Do You Want More Or Less Government In Your Life?

[OohPooPahDoo]

As far as local and state laws, I could do with
MORE public transit
LESS laws telling me I can't make repairs and minor improvements on my own house without permission

So should I answer more government or less?

 

[LordBrownTrout]

I would like to know what it is that you cannot do......or are forced to do......by "big government" that you were allowed to do or were free not to do 10, 20, 30 years ago?

All of this whining about government intrusion seems to have little basis in reality.

The poll is stupid, of course. Americans, in general, are not in favor of being told what to do or what not to do. That goes for "liberals" at least as much as it does for "conservatives".

To the dude who said he only needs roads and the military....................you are funny.

E-911 on cell phones
Government mandated health insurance
Social security..................
Taxes that limit individual freedoms
Unnecessary estate taxes....

All government laws that affect our lives. I could rail on for a week but I have to work.

 

[PixieStix]

I would LOVE a government agency - like the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, the Dept. of Education - to "step in" and manage my finances and my entire life.

(hurl)

Damn scary thought. Why would you say something like that?

He is being sarcastic.

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms we knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Once upon a time we were not forced to buy car insurance. It was a choice

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

 

[PixieStix]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?


Snip

If you think that you can just start a business these days without some sort of government being involved, then you have real issues


Georgia cops bust 10-year-old’s lemonade stand*|*Raw Replay

Way to go big government fear mongers. kill the dreams of 3 young girls

 

[Warrior102]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

That's not a nice thing to say to a Moderator, you stupid ****.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

I'm launching my third company in four months. So far, I've dealt with 264 government regs on the city, state, and federal levels. That includes licensing, taxes, permits, taxes, more licensing, taxes....... That's all before the company moves into existence.

 

[PixieStix]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

I'm launching my third company in four months. So far, I've dealt with 264 government regs on the city, state, and federal levels. That includes licensing, taxes, permits, taxes, more licensing, taxes....... That's all before the company moves into existence.

Exactly
Apparently oopahadoodongdee, is 10 years old

 

[Navy1960]

This is what I mean by efficient;

Under both CSRS and FERS, Members of Congress are eligible for a pension
at age 62 if they have completed at least five years of service. Members are eligible
for a pension at age 50 if they have completed 20 years of service, or at any age after
completing 25 years of service. The amount of the pension depends on years of
service and the average of the highest three years of salary. By law, the starting
amount of a Member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final
salary.

As of October 1, 2006, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal
pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service. Of this number, 290
had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972.
A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with
service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.
http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf

Military retirement pay is unlike civilian retirement pay systems. First and foremost, there is no "vesting" in the military retirement system. There is no special retirement accounts, no matching funds provision, no interest. You either qualify for retirement by honorably serving over 20 years in the military, or you do not. If you are discharged from the military with 19 years, 11 months, and 27 days of service, for example, you do not qualify for retirement pay (other than a few "early retirement" programs, which were designed to reduce the size of the armed forces).

I frankly cannot understand how someone who defends this nation with their lives, is subject to one standard of the taxpayer dollars and yet those who send them in harms way need only serve 5 years and wait till age 62. When I say efficient this is what I mean, not to mention allowing the purchase of the Comanche helicopter to last 21 years spend several billion dollars, and result in nothing. this is the order of the day. So it comes as no surprise that our Govt. cannot seem to find solutions to balance the budget.

 

[The T]

Warrior........are you a veteran?

Yes I am.

And don't pull the "Then you were a government employee" bullshit on me.

I was a service member. Not a fat, overpaid lazy-**** sitting at a computer all day as you'll witness if you walk into any Federal building in Washington, D.C.

We didn't sail battleships and aircraft carriers around with a bunch of government ******* bureaucrats aboard getting in the way of our business.

Putting the IRS or the DMV on the same plain as the USMC, USN, USA, USAF or the USCG is ******* moronic and ignorant.

 

[paulitician]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

I'm launching my third company in four months. So far, I've dealt with 264 government regs on the city, state, and federal levels. That includes licensing, taxes, permits, taxes, more licensing, taxes....... That's all before the company moves into existence.

Yea i feel for ya. They sure are making it very difficult to get ahead these days. We need to shrink Government dramatically.

 

[The T]

When did that freedom end?


Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

I'm launching my third company in four months. So far, I've dealt with 264 government regs on the city, state, and federal levels. That includes licensing, taxes, permits, taxes, more licensing, taxes....... That's all before the company moves into existence.

Yea i feel for ya. They sure are making it very difficult to get ahead these days. We need to shrink Government dramatically.

Odd that government whines about shrinking revenues...and in the same breath impose more taxes, regulations, fees (taxes), surcharges (taxes) and the like...

Anyone with a modest understanding of economics, and command of a few brain cells can see where the problem lies.

 

[Gadawg73]

I could care less if gays get married, idiot women get abortions, folks do dope and many other stupid things.
I want less government. Conservatism means getting religion out of government and peoples lives.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

I'm launching my third company in four months. So far, I've dealt with 264 government regs on the city, state, and federal levels. That includes licensing, taxes, permits, taxes, more licensing, taxes....... That's all before the company moves into existence.

And I'm assuming this is a lemonade stand?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

For those of us that have experienced the freedom and have been watching it slowly erode, that is a hard question, because so much has eroded those freedoms qwe knew.

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

When did that freedom end?

Secondly, political correctness has stifled free speech in many ways.

Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

That's not a nice thing to say to a Moderator, you stupid ****.

I just asked a question. That's all.

 

[Bil_Stunbmun]

Just curious about what most here on USMB prefer when it comes to Government in their lives. Thanks.

I want the government to make every decision for me and give me everything I need.

This is why I support Obama!

 

[Avatar4321]

I could care less if gays get married, idiot women get abortions, folks do dope and many other stupid things.
I want less government. Conservatism means getting religion out of government and peoples lives.

Gay marriage increases the size of government. Because it's giving government the power to regulate relationships they didn't have power to do so previously.

Polygamists on the other hand just want the government to leave them alone. I have more respect for them than the gay marriage movement.

 

[Warrior102]

When did that freedom end?


Really? What can't you say anymore that you used to be able to say? And why do you whine like a little *****?

That's not a nice thing to say to a Moderator, you stupid ****.

I just asked a question. That's all.

Then don't whine when you suffer the consequences, fuckstick.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

I would like to know what it is that you cannot do......or are forced to do......by "big government" that you were allowed to do or were free not to do 10, 20, 30 years ago?

All of this whining about government intrusion seems to have little basis in reality.

The poll is stupid, of course. Americans, in general, are not in favor of being told what to do or what not to do. That goes for "liberals" at least as much as it does for "conservatives".

To the dude who said he only needs roads and the military....................you are funny.

True. The way the right defines ‘big government’ is naïve and inane. To wit:

I guess what comes to my mind first is the freedom to invent and contrive (AKA starting a business) without a bunch of government bureaucracy, and regulations getting in the way.

Those ‘bureaucracy’ and ‘regulations’ ensure the food Americans eat is safe, the goods and services they consume are safe and free of defect, the drugs they take are not harmful, and the roads, railways, and airways properly maintained. The fact is business has only itself to blame, as ‘bureaucracy’ and ‘regulations’ are a consequence of the reckless and irresponsible acts of business over many decades.

To answer the OP, I want less government: I want privacy rights upheld, less government in my affairs; I want 4th Amendment search and seizure rights upheld, less government listening to my private conversations, monitoring my movements, or investigating my background; I want the 14th Amendment right to equal access to the laws upheld, less government telling Americans whom they may marry or whom they may adopt.

The ‘size’ of the government isn’t so much the issue as upholding the laws designed to restrict it.

And the irony, of course, is one rarely hears conservatives express concern about the issues in paragraph three; indeed, many conservatives actually work to undermine government restriction. So much for ‘small government.’

 

[LordBrownTrout]

I'm launching my third company in four months. So far, I've dealt with 264 government regs on the city, state, and federal levels. That includes licensing, taxes, permits, taxes, more licensing, taxes....... That's all before the company moves into existence.

And I'm assuming this is a lemonade stand?

No, but it may as well be since government can't keep it's sticky paws out of anyone's business.

Government Cracks Down On Little Girl's Lemonade Stand - The Consumerist