Question for conservatives about government spending

[Too Tall]

Why should government pay for a road that starts at the end of your driveway and leads to any address in the continental United States - but not for food stamps for needy families with children?


Is it simply because you derive a direct benefit from one and not the other?

The government collected gasoline tax to finance the road. I was under the impression that food stamps are being given out like candy on halloween.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Why should government pay for a road that starts at the end of your driveway and leads to any address in the continental United States - but not for food stamps for needy families with children?


Is it simply because you derive a direct benefit from one and not the other?

The government collected gasoline tax to finance the road.

Its not enough.

I was under the impression that food stamps are being given out like candy on halloween.

Then you're wrong.

 

[Too Tall]

All I want is you to explain to me why you think the road and highways system is best handled by big government instead of a free market. Do you deny that the free market can maintain roads and highways for less than government? Do you deny that the free market can better determine where roads and highways are needed?

We DO have some free market roads that are handled pretty well... and we do have private roads as well...

You didn't answer my question. I want to know why you think government should be involved in building roads and highways when the free market can handle it. Or do you not think the free market can handle it?


Can you answer that or not? Its not that complicated of a question, the only reason you wouldn't be able to answer it is if you didn't have an answer.

The Interstate highway system was built using Federal taxpayers money by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956– popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956 and championed by President Dwight Eisenhower.

Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network, a system of roads identified as critical to the U.S. Department of Defense.

National Defense by the Federal Government is a requirement in the US Constitution.

Are there any other questions?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

We DO have some free market roads that are handled pretty well... and we do have private roads as well...

You didn't answer my question. I want to know why you think government should be involved in building roads and highways when the free market can handle it. Or do you not think the free market can handle it?


Can you answer that or not? Its not that complicated of a question, the only reason you wouldn't be able to answer it is if you didn't have an answer.

It is a direct power vested in the constitution.... unlike paying for your communication, food, house, etc

Really? The Constitution gives power to Congress to build roads and highways for primary use by privately owned vehicles? Where?

I do think the free market COULD handle it, as it does in many cases... hell, it's not like the government ACTUALLY does all the work now, it is contracted out

Could they handle it BETTER? Yes or no?

The government may outsource much of the work but the actual deciding of where to put roads and highways and how big to make them is made NOT based on free market profit motive - would it not be better if it was?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Then get together with lawmakers and amend the constitution to allow the government to do those things....

Where does the Constitution state that the government should maintain highways for use by private vehicles?

Article 1, section 8

Idiot

Quote?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Government does not pay for the roads. I do, and he does, and they do, and so on and so on....

However, the roads are paid for through what is known as consumption. Every time I fill up at the gas station, I pay for those roads. Every time I pay a toll fee, I pay for them.

Only partially.


Wow thanks Mr. Obvious.[


So if it benefits everyone government should pay for it? So if government bought free tickets to the local football games for people, so long as everyone could get them, that would be A-OK, right? So long as it benefits all.

Great. What government program pays for that?

Simply because government can do a thing, does not mean it SHOULD do a thing.

So why SHOULD they pave the roads? You say its because all benefit from it - I can name a zillion things that we'd all benefit from if government paid for it.

Wow, really? Government does not pay for it. How much more do I have to dumb it down?

People agree that the states should build and maintain roads. Therefore, it is an acceptable social contract.

How do we know they "agree" on this? Through the same system by which they've "agreed" food stamps should be funded?

There are private roads (usually better maintained) and roads built by business that the public is allowed to use if they pay for the upkeep through the toll system.

The key here is that there is no big push back to building roads. The Federal government is only responsible for the Interstate highway (and that has been pushed off to the states too).

I made no distinction in levels of government in my question.

Not all the people think that paying for people who do not want to take responsibility for themselves is such a good idea.

That's not what they've expressed through their elected representatives in government, is it? How again do we know that ALL people want the roads funded? You've asked every single one of them?

What you are advocating for is that people who have bad circumstances should have the right to just give up and take a free ride at the expense of everyone else.

I am advocating that? I had no idea. Link?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Is there anything the taxpayer should not be providing you for free, homey?

Why should government be responsible for paving roads and highways instead of the free market?

Because unlike feeding crack babies, roads are a shared resource for shared use.

So if the government decided to give free food to EVERYONE - that would be fine with you, right?

Hey how much use does a person without a car get from the interstate highway system?

 

[SniperFire]

Why should government be responsible for paving roads and highways instead of the free market?

Because unlike feeding crack babies, roads are a shared resource for shared use.

So if the government decided to give free food to EVERYONE - that would be fine with you, right?

No. You suck at logic and reason.

 

[salem.hills]

Thread just created a strawman argument by saying "Republicans don't want to help the needy". We just want less government waste/corruption (Solyndra) and pro business policies by lowering taxes and limiting regulators. It will happen soon (2013).

 

[daws101]

Because one earns it's money, the other doesn't.

The road earn's the money we invest in it, the other produces nothing but more needy mouths to feed.

Road's can't earn money, they are inanimate objects.

I'm sorry, should i have specified that total morons need not reply?

Roads certainly facilitate trade, thus they do in a roundabout way, generate money. Not sure how much money is generated by welfare recipients though.

the recipients spend...

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

We DO have some free market roads that are handled pretty well... and we do have private roads as well...

You didn't answer my question. I want to know why you think government should be involved in building roads and highways when the free market can handle it. Or do you not think the free market can handle it?


Can you answer that or not? Its not that complicated of a question, the only reason you wouldn't be able to answer it is if you didn't have an answer.

The Interstate highway system was built using Federal taxpayers money by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956– popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956 and championed by President Dwight Eisenhower.

Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network, a system of roads identified as critical to the U.S. Department of Defense.

National Defense by the Federal Government is a requirement in the US Constitution.

Are there any other questions?

Yeah. What percentage of funds invested in maintaining highways goes toward repairing wear and tear due to military use?

By your logic its OK for the government to pay for poor people's housing so long as they are housed in the same government housing used by the military.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Because unlike feeding crack babies, roads are a shared resource for shared use.

So if the government decided to give free food to EVERYONE - that would be fine with you, right?

No. You suck at logic and reason.

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Thread just created a strawman argument by saying "Republicans don't want to help the needy". We just want less government waste/corruption (Solyndra) and pro business policies by lowering taxes and limiting regulators. It will happen soon (2013).

And you oppose every single social welfare program that can be named - but you don't believe government shouldn't be helping the needy.

That's called a conflicting viewpoint.

 

[SniperFire]

So if the government decided to give free food to EVERYONE - that would be fine with you, right?

No. You suck at logic and reason.

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

Why would you ask such assholish questions?

 

[SniperFire]

Thread just created a strawman argument by saying "Republicans don't want to help the needy". We just want less government waste/corruption (Solyndra) and pro business policies by lowering taxes and limiting regulators. It will happen soon (2013).

And you oppose every single social welfare program that can be named - but you don't believe government shouldn't be helping the needy.

That's called a conflicting viewpoint.

That doesn't even make sense.


Are you on crack?

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

No. You suck at logic and reason.

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

Why would you ask such assholish questions?

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

 

[SniperFire]

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

Why would you ask such assholish questions?

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

Why do you ask?

 

[eflatminor]

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

Why would you ask such assholish questions?

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

They do. One example is route 125 is southern California. Funded privately, this highway is far superior to any other in the state.

 

[SniperFire]

Why would you ask such assholish questions?

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

They do. One example is route 125 is southern California. Funded privately, this highway is far superior to any other in the state.

It isn't like we don't have many examples throughout history.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Why would you ask such assholish questions?

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?

Why do you ask?

Why wouldn't the free market do a better job at highways?