Role of government

[broken iris]

Demographics are destiny

[E.H. Ruddock]

Not sure this is the right thread, but how anyone in my state voted for Mark Sanford is beyond me.

[Electromatic]

I really don't understand the voting populace.

Mark Sanford, Ray Nagin, Marion Berry etc etc.

[nyquillyn]

I really don't understand the voting populace.

Mark Sanford, Ray Nagin, Marion Berry etc etc.

Joe Arpaio (America's Toughest Sheriff) has been elected 5 times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maricopa_C ... Joe_Arpaio

[Man in Black]

Will the left finally learn

That a massive activist government apparatus is NOT the answer to every problem, big and small.
That what we are seeing in the past month is the inevitable result of aforementioned massive activist government apparatus.
That when government becomes this large and intrusive corruption and constitutional conflict is absolutely inevitable.
That "creeping socialism" is not just a buzz term for a small segment of zealots.


Issues NOT being covered by the press:

Continued drone killings.
Profligate waste in SNAP and TANF and SSI.
Negative effects of PPACA on employers

[nyquillyn]

Will the left finally learn

That a massive activist government apparatus is NOT the answer to every problem, big and small.
That what we are seeing in the past month is the inevitable result of aforementioned massive activist government apparatus.
That when government becomes this large and intrusive corruption and constitutional conflict is absolutely inevitable.
That "creeping socialism" is not just a buzz term for a small segment of zealots.


Issues NOT being covered by the press:

Continued drone killings.
Profligate waste in SNAP and TANF and SSI.
Negative effects of PPACA on employers

AP has had stories on drone killings and PPACA in the past week.

[Man in Black]

[elliseamos]

Will the left finally learn

That a massive activist government apparatus is NOT the answer to every problem, big and small.
That what we are seeing in the past month is the inevitable result of aforementioned massive activist government apparatus.
That when government becomes this large and intrusive corruption and constitutional conflict is absolutely inevitable.
That "creeping socialism" is not just a buzz term for a small segment of zealots.


Issues NOT being covered by the press:

Continued drone killings.
Profligate waste in SNAP and TANF and SSI.
Negative effects of PPACA on employers

clearly moderation has no place in government's role, so we should manipulate things at the state level to send us as far in the other direction as possible. let's start with something vitally important: abortion!!

Spoiler: show

not that i like what the IRS did, but isn't that the same exact thing as attacking unions and pbs, and defunding acorn?

[simple schoolboy]

Will the left finally learn

That a massive activist government apparatus is NOT the answer to every problem, big and small.
That what we are seeing in the past month is the inevitable result of aforementioned massive activist government apparatus.
That when government becomes this large and intrusive corruption and constitutional conflict is absolutely inevitable.
That "creeping socialism" is not just a buzz term for a small segment of zealots.


Issues NOT being covered by the press:

Continued drone killings.
Profligate waste in SNAP and TANF and SSI.
Negative effects of PPACA on employers

clearly moderation has no place in government's role, so we should manipulate things at the state level to send us as far in the other direction as possible. let's start with something vitally important: abortion!!

Spoiler: show

not that i like what the IRS did, but isn't that the same exact thing as attacking unions and pbs, and defunding acorn?

How are they at all comparable? Withdrawing funding is not equal to special IRS scrutiny. You might argue that tax exempt status is effectively extending a subsidy but its one thing to allow an organization to keep its money is something all together different than giving it access to the public treasury. I'm not comfortable with the idea of selectively taxing political speech. Any party in power will take advantage of that to the detriment of their opponents.

To be fair to the IRS, with the current structure we have its pretty much unavoidable and not something that staffing increases would likely help.

[elliseamos]

not that i like what the IRS did, but isn't that the same exact thing as attacking unions and pbs, and defunding acorn?

How are they at all comparable?

all three of the entities i've mentioned here were/are being targeted because of their political leanings. if that's actually what the IRS was doing then i'd say they were the same thing. it doesn't make either one acceptable.

Withdrawing funding is not equal to special IRS scrutiny.

actually you're right, withdrawing the funding is worse because it happens quicker.

You might argue that tax exempt status is effectively extending a subsidy but its one thing to allow an organization to keep its money is something all together different than giving it access to the public treasury.

that makes no sense. i feel it's double-dipping on the part of the exempted entity because they not only keep their own money, but also utilize all the entities and services that are provided to them through the public treasury.

I'm not comfortable with the idea of selectively taxing political speech. Any party in power will take advantage of that to the detriment of their opponents.

as i said, i don't like what the IRS did, especially if in fact they were motivated by the political affiliation of those they put under extra scrutiny.

To be fair to the IRS, with the current structure we have its pretty much unavoidable and not something that staffing increases would likely help.

i'm not saying the IRS needs more staff, i'd say the tax code needs some "fixin' on it."

[Electromatic]

A few questions, why is acorn funded by the government at all?

Why do we subsidise tobacco, and or why do we continue propping up companies like ADM and Monsanto with the Farm Bill? (somewhat rhetorical questions, I know that it keeps lots of US Farmers employeed and keeps the cost of milk lower)

We pay for a lot of nonsense that helps people mostly politically while not paying for a lot that might actually help average people in thier daily lives.


The problem with the US government is primarily that it is occupied and run by politicians.


The tax code will never be simplified and health care will never be at a reasonable level of cost because the above people get elected by being part of the problem.

[broken iris]

The problem with the US government is primarily that it is occupied and run by politicians.

I often wonder if we adopted that 'cannot run for office more than six months from an election' rule, if things would get better. I suspect that part of the problem is that they never stop campaigning, so they need the constant stream of bribes... err... donations. If we broke that cycle, maybe things would get better.

[darth_vedder]

Not sure this is the right thread, but how anyone in my state voted for Mark Sanford is beyond me.

Yeah, totally mind boggling. I lived in SC for a long time, and I just don't know if I can ever go back. I'm pretty middle / left, and in SC that seems to be extreme liberalism. I just feel that I have nothing in common with that state anymore (other than the beaches, grits, and Clemson football).

[Electromatic]

Not sure this is the right thread, but how anyone in my state voted for Mark Sanford is beyond me.

Yeah, totally mind boggling. I lived in SC for a long time, and I just don't know if I can ever go back. I'm pretty middle / left, and in SC that seems to be extreme liberalism. I just feel that I have nothing in common with that state anymore (other than the beaches, grits, and Clemson football).

Charleston is pretty much in the middle anyway.

[Peeps]

The problem with the US government is primarily that it is occupied and run by politicians.

I often wonder if we adopted that 'cannot run for office more than six months from an election' rule, if things would get better. I suspect that part of the problem is that they never stop campaigning, so they need the constant stream of bribes... err... donations. If we broke that cycle, maybe things would get better.

make it like pick up basketball

play two games (terms) sit for one (term)

[elliseamos]

The problem with the US government is primarily that it is occupied and run by politicians.

I often wonder if we adopted that 'cannot run for office more than six months from an election' rule, if things would get better. I suspect that part of the problem is that they never stop campaigning, so they need the constant stream of bribes... err... donations. If we broke that cycle, maybe things would get better.

make it like pick up basketball

play two games (terms) sit for one (term)

what if they had to get jobs (and health insurance and investment advice) like the rest of us?

their role as congress-man/woman should only be enough to get rich live modestly pay-your-bills-while-living-in-d.c. off.

[simple schoolboy]

2

The problem with the US government is primarily that it is occupied and run by politicians.

I often wonder if we adopted that 'cannot run for office more than six months from an election' rule, if things would get better. I suspect that part of the problem is that they never stop campaigning, so they need the constant stream of bribes... err... donations. If we broke that cycle, maybe things would get better.

make it like pick up basketball

play two games (terms) sit for one (term)

what if they had to get jobs (and health insurance and investment advice) like the rest of us?

their role as congress-man/woman should only be enough to get rich live modestly pay-your-bills-while-living-in-d.c. off.

I thought the real money was when they inevitably became lobbyists after they get out of office but maintain their contacts with those still in government. Not much that term limits and salary restrictions can do about that, unfortunately.

[Electromatic]

What if Congress members were required to fly coach and have the same health care plan they wrote out for the people?

[Norah]

Oh yeah, that would really change things.

[Electromatic]

Oh yeah, that would really change things.

In coach maybe.