Is American Government Good or Bad?

[VanceInWA]

I've frequently seen sentiments expressed on this and many other forums that the government cannot be trusted, that actions taken by government often infringe on our freedoms, that it may be our patriotic duty to oppose at least some governmental policies.

Especially as a gun person, I am often prone to harboring those same sentiments, sometimes with anger in my heart. On the other hand I do not see government as all bad. In fact, government can do a lot of good. For example, where I live we have government doing a mostly good job of constructing and maintaining roadways. Government operates our water, sewer, and electrical systems, and I've never had a single issue with any of those; batting a thousand over so many years is pretty impressive if you think about it. Our parks are very well built and maintained and I don't worry about children playing in them. For the most part, schools in Clark County are also run well (of course, not perfectly). I know these positives are not the case for all locations where NWFA members live, but I'm just trying to show that government can make life positive where it does a good job.

My father taught me a lesson about government. He said that in the United States the government is the person you see in the mirror. In other words, we the people are the government in America because we are a democracy. If I am unhappy with the government it is up to the person in the mirror to change it for the better, not just passively, but actively.

I hope my father's lesson still applies. I hope government is still more good than bad in this country. I hope, but I admit to some doubts. Maybe you do as well...

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[ma96782]

I recognize that.....
Some Govt is good (and bad) and some of it is necessary (and not).

So then...........
It's up for debate if currently, we've had enough (or too little).

Aloha, Mark

PS.....The Constitution is the framework.

Laws are supposed to be ALWAYS Constitutional. Though in reality......oh well?

 

[Alexx1401]

I look at it as we have it FAR better than anyone else. If I did not think that way I would move. I do not see throngs of people trying to get into any other places.
Like those who sing "I hate all Cops" and want to take care of themselves? No gov would be the same result. Those who like to dream taking care of themselves would soon find themselves slaves. Only problem of course is power. MANY love to have power more than anything else. This is where is often goes off the rails when free people refuse to keep track of what is going on until its too late.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Something to consider is ....
That our goverment is made of people...as in We the people ....which a famous document states.

That said....
Many people won't think like you do...and they have an equal say in what happens with our government.
The irony here is that some of those folks want to replace our way of government with a system that gets rid of the ability to have an equal say...or a Hell of a lot of other things.
Andy

 

[TTSX]

I want to say bad. But that's a knee jerk

 

[gryghin]

My father taught me a lesson about government. He said that in the United States the government is the person you see in the mirror. In other words, we the people are the government in America because we are a democracy. If I am unhappy with the government it is up to the person in the mirror to change it for the better, not just passively, but actively.

The United States of America is not a democracy. The United States is more accurately defined as a constitutional federal republic.

Each state has sovereignty over its citizens. Some decisions (often local) are made by direct democratic processes, while others (often federal) are made by democratically elected representatives.

This is why the roads in Beaverton are much better maintained than the roads in Portland. For the most part roads are maintained at the local level then on to the county/state. Schools by local districts with direction from the state.

This is also why some states don't have income taxes and some states don't have sales taxes.

Does life in your small part of America stop when the Federal Government shuts down because they are bickering over budget? Nope... because the States are still operating.

I am getting tired with how the State is ran, and sorely disappointed with Portland Metro. My real issue is with the fact that the Federal government keeps raising taxes on the wealthy. In the 90's Clinton said that he was only raising taxes on the wealthy. I was in the Navy, had a wife and newborn baby and our income qualified us for WIC. Guess who had thier taxes raised? Yup... we were "wealthy" and yet still qualified for assistance from the government. It has been a swindle ever since that opened my eyes how ALL of them LIE. They say the will only tax the "Rich" and yet everyone has tax increases. They say they will only tax the "Wealthy" and ... you guessed it... everyone has increased taxes.

Here's a good primer on it.

Our American Government

The foundation of our American Government, its purpose, form and structure are found in the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution, written in 1787, is the "supreme law of the land" because no law may be passed that contradicts its principles. No person or government is exempt from...

clyburn.house.gov

 

[arakboss]

I would sort of echo Andy's statement. The government is made of people. Some people are good and some people are bad. I will add that when a majority of the people are bad you might have a problem. Then again what is good and what is bad. The people I think are bad may feel the same way about me.

I just realized this statement I made, was not helpful in any way

 

[slimmer13]

The initial principles that this country was founded on were good. All of the worlds governments throughout history have overwhelmingly leaned towards totalitarianism. We were trying something different. The further that we stray from that, the less good we become.

 

[jayR]

Search for : Ted Gunderson - The great Conspiracy

 

[Lazyfaire]

Our sense of government as outlined in the US Constitution makes sense in that as written it is designed to prevent a regressive government from abusing the citizens of their god-given rights (choice of religion, assembly, to be armed, etc). But once established there were those politicians who wanted to implement things to change/control people. Power has been shown to be an aphrodesiac to those that wield it. And once used, are unwilling to give it up. Term limits and citizen-politicians look better and better.

All that said, the fact that the citizens have ceded their power to the government has only fed into those politician's desires. Everyone says they want their personal freedoms to be free from abuse, yet when someone else wants to express their freedoms others want the gov't to clamp down on them. Then they are surprised when the gov't clamps on their too! Less is always more!

But problems are discussed and choices are made by all sides talking things out. This solution seems to have gone by the wayside. We MUST learn to listen to those we disagree with, which doesn't mean we cave in every time.

 

[VanceInWA]

But problems are discussed and choices are made by all sides talking things out. This solution seems to have gone by the wayside. We MUST learn to listen to those we disagree with, which doesn't mean we cave in every time.

Listening... probably the most lost art form in America today.

 

[pharmseller]

Do you trust the government?

There's your answer.

 

[Lazyfaire]

Don't be one of them.

Be John Galt !!

 

[Hop Sing]

I think "We the People" walked out the door when Citizens United happened. There probably was never a truly level playing field in politics, as it but with Citizens United corporate money has had too big an impact on our electoral system.

 

[Mikej]

As said above. It's best government in the world. Or it should be, because of the way it was designed. But I'd say when so-called "Representatives" spend their lives in office that "By the people, for the people and of the people" isn't the case anymore.

 

[Ferryman]

The Government is only as good as the people you vote for. To expand on the point takes some serious reading, philosophical exploration, and a free forum to debate competing ideas.

None of which happens in the public school system these days. Just sayin'

 

[parallax]

As someone who as travelled to dozens of countries It's safe to say the US is where I enjoy living That being said I can see how America is turning into a country where the government is becoming
bloated Costing citizen's more and more of their income. I just don't think our forefathers imagined a government that takes 30-50% of our income

 

[made in china]

The original intent and construct of our government is good.
However, I don't think most politicians, as individuals, are "good" I especially dislike career politicians.
They are all grifters, red and blue. The higher-up politicians are in it to enrich themselves. We turn a blind eye to them becoming hundred+ millionaires on a $300k income.
I also truly believe that the politicians we see aren't the people actually calling the shots. Other interests are actually controlling our country.


I think if we could separate politicians from the ability to grift and be influenced, we could begin to get back to the original intent of our government. However, I have almost no hope that we could divorce special interests, lobbyists and the like from the grifters.

 

[VanceInWA]

The Government is only as good as the people you vote for. To expand on the point takes some serious reading, philosophical exploration, and a free forum to debate competing ideas.

None of which happens in the public school system these days. Just sayin'

If you haven't already you should watch this video:

The presenter is a professor at Lewis & Clark College outside of Portland. He presents a deep-dive analysis of how our schools deteriorated to where they are today. He is very neutral, informative, and factual. Not a short video, but hopefully viewers will have patience and interest to watch the whole thing because it is far and away the best examination of the problem to date.

 

[The B]

the government is neither good nor bad. just like guns are neither good nor bad. theyre both tools that can be used to do things that are harmful or beneficial to different people or peoples