You almost gotta laugh. A couple of decades ago the ignorant left considered it a virtue to question authority and now they post large print junk to reinforce their new belief that it is a sin against nature to question authority.
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Not by that much. Certainly the procurement system needs to be overhauled. Assets the Pentagon says they don't need are rammed through by Congress anyway, giving huge money to defense contractors. More base closures could probably be done. Scale back our overseas presence in places.All Constitutionally-mandated government functions could stand to be trimmed -- some more than others.The purpose envisioned by the FF was appropriate for the times. But they clearly understood that things would change in the future in a way that they could not foresee.
At the time of signing the Constitution the total population was 4 million. Today the military has 2.3 million (including reserves). Overall the government of today (federal, state and local) employs about 22 million people out of a population of 315 million. This averages to 7.3% of the population over the last 5 presidents. For the record under Obama it is only 6.9%.
The Growth Of Government: 1980 To 2012 - Forbes
Big government" is actually not that big in real terms when you consider that the FF never envisioned a standing army capable of striking anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. They never foresaw a network of space satellites making it possible to know exactly where you are to within a couple of yards. They never anticipated a global internet that allows you and I to have this debate even though we have never met in person.
But if we look closer at the things that the FF's actually did we discover that they passed a law to register all guns. They implemented mandatory health insurance for sailors (including a payroll tax) with government run hospitals. They built libraries and encouraged education.
So to answer your question the FF's did sow the seeds for the government we have today and in real terms it isn't all that big. If you want to reduce it then you have to come up with a realistic alternative to the military, police, customs, parks, roads, etc, etc that we have today.
Can you do that?
All the non-Constitutionally-mandated government functions could stand to be eliminated.
So are you willing to trim the military by 50%?
Eliminate them? No. That toothpaste has been squeezed; no way to get it back in the tube. The bureaucracy running them could definitely be reworked into something more efficient. But the very second anyone suggests making better use of our tax dollars, some idiots start claiming that we want to push Grandma over a cliff.Let's turn to these "non-Constitutionally-mandated government functions" that you want to eliminate.
Are you willing to eliminate social security, medicare and medicaid since they none of those are "Constitutionally-mandated government functions"?
All Constitutionally-mandated government functions could stand to be trimmed -- some more than others.The purpose envisioned by the FF was appropriate for the times. But they clearly understood that things would change in the future in a way that they could not foresee.
At the time of signing the Constitution the total population was 4 million. Today the military has 2.3 million (including reserves). Overall the government of today (federal, state and local) employs about 22 million people out of a population of 315 million. This averages to 7.3% of the population over the last 5 presidents. For the record under Obama it is only 6.9%.
The Growth Of Government: 1980 To 2012 - Forbes
Big government" is actually not that big in real terms when you consider that the FF never envisioned a standing army capable of striking anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. They never foresaw a network of space satellites making it possible to know exactly where you are to within a couple of yards. They never anticipated a global internet that allows you and I to have this debate even though we have never met in person.
But if we look closer at the things that the FF's actually did we discover that they passed a law to register all guns. They implemented mandatory health insurance for sailors (including a payroll tax) with government run hospitals. They built libraries and encouraged education.
So to answer your question the FF's did sow the seeds for the government we have today and in real terms it isn't all that big. If you want to reduce it then you have to come up with a realistic alternative to the military, police, customs, parks, roads, etc, etc that we have today.
Can you do that?
All the non-Constitutionally-mandated government functions could stand to be eliminated.
Weird, You'd think conservatives would have SCOTUS throw out those 'non constitutional' programs?
Tell me something bad liberals have done.Sure it has. The US Founders were BY FARRRR the most educated AND radical of their times. Know who stood with King George in 1776? The conservatives, Torrie's
You PLEASE tell me what policy conservatives have EVER been on the correct side of history since the US Founding? Just one, PLEASE?
Weird? Care to point to Dems laws passed 2007-2009 that caused Dubya/GOP great recession? PLEASE?
Right-wingers Want To Erase How George Bush's "Homeowner Society" Helped Cause The Economic Collapse
That's true...well, it would be, if it wasn't completely false.
BARNEY FRANK? Minority member of the GOP House 1995-2007? What super powers did he have again?
WHAT were the Dems saying (CONTEXT) and WHEN?
The "turmoil in financial markets clearly was triggered by a dramatic weakening of underwriting standards for U.S. subprime mortgages, beginning in late 2004 and extending into 2007," the President's Working Group on Financial Markets OCT 2008
DUBYA FOUGHT ALL 50 STATE AG'S IN 2003, INVOKING A CIVIL WAR ERA RULE SAYING FEDS RULE ON "PREDATORY" LENDERS!
Dubya was warned by the FBI of an "epidemic" of mortgage fraud in 2004. He gave them less resources. Later in 2004 Dubya allowed the leverage rules to go from 12-1 to 33-1 which flooded the market with cheap money!
Bush drive for home ownership fueled housing bubble
He insisted that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac meet ambitious new goals for low-income lending.
Concerned that down payments were a barrier, Bush persuaded Congress to spend as much as $200 million a year to help first-time buyers with down payments and closing costs.
And he pushed to allow first-time buyers to qualify for government insured mortgages with no money down
Thanks again to the Bush administrations allowing the greedy & unethical brokers to operate at their will.
(Re-)Introducing: The American School of Economics
When the United States became independent from Britain it also rebelled against the British System of economics, characterized by Adam Smith, in favor of the American School based on protectionism and infrastructure and prospered under this system for almost 200 years to become the wealthiest nation in the world. Unrestrained free trade resurfaced in the early 1900s culminating in the Great Depression and again in the 1970s culminating in the current Economic Meltdown.
Closely related to mercantilism, it can be seen as contrary to classical economics. It consisted of these three core policies:
protecting industry through selective high tariffs (especially 18611932) and through subsidies (especially 193270)
government investments in infrastructure creating targeted internal improvements (especially in transportation)
a national bank with policies that promote the growth of productive enterprises rather than speculation
Frank Bourgin's 1989 study of the Constitutional Convention shows that direct government involvement in the economy was intended by the Founders
American School of Economics
American School (economics) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Solyndra accounts for less than 2% of the DOE's successful Loan Program
Despite what critics say, the DoEs guaranteed loan program is a successful program. The default rate for the loan portfolio is less than 4%. By comparison, the loan default rate for the Small Business Administration is nearly 12%, three times as high as the DoEs loan program.
Secretary Chu also clarified that the actual cost to the taxpayer of DoE's loan program will be roughly $2.5 billion, which is the actual amount appropriated to the program, and not the $38.6 billion that is often cited. Considering the program has created over 60,000 jobs, it cost taxpayers roughly $42,000 per job created
Solyndra accounts for less than 2% of the DOE's successful Loan Program
Reuters: Venture Capitalists Point To Solyndra As One Of The Top 10 Companies "Ripest" To Go Public. Reuters reported in August 2009:
Investors eye top startups as IPO market awakens - Aug. 19, 2009
Market Conditions Shifted Significantly from 2009 to 2011
"advantages that were more important in 2009 when it received a $535 million U.S. loan guarantee to build a factory" than they are now, noting that the price of the silicon-based panels with which Solyndra was competing "has fallen 46 percent since then."
Obama?s Solar Bets May Avoid Solyndra?s Fate With Low Costs - Bloomberg
Up to 50 Obama-backed energy companies financially troubled | The Daily Caller
Obama picked companies not for their potential success, but by how much the owners contributed to his campaign.
Democrats believe the Treasury's purpose is to let them give money to cronies.
TROUBLED? LOL
LESS THAN 4% OF DOE BUDGET DEFAULTED, MUCH BETTER THAN PRIVATE MARKETS
Bush Admin. Advanced16 Projects, Including Solyndra, Out Of 143 Submissions
Hearings and Votes | Energy & Commerce Committee
DOE Under Bush Admin. Set Out Timeline For Completing Solyndra Review
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/Solar Background Document 1.pdf
In March, The Same Credit Committee Of Career Civil Servants recommended Approval
Exclusive Timeline: Bush Administration Advanced Solyndra Loan Guarantee for Two Years, Media Blow the Story | ThinkProgress
DOE Official: "It's The Same Group Of Career Professionals That Were On The First Committee."
Hearings and Votes | Energy & Commerce Committee
NEXT
You have no business calling anyone else stupid.Article I of the Constitution sets forth most of the powers of Congress, which include numerous explicit powers enumerated in Section 8. Constitutional amendments have granted Congress additional powers. Congress also has implied powers derived from the Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution.
Yes it does, drooling little sycophant.
Of course none of this has a damned thing to do with your ignorant claim that the Constitution places limits on the people.
Hatred and stupidity are the twin pillars of leftism, which you exemplify so well, Cletus.
Care to give that quote? PLEASE?
I never meant to say that the conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it.
John Stuart Mill, in a letter to the Conservative MP, John Pakington
And there it is. Liberals hear the word "welfare", and get in line to get money taken from people who earned it.The one YOU gave that said I was wrong to reply how ignorant conservatives are too the REAL meaning of the US Constitution!
Now see, this one sounds more like you're sloppy drunk, rather than tripped out on LSD.
Hey, you dropped acid AND downed a fifth of gin, is that it?
Like nearly all Khmer Rouge democrats, you've never read the Constitution and depend on the leftist hate sites for misinterpretations.
The "real" meaning of the Constitution is precisely what it says, you ignorant baboon.
THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION - We the People
Good, glad you know how to link, now about the meaning of that STRONG FEDERAL CONSTITUTION?
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE , and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Right? Hell, they think they have an obligation!the question should be why does the left think they have a right to push off their hate and ignorance on everyone in this country?
and I really think they believe it's one of their better virtues...because they damn sure have no honor, civility, tolerance and for sure NO shame
and you can take this thread as the perfect example
That's nice. Run along now.I've given my ideas before, but I'm not sure why you're asking me to totally redesign the government.The purpose envisioned by the FF was appropriate for the times. But they clearly understood that things would change in the future in a way that they could not foresee.
At the time of signing the Constitution the total population was 4 million. Today the military has 2.3 million (including reserves). Overall the government of today (federal, state and local) employs about 22 million people out of a population of 315 million. This averages to 7.3% of the population over the last 5 presidents. For the record under Obama it is only 6.9%.
The Growth Of Government: 1980 To 2012 - Forbes
Big government" is actually not that big in real terms when you consider that the FF never envisioned a standing army capable of striking anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. They never foresaw a network of space satellites making it possible to know exactly where you are to within a couple of yards. They never anticipated a global internet that allows you and I to have this debate even though we have never met in person.
But if we look closer at the things that the FF's actually did we discover that they passed a law to register all guns. They implemented mandatory health insurance for sailors (including a payroll tax) with government run hospitals. They built libraries and encouraged education.
So to answer your question the FF's did sow the seeds for the government we have today and in real terms it isn't all that big. If you want to reduce it then you have to come up with a realistic alternative to the military, police, customs, parks, roads, etc, etc that we have today.
Can you do that?
The poster isn't, just pointing out right wingers OPINIONS on what the Founder wanted or not, are generally based on what right wingers base their opinions on, IDEOLOGY over history or facts!
I found a great article that casts some light on the puzzling, reality-denying, seemingly insane behavior of so many of the rightwingnut AGW denier cultists who post on this forum. It could have been written with them in mind. It perfectly describes their rejection of science and evidence, as well as logic and rationality, in the service of their political/economic ideologies.
Why Does the Right Embrace Ignorance as a Virtue?
Dxismissing facts and science has become a staple of conservative ideology.
AlterNet
By Amanda Marcotte
June 11, 2014
(excerpts)
Spouting off about stuff you know nothing about is traditionally considered unwise. But as the Republican war on science intensifies, ignorance has started to become not only less of a handicap, but a point of pride. In the face of expertise and facts, being belligerently ignorantand offended that anyone dare suggest ignorance is less desirable than knowledgehas become the go-to position for many conservative politicians and pundits. Sadly, its a strategy thats working, making it harder every day for liberals to argue the value of evidence and reason over wishful thinking and unblinking prejudice. ... But for modern Republicans, being downright proud of their ignorance has become a badge of honor, a way to demonstrate loyalty to the right-wing cause while also sticking it to those liberal pinheads who think theres some kind of value in knowing what they're talking about before offering an opinion.
The thing is, shameless lying and ignorance work surprisingly well as debate tactics. Its hard to argue with someone who not only has signaled that he doesnt care what the truth is but is downright proud of how little he actually knows. Such a person is not amenable to being educated. Once the pretense of really caring one way or another about what is right and what is wrong has been abandoned, all avenue of discourse is shut down. The problem here is that someone who is not only so catastrophically wrong but downright proud of being an ignoramus is not going to actually bother to listen to an explanation like that. Thats why the wall of ignorance is such a powerful rhetorical tool. When you have nothing but contempt for the facts, attempts to educate you will only make your pride in your own ignorance grow stronger. The more you try to educate the proudly ignorant, the dumber they get. At the end of the day, the problem is one of identity. The conservative identity is one of being opposed to everything liberal, to the point of despising anything even associated with liberalism. As liberalism has increasingly been aligned with the values of empiricism and reason, the incentives for conservatives to reject empiricism and reason multiply. To be a conservative increasingly means taking a contemptuous view of reality. And so the proudly ignorant grow more belligerent, day after day.
Or a federal offense.You almost gotta laugh. A couple of decades ago the ignorant left considered it a virtue to question authority and now they post large print junk to reinforce their new belief that it is a sin against nature to question authority.
Conservatives, since they were loyalists standing with King George in 1776, have a LONG history of being on the wrong side of history
They were the slavers, the confederates, isolationists during both WW's, fought union rights, labor laws, woman's and civil rights, environmental laws, SS, Medicare, etc
Weird, Madison wanted a STRONG federtal Gov't right? The federalist won right?
Leftist did that?
Weird
That Time Ronald Reagan Hosted Those 'Freedom Fighters' At The Oval Office
Those 'freedom fighters' (Mujahideen) turned into the Taliban...HMM
Shame on Reagan for not being able to foresee the future.