin" was not an accident. Paper money existed back then. But real money was considered by the Framers as something of substance, metal. But if, over time, Congress decide to do something other than coin money (like unconstitutionally hand over money-making authority to a private banking cartel called the Federal Reserve), the states have a check on that: "No state shall....making anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts."
These provisions of the Constitution have never been repealed, which means (a) Congress has violated the Constitution by creating the Federal Reserve, and (b) states violate the Constitution every single day by making something (Federal Reserve Notes) other than "gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts."
I have an extensive bibliography if you'd like to read more about the conservative/independent approach to our government. It's about three dozen books long. But it'll be an eye-opener.
The best book that's come out in a long time, however, is Mark R. Levin's [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Tyranny-Conservative-Mark-Levin/dp/1416562850/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249066530&sr=1-1"]Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto[/ame]. This book should be read by every American citizen. And it nearly has been. It's been at or near the top of the New York Times Bestseller list since it was released three months ago. Millions of people are reading it. And I'm thrilled. The more people who read that book, the fewer people Washington and the state-run media will be able to con.
Bottom line: Government isn't the wonderful, harmless entity you make it out to be in your post. Once you compare what it's doing to what the Constitution allows it to do, you'll see why so many people are beyond worried. They're scared shitless.
Bill
