5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics

[Toddsterpatriot]

1) There is no free lunch: There is no such thing as “free” birth control, “free” community college, “free” health care or “free” anything else. Someone ALWAYS has to pay and if you’re not sure who that “someone” is, the person paying may be YOU. Even if you’re sure it’s not you this time, it may be you the next time, which is why people who work hard, play by the rules and take care of themselves run from “free” offers like a deer who catches sight of Ted Nugent off in the distance.
2) Politicians are interested in getting elected, not making your life better: There are well-meaning politicians who put the country first, but they’re about as common as professional athletes who eat dinner at McDonald’s every day. Politicians generally aren’t brave, they aren’t virtuous, they can be bought off, they often won’t do the right thing unless they’re being watched and they are not looking out for people like you. You wouldn’t leave your dog with people who think like that, but we’re trusting the fate of our nation to them.
3) Rarely does government ever "fix" problems: There’s always some politician promising to “solve” a problem, but as the great Thomas Sowell says, “There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs." As a practical matter, what that means is that when politicians move to “solve” a problem, they often create new problems that are just as bad as the ones they were trying to solve. Then they move to “solve” those problems and create more problems. After you rinse and repeat enough, you end up with the government micromanaging which bathrooms people use to make sure they’re “gender inclusive” enough.
4) People respond to incentives: Ever heard someone say, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, you REALLY better be careful what you incentivize. In a nation of 316 million, there are people, sometimes millions of them, who will do just about every sort of crazy, self-destructive thing you can imagine if they get rewarded for doing it somehow. Changes in government policy can kill industries, change the culture for the worse and lead millions of formerly independent people to become slothful and dependent. Ah, but you’re probably thinking, “If incentives can create all of those bad outcomes, then think of all the GOOD we can do with them!” Well, that might be true except that…
5) Government isn’t a good; it’s a necessary evil: Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous. Moreover, it is, was, and will always be that way, no matter who’s in charge because that is the nature of the beast. Now combine that with power-hungry politicians and dead-eyed bureaucrats who feel entitled to force you to do things at gunpoint and you should be very wary of anyone telling you about all the wonderful things government can do. Whether the government is offering Americans something “free” or pointing a gun at our heads, we’re all better off with as little of it as possible in our lives.

5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics - John Hawkins - Page full

 

[rightwinger]

Outside its obvious rightwing propaganda...it is not too far off

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Outside its obvious rightwing propaganda...it is not too far off

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

 

[Jarhead]

Pretty much sums it up.
But the left is going to offer up assumptions and theories to debunk it.

 

[zeke]

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous.

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T. But what the hell. The Republicans tell everybody how bad government is, then spend billions of dollars to get elected to government, then when they get in power, they work extremely hard to make all those negatives come true. And for the most part are successful in putting forth a Republican form of government that it "inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous."

But todd, why do you support Republicans?

 

[Jarhead]

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous.

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T. But what the hell. The Republicans tell everybody how bad government is, then spend billions of dollars to get elected to government, then when they get in power, they work extremely hard to make all those negatives come true. And for the most part are successful in putting forth a Republican form of government that it "inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous."

But todd, why do you support Republicans?

and there you go. Assumptions and theories. No content.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous.

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T. But what the hell. The Republicans tell everybody how bad government is, then spend billions of dollars to get elected to government, then when they get in power, they work extremely hard to make all those negatives come true. And for the most part are successful in putting forth a Republican form of government that it "inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous."

But todd, why do you support Republicans?

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T.

Well, John Hawkins wrote it, but I'm sure you must have plenty of examples to the contrary, right?

 

[Jarhead]

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous.

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T. But what the hell. The Republicans tell everybody how bad government is, then spend billions of dollars to get elected to government, then when they get in power, they work extremely hard to make all those negatives come true. And for the most part are successful in putting forth a Republican form of government that it "inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous."

But todd, why do you support Republicans?

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T.

Well, John Hawkins wrote it, but I'm sure you must have plenty of examples to the contrary, right?

Just assumption and theories.

 

[Moonglow]

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous.

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T. But what the hell. The Republicans tell everybody how bad government is, then spend billions of dollars to get elected to government, then when they get in power, they work extremely hard to make all those negatives come true. And for the most part are successful in putting forth a Republican form of government that it "inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous."

But todd, why do you support Republicans?

Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous

There it is for you. And you wrote it. The right wing definition of government to a T.

Well, John Hawkins wrote it, but I'm sure you must have plenty of examples to the contrary, right?

My cousin John is a little wac..He seems to think that GOP members are angelic and wear halos..when in power....

 

[rightwinger]

Outside its obvious rightwing propaganda...it is not too far off

Could you point out the "rightwing propaganda"?

The indoctrination that government is inherently evil and ignoring that the government is in fact, us

 

[Sonny Clark]

1) There is no free lunch: There is no such thing as “free” birth control, “free” community college, “free” health care or “free” anything else. Someone ALWAYS has to pay and if you’re not sure who that “someone” is, the person paying may be YOU. Even if you’re sure it’s not you this time, it may be you the next time, which is why people who work hard, play by the rules and take care of themselves run from “free” offers like a deer who catches sight of Ted Nugent off in the distance.
2) Politicians are interested in getting elected, not making your life better: There are well-meaning politicians who put the country first, but they’re about as common as professional athletes who eat dinner at McDonald’s every day. Politicians generally aren’t brave, they aren’t virtuous, they can be bought off, they often won’t do the right thing unless they’re being watched and they are not looking out for people like you. You wouldn’t leave your dog with people who think like that, but we’re trusting the fate of our nation to them.
3) Rarely does government ever "fix" problems: There’s always some politician promising to “solve” a problem, but as the great Thomas Sowell says, “There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs." As a practical matter, what that means is that when politicians move to “solve” a problem, they often create new problems that are just as bad as the ones they were trying to solve. Then they move to “solve” those problems and create more problems. After you rinse and repeat enough, you end up with the government micromanaging which bathrooms people use to make sure they’re “gender inclusive” enough.
4) People respond to incentives: Ever heard someone say, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, you REALLY better be careful what you incentivize. In a nation of 316 million, there are people, sometimes millions of them, who will do just about every sort of crazy, self-destructive thing you can imagine if they get rewarded for doing it somehow. Changes in government policy can kill industries, change the culture for the worse and lead millions of formerly independent people to become slothful and dependent. Ah, but you’re probably thinking, “If incentives can create all of those bad outcomes, then think of all the GOOD we can do with them!” Well, that might be true except that…
5) Government isn’t a good; it’s a necessary evil: Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous. Moreover, it is, was, and will always be that way, no matter who’s in charge because that is the nature of the beast. Now combine that with power-hungry politicians and dead-eyed bureaucrats who feel entitled to force you to do things at gunpoint and you should be very wary of anyone telling you about all the wonderful things government can do. Whether the government is offering Americans something “free” or pointing a gun at our heads, we’re all better off with as little of it as possible in our lives.

5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics - John Hawkins - Page full

To Complete The List, If I May. Young Americans Also Should Be Informed Concerning The Following:
6) Professional Politicians: Professional Politicians are all about egos, self-service, power, influence, greed, and climbing the political ladder at all cost. Once elected to office, they exert their will, and not the will of the people.
7) Elections: The rich, the powerful, and the influential determine which names get on the ballots. They are pre-selected for us. On election day, we choose from the list that has been pre-selected for us.
8) The U.S. Congress: We have a Lobbyists controlled U.S. Congress. Votes on the floors of Congress are basically bought and paid for, as are the members of Congress. At the time members of Congress are elected, they owe many favors. While serving in Congress, they re-pay those favors.
9) The Government: Sometimes referred to as "The Washington Brotherhood", acts as an entity unto itself, answerable to no one except itself. They have acquired tremendous power over the years. Once we cast our vote on election day, we're basically silent until the next election. We do not get a voice, nor a vote, on the floors of Congress or in the oval office. We, the American public ( citizens ), have no choice except to abide by the wished and laws created by those we entrust with our well-being.
10) The U.S. Constitution: The document written by our founders, as a foundation to build our lives upon, to govern this nation by, and to ensure certain rights that protect us against tyranny. As we have seen in the recent history of this nation, that treasured document, is not written in blood, nor chiseled in stone. It has been altered in such a way, as to take away our right to privacy, to levy unfair and unjust taxation, and to extend the power and authority of our government.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

"5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics"

The one thing every young American should know about politics is to reject the failed and errant dogma of the right, as exhibited in the OP.

A pragmatic approach is always best, rejecting the dogma from both left and right; where sound policy and responsible governance is predicated on facts and evidence, not subjective political doctrine and dogma, as advocated by the OP.

Government is neither 'good' nor 'bad,' it reflects the will of the people, and acts at the behest of the people, where government is perfectly capable of successfully addressing issues and having a positive impact on the lives of Americans, when and where appropriately applied.

 

[Sonny Clark]

"5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics"

The one thing every young American should know about politics is to reject the failed and errant dogma of the right, as exhibited in the OP.

A pragmatic approach is always best, rejecting the dogma from both left and right; where sound policy and responsible governance is predicated on facts and evidence, not subjective political doctrine and dogma, as advocated by the OP.

Government is neither 'good' nor 'bad,' it reflects the will of the people, and acts at the behest of the people, where government is perfectly capable of successfully addressing issues and having a positive impact on the lives of Americans, when and where appropriately applied.

Serious questions: "reflects the will of the people"? How so? Please explain. "having a positive impact on the lives of Americans"? How so? Please explain. Thanks.

 

[sealybobo]

1) There is no free lunch: There is no such thing as “free” birth control, “free” community college, “free” health care or “free” anything else. Someone ALWAYS has to pay and if you’re not sure who that “someone” is, the person paying may be YOU. Even if you’re sure it’s not you this time, it may be you the next time, which is why people who work hard, play by the rules and take care of themselves run from “free” offers like a deer who catches sight of Ted Nugent off in the distance.
2) Politicians are interested in getting elected, not making your life better: There are well-meaning politicians who put the country first, but they’re about as common as professional athletes who eat dinner at McDonald’s every day. Politicians generally aren’t brave, they aren’t virtuous, they can be bought off, they often won’t do the right thing unless they’re being watched and they are not looking out for people like you. You wouldn’t leave your dog with people who think like that, but we’re trusting the fate of our nation to them.
3) Rarely does government ever "fix" problems: There’s always some politician promising to “solve” a problem, but as the great Thomas Sowell says, “There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs." As a practical matter, what that means is that when politicians move to “solve” a problem, they often create new problems that are just as bad as the ones they were trying to solve. Then they move to “solve” those problems and create more problems. After you rinse and repeat enough, you end up with the government micromanaging which bathrooms people use to make sure they’re “gender inclusive” enough.
4) People respond to incentives: Ever heard someone say, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, you REALLY better be careful what you incentivize. In a nation of 316 million, there are people, sometimes millions of them, who will do just about every sort of crazy, self-destructive thing you can imagine if they get rewarded for doing it somehow. Changes in government policy can kill industries, change the culture for the worse and lead millions of formerly independent people to become slothful and dependent. Ah, but you’re probably thinking, “If incentives can create all of those bad outcomes, then think of all the GOOD we can do with them!” Well, that might be true except that…
5) Government isn’t a good; it’s a necessary evil: Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous. Moreover, it is, was, and will always be that way, no matter who’s in charge because that is the nature of the beast. Now combine that with power-hungry politicians and dead-eyed bureaucrats who feel entitled to force you to do things at gunpoint and you should be very wary of anyone telling you about all the wonderful things government can do. Whether the government is offering Americans something “free” or pointing a gun at our heads, we’re all better off with as little of it as possible in our lives.

5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics - John Hawkins - Page full

"You Can't Govern if You Don't Believe in Government"

The views of Americans on the quality of medical care in their country are not overly different -- 48% of Americans, 52% of Canadians, and 42% of Britons say they are satisfied with their healthcare.

New poll shows Canadians overwhelmingly support public health care | Physicians for a National Health Program

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs...4-countries-with-better-healthcare-than-ours-

Europeans, Canadians baffled by U.S. furor on healthcare

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

1) There is no free lunch: There is no such thing as “free” birth control, “free” community college, “free” health care or “free” anything else. Someone ALWAYS has to pay and if you’re not sure who that “someone” is, the person paying may be YOU. Even if you’re sure it’s not you this time, it may be you the next time, which is why people who work hard, play by the rules and take care of themselves run from “free” offers like a deer who catches sight of Ted Nugent off in the distance.
2) Politicians are interested in getting elected, not making your life better: There are well-meaning politicians who put the country first, but they’re about as common as professional athletes who eat dinner at McDonald’s every day. Politicians generally aren’t brave, they aren’t virtuous, they can be bought off, they often won’t do the right thing unless they’re being watched and they are not looking out for people like you. You wouldn’t leave your dog with people who think like that, but we’re trusting the fate of our nation to them.
3) Rarely does government ever "fix" problems: There’s always some politician promising to “solve” a problem, but as the great Thomas Sowell says, “There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs." As a practical matter, what that means is that when politicians move to “solve” a problem, they often create new problems that are just as bad as the ones they were trying to solve. Then they move to “solve” those problems and create more problems. After you rinse and repeat enough, you end up with the government micromanaging which bathrooms people use to make sure they’re “gender inclusive” enough.
4) People respond to incentives: Ever heard someone say, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, you REALLY better be careful what you incentivize. In a nation of 316 million, there are people, sometimes millions of them, who will do just about every sort of crazy, self-destructive thing you can imagine if they get rewarded for doing it somehow. Changes in government policy can kill industries, change the culture for the worse and lead millions of formerly independent people to become slothful and dependent. Ah, but you’re probably thinking, “If incentives can create all of those bad outcomes, then think of all the GOOD we can do with them!” Well, that might be true except that…
5) Government isn’t a good; it’s a necessary evil: Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous. Moreover, it is, was, and will always be that way, no matter who’s in charge because that is the nature of the beast. Now combine that with power-hungry politicians and dead-eyed bureaucrats who feel entitled to force you to do things at gunpoint and you should be very wary of anyone telling you about all the wonderful things government can do. Whether the government is offering Americans something “free” or pointing a gun at our heads, we’re all better off with as little of it as possible in our lives.

5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics - John Hawkins - Page full

"You Can't Govern if You Don't Believe in Government"

The views of Americans on the quality of medical care in their country are not overly different -- 48% of Americans, 52% of Canadians, and 42% of Britons say they are satisfied with their healthcare.

New poll shows Canadians overwhelmingly support public health care | Physicians for a National Health Program

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs...4-countries-with-better-healthcare-than-ours-

Europeans, Canadians baffled by U.S. furor on healthcare

"You Can't Govern if You Don't Believe in Government"

Obama believes in government and he couldn't govern.

 

[NYcarbineer]

1) There is no free lunch: There is no such thing as “free” birth control, “free” community college, “free” health care or “free” anything else. Someone ALWAYS has to pay and if you’re not sure who that “someone” is, the person paying may be YOU. Even if you’re sure it’s not you this time, it may be you the next time, which is why people who work hard, play by the rules and take care of themselves run from “free” offers like a deer who catches sight of Ted Nugent off in the distance.
2) Politicians are interested in getting elected, not making your life better: There are well-meaning politicians who put the country first, but they’re about as common as professional athletes who eat dinner at McDonald’s every day. Politicians generally aren’t brave, they aren’t virtuous, they can be bought off, they often won’t do the right thing unless they’re being watched and they are not looking out for people like you. You wouldn’t leave your dog with people who think like that, but we’re trusting the fate of our nation to them.
3) Rarely does government ever "fix" problems: There’s always some politician promising to “solve” a problem, but as the great Thomas Sowell says, “There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs." As a practical matter, what that means is that when politicians move to “solve” a problem, they often create new problems that are just as bad as the ones they were trying to solve. Then they move to “solve” those problems and create more problems. After you rinse and repeat enough, you end up with the government micromanaging which bathrooms people use to make sure they’re “gender inclusive” enough.
4) People respond to incentives: Ever heard someone say, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, you REALLY better be careful what you incentivize. In a nation of 316 million, there are people, sometimes millions of them, who will do just about every sort of crazy, self-destructive thing you can imagine if they get rewarded for doing it somehow. Changes in government policy can kill industries, change the culture for the worse and lead millions of formerly independent people to become slothful and dependent. Ah, but you’re probably thinking, “If incentives can create all of those bad outcomes, then think of all the GOOD we can do with them!” Well, that might be true except that…
5) Government isn’t a good; it’s a necessary evil: Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous. Moreover, it is, was, and will always be that way, no matter who’s in charge because that is the nature of the beast. Now combine that with power-hungry politicians and dead-eyed bureaucrats who feel entitled to force you to do things at gunpoint and you should be very wary of anyone telling you about all the wonderful things government can do. Whether the government is offering Americans something “free” or pointing a gun at our heads, we’re all better off with as little of it as possible in our lives.

5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics - John Hawkins - Page full

The 6th thing to know is, John Hawkins is a rightwing mental patient.

 

[initforme]

Young folkj should be guarded when multi millionaires and billionaires who should NOT be allowed to be prez are the two main candidates. ThT spells trouble for the working man. The problem is stupid working class Americans accept and support those rich candidates who despise working folk. If you can prove this false you may have everything I have.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

1) There is no free lunch: There is no such thing as “free” birth control, “free” community college, “free” health care or “free” anything else. Someone ALWAYS has to pay and if you’re not sure who that “someone” is, the person paying may be YOU. Even if you’re sure it’s not you this time, it may be you the next time, which is why people who work hard, play by the rules and take care of themselves run from “free” offers like a deer who catches sight of Ted Nugent off in the distance.
2) Politicians are interested in getting elected, not making your life better: There are well-meaning politicians who put the country first, but they’re about as common as professional athletes who eat dinner at McDonald’s every day. Politicians generally aren’t brave, they aren’t virtuous, they can be bought off, they often won’t do the right thing unless they’re being watched and they are not looking out for people like you. You wouldn’t leave your dog with people who think like that, but we’re trusting the fate of our nation to them.
3) Rarely does government ever "fix" problems: There’s always some politician promising to “solve” a problem, but as the great Thomas Sowell says, “There are no solutions; there are only trade-offs." As a practical matter, what that means is that when politicians move to “solve” a problem, they often create new problems that are just as bad as the ones they were trying to solve. Then they move to “solve” those problems and create more problems. After you rinse and repeat enough, you end up with the government micromanaging which bathrooms people use to make sure they’re “gender inclusive” enough.
4) People respond to incentives: Ever heard someone say, “Be careful what you wish for?” Well, you REALLY better be careful what you incentivize. In a nation of 316 million, there are people, sometimes millions of them, who will do just about every sort of crazy, self-destructive thing you can imagine if they get rewarded for doing it somehow. Changes in government policy can kill industries, change the culture for the worse and lead millions of formerly independent people to become slothful and dependent. Ah, but you’re probably thinking, “If incentives can create all of those bad outcomes, then think of all the GOOD we can do with them!” Well, that might be true except that…
5) Government isn’t a good; it’s a necessary evil: Government is inherently slow, stupid, inefficient, wasteful and dangerous. Moreover, it is, was, and will always be that way, no matter who’s in charge because that is the nature of the beast. Now combine that with power-hungry politicians and dead-eyed bureaucrats who feel entitled to force you to do things at gunpoint and you should be very wary of anyone telling you about all the wonderful things government can do. Whether the government is offering Americans something “free” or pointing a gun at our heads, we’re all better off with as little of it as possible in our lives.

5 Things Every Young American Should Know About Politics - John Hawkins - Page full

The 6th thing to know is, John Hawkins is a rightwing mental patient.

And yet, still correct.