The "proper" role of government

[Doubletap]

"If physical force is to be barred from social relationships, men need an institution charged with the task of protecting their rights under an objective code of rules.
This is the task of a government—of a proper government—its basic task, its only moral justification and the reason why men do need a government.

A government is the means of placing the retaliatory use of physical force under objective control—i.e., under objectively defined laws.
The source of the government’s authority is “the consent of the governed.” This means that the government is not the ruler, but the servant or agent of the citizens; it means that the government as such has no rights except the rights delegated to it by the citizens for a specific purpose.

The only proper purpose of a government is to protect man’s rights, which means: to protect him from physical violence. A proper government is only a policeman, acting as an agent of man’s self-defense, and, as such, may resort to force only against those who start the use of force. The only proper functions of a government are: the police, to protect you from criminals; the army, to protect you from foreign invaders; and the courts, to protect your property and contracts from breach or fraud by others, to settle disputes by rational rules, according to objective law. But a government that initiates the employment of force against men who had forced no one, the employment of armed compulsion against disarmed victims, is a nightmare infernal machine designed to annihilate morality: such a government reverses its only moral purpose and switches from the role of protector to the role of man’s deadliest enemy, from the role of policeman to the role of a criminal vested with the right to the wielding of violence against victims deprived of the right of self-defense. Such a government substitutes for morality the following rule of social conduct: you may do whatever you please to your neighbor, provided your gang is bigger than his"--Ayn Rand

 

[dblack]

She got some things exactly right.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

 

[dblack]

She got some things exactly right, much to the chagrin of authoritarian fascists eager to force their will on others via state coercion.

 

[DriftingSand]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

Let me guess ... your proper form of government would resemble a Socialist dictatorship. And you say Rand was a "nutter?"

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

Let me guess ... your proper form of government would resemble a Socialist dictatorship. And you say Rand was a "nutter?"

My proper form of government would be what works for the vast majority of people. That changes just as the world does.

Study up on Rand and you'll find out that she really was a nut. It's her life, and it's documented. She never got over her self-centered childhood, her obsession with heroes from the movies, or what the Communists did to her father's businesses. Between that and her inability to make friends as a child, because she was so focused on herself, she became who she was and then tried to call her worldview the only moral one. Nutter.

 

[Kosh]

As the far left has demonstrated time and time again on this board the role of the government is to control every aspect of your life from cradle to grave.

 

[dblack]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

Let me guess ... your proper form of government would resemble a Socialist dictatorship. And you say Rand was a "nutter?"

My proper form of government would be what works for the vast majority of people. That changes just as the world does.

Yup. Majoritarian fascist. Had you pegged long ago.

 

[Little-Acorn]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

TRANSLATION: I can't refute what the OP said, but I hate it anyway. So I'll attack the messenger instead, call her names, and assert an unsupported lie to try to pretend I have a point.

 

[GWV5903]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

"We" is a pretty big tent and she was correct on many of her opinions...

I know a few people who have passed that made great contributions to society and had very little to show for it...

It's hilarious that a key board commando such as yourself questions her...

 

[Little-Acorn]

In fact, the OP had it right. The only proper role of government IS to protect our rights. If that means using physical force, such as fighting off a rapist or mugger, then government's role is to do that, if the victim doesn't take care of it first.

Says so right in the Declaration of Independence (a law most leftist fanatics resolutely don't believe in).

 

[Grandma]

"If physical force is to be barred from social relationships, men need an institution charged with the task of protecting their rights under an objective code of rules.
This is the task of a government—of a proper government—its basic task, its only moral justification and the reason why men do need a government.

...

Sounds like someone wants an excuse to beat people up. If that's the case, don't use the OP as a defense in court.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

"We" is a pretty big tent and she was correct on many of her opinions...

I know a few people who have passed that made great contributions to society and had very little to show for it...

It's hilarious that a key board commando such as yourself questions her...

Question her? She lived a lie. Read up on her, it's out there.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Let me guess ... your proper form of government would resemble a Socialist dictatorship. And you say Rand was a "nutter?"

My proper form of government would be what works for the vast majority of people. That changes just as the world does.

Yup. Majoritarian fascist. Had you pegged long ago.

That's actually known as Reality. I know it's a new concept to you.

 

[ScienceRocks]

The proper role of government is one that does a good job at making us a great power with high living standards. We need to return to the 50's, 60's, 70's and maybe the 80's!

All you people that want us to go back to the 1790's can't be effin serious? Japan, South Korea, Tawian, Modern Germany, Russia and all down the list all copied either us or Britain. If this successful modern way of doing things is so fucking bad. Well, maybe it is something wrong with your thinking?

 

[auditor0007]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

This is what drives me nuts about cons. They act like government is this living breathing being with a life of its own when in fact it's exactly what we choose it to be. If we don't want it to be so big, then we can elect those who believe it should be smaller and who will work to make it smaller. The thing is not everyone feels that way, and just because some do not feel that way does not make them un-American.

 

[ScienceRocks]

I am for what keeps as a first world nation with the best infrastructure, science, r&d and business climate on earth.

Anything less is idiocy.

 

[bripat9643]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

The Nazis and the Stalinists said the same thing. Curios that you share similar beliefs.

 

[bripat9643]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

This is what drives me nuts about cons. They act like government is this living breathing being with a life of its own when in fact it's exactly what we choose it to be. If we don't want it to be so big, then we can elect those who believe it should be smaller and who will work to make it smaller. The thing is not everyone feels that way, and just because some do not feel that way does not make them un-American.

The government is a gang of mean whose interests are different from mine and generally in conflict with mine. The idea that I have control over it is ludicrous. Even if I did have control over it, how does that give me the right and pillage those who don't want to pay for its so-called "services?"

 

[bripat9643]

Rand was a nutter, who died living on Social Security and using Medicare. And the Proper role of government is whatever we damn well say it is.

Let me guess ... your proper form of government would resemble a Socialist dictatorship. And you say Rand was a "nutter?"

My proper form of government would be what works for the vast majority of people. That changes just as the world does.

Study up on Rand and you'll find out that she really was a nut. It's her life, and it's documented. She never got over her self-centered childhood, her obsession with heroes from the movies, or what the Communists did to her father's businesses. Between that and her inability to make friends as a child, because she was so focused on herself, she became who she was and then tried to call her worldview the only moral one. Nutter.

Reference?