• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

A Simple And Straightforward Question For You.

Is Big Government the answer to America's problems??

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 21.3%
  • No

    Votes: 8 17.0%
  • Hell No!!!

    Votes: 29 61.7%

  • Total voters
    47

Bassman

Next we have #12. The Larch
Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
3,834
Reaction score
765
Location
West end of the Erie Canal (That's Buffalo, NY for
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Very Conservative
With a program for this, an entitlement for that, an allocation for the other thing I really have to throw this question out there, and I would like you folks (especially on the Left) to answer honestly.

Does anyone really think that Governmenet, especially Big Government is the answer to America's problems?
 
Hell no!

Thomas Jefferson is rolling over in his grave!
 
My exact sentiments.

Here is a quote that needs to be repeated ad infinitum:
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems,government is the problem."-President Ronald Wilson Reagan
 
I have a question for you: do you think overgeneralized jingoistic statements are the solution to Americans problem? There may be many instances where government intervention is the problem, but its not always the case.

America's problems are best solved like any problem: you analyze what is wrong and come up with solution that best fits the specific situation. If you are more interested in satisfying your pre-existing beliefs than fixing the problem, you aren't going to do well.
 
I have a question for you: do you think overgeneralized jingoistic statements are the solution to Americans problem?

No they are not. They do make perfect sense on an Internet message board though. :mrgreen:

There may be many instances where government intervention is the problem, but its not always the case.

And your not really going to find the answer to that here. Although you can get allot of cool opinions and maybe learn something along the way!

America's problems are best solved like any problem: you analyze what is wrong and come up with solution that best fits the specific situation.

You could have stated that without all the uppityness. I think I just made up a new word?

If you are more interested in satisfying your pre-existing beliefs than fixing the problem, you aren't going to do well.

Unless he knows this is nothing but an Internet BBS for debating just that. :shock:
 
With a program for this, an entitlement for that, an allocation for the other thing I really have to throw this question out there, and I would like you folks (especially on the Left) to answer honestly.

Does anyone really think that Governmenet, especially Big Government is the answer to America's problems?

The government certainly can be a solution for problems. This country would not have the infrastructure it has if not for the government. Hell, we would not be the greatest country in the world if the government was not alot more effective than people want to give it credit for.

It's not a default "there is a problem, the government should fix it" situation, but the government should be part of what is looked at for any national problem. Cliches like the Reagan quote are just that, cliches, and not necessarily accurate.
 
The government certainly can be a solution for problems. This country would not have the infrastructure it has if not for the government. Hell, we would not be the greatest country in the world if the government was not alot more effective than people want to give it credit for.

I do give it credit for it's past accomplishments, but it's recent history has been dismal. So I can't in good conscience trust it right now to do anything reasonable. It seems to be over correct/react or nothing with the last 3 administrations.

It's not a default "there is a problem, the government should fix it" situation, but the government should be part of what is looked at for any national problem. Cliches like the Reagan quote are just that, cliches, and not necessarily accurate.

Agreed.
 
I do give it credit for it's past accomplishments, but it's recent history has been dismal. So I can't in good conscience trust it right now to do anything reasonable. It seems to be over correct/react or nothing with the last 3 administrations.

Really? I think you underestimate what all the government actually does. I would point to our infrastructure again as an example. I would point to the first gulf war. I would point to vast steps forward on gay marriage. I would point to Afghanistan, which is hard going, but we are at least doing better than the Soviets did there.

I can go on, but I think you get the point.
 
The government has legitimate functions. I'm OK with them sending Jimmy to school (though I'd prefer that the parents got to pick the school) or put a pilot into a fighter jet (although not a costly F-22), but the government has expanded far beyond the scope of reason. It takes about a third of the nation's GDP and half of our incomes, mostly to squander it on bridges to nowhere, entitlements that no one is actually entitled to, and pretending that it's my mother. The government should keep us from injuring each other and not much else.
 
Really? I think you underestimate what all the government actually does.

Considering I was a government representative as well as a civil servant I can honestly say you are wrong on this.

I would point to our infrastructure again as an example. I would point to the first gulf war. I would point to vast steps forward on gay marriage. I would point to Afghanistan, which is hard going, but we are at least doing better than the Soviets did there.

I would point out that most if not all of those you mentioned are either half ass or botched jobs from the start. In Afghanistan the only difference is we actually had support of some of the factions against an unpopular government. The Russians on the other hand just invaded.

The government has done little with gay marriage. Lets see states changing constitutions to make it illegal? The victory of prop 8? No, I completely disagree.

I can go on, but I think you get the point.

So can I, but you get the point.
 
Voted Yes, but I don't think "big government" is necessarily the solution. Responsible government, which includes sensible and efficient government programs, is a very big part of the solution, however.
 
Absolutely not, and never will be.
 
With a program for this, an entitlement for that, an allocation for the other thing I really have to throw this question out there, and I would like you folks (especially on the Left) to answer honestly.

Does anyone really think that Governmenet, especially Big Government is the answer to America's problems?

Yes I feel big government is the answer if you like long lines and bad service, and like to pay 50% or more of your earnings for POS programs that never go away...
 
With a program for this, an entitlement for that, an allocation for the other thing I really have to throw this question out there, and I would like you folks (especially on the Left) to answer honestly.

Does anyone really think that Governmenet, especially Big Government is the answer to America's problems?

It depends.
 
Really? I think you underestimate what all the government actually does. I would point to our infrastructure again as an example. I would point to the first gulf war. I would point to vast steps forward on gay marriage. I would point to Afghanistan, which is hard going, but we are at least doing better than the Soviets did there.

I can go on, but I think you get the point.

How does gay marriage benefit the country? The infrastructure? We are taxed 32 different ways from Sunday local state and federal and we cannot fund social security, secure our own borders,take care of the elderly, our education system has become a joke, roads and bridges are in disrepair, Our ports and harbors insufficient ie lack of rolling stock road and rail and docking facilities for the larger modern box/tanker ships Cannot repair the levee system in the gulf urban areas are decaying but we can always buy more cruise missiles and bail out wealthy companies

Moe
 
"Big government", all by itself means nothing.
What we really need is much better education and better people - which hopefully will result.
Then we need much more involvement, by the people, in government...This is the only way this "so-called" big government can work.
 
How does gay marriage benefit the country? It does not.. The infrastructure? We are taxed 32 different ways from Sunday local state and federal and we cannot fund social security... News to me.., secure our own borders,take care of the elderly, our education system has become a joke, roads and bridges are in disrepair, Our ports and harbors insufficient ie lack of rolling stock road and rail and docking facilities for the larger modern box/tanker ships Cannot repair the levee system in the gulf urban areas are decaying but we can always buy more cruise missiles and bail out wealthy companies

Moe

Too much male bovine feces and negative rant here....and a little truth.
 
I voted yes, for now. Just as government programs helped move the country out of the great depression, I think the government is working to move this economy now. After the economy is back on it's feet, the government should begin to recede like an ocean tide.
 
The solution to problems is not big goverment, or small goverment or goverment period. It is we the people ultimately responsible for our nations success. So get of your asses, volounteer, help out your fellow citizens, call on your representatives eliminate the 96% reelection of Congressmen who have a 30% approval rating. We need to have a strong federal goverment, but we dont need a nanny state. We need a free open market, and by definition that is not laize faire, the goverment must regulate the market to make it free and fair to all, not just large corps who can fix the market to their advantage. The goverement shouldnt run healthcare, but it shouldnt be an absentee landlord either.
 
I voted yes, for now. Just as government programs helped move the country out of the great depression, I think the government is working to move this economy now. After the economy is back on it's feet, the government should begin to recede like an ocean tide.

Actually WWII helped us out of the great depression. The government programs just extended the time it would have lasted.

I can't think of even one instance where the government has receded from anything after getting involved. If you can think of one let me know.
 
Actually WWII helped us out of the great depression. The government programs just extended the time it would have lasted.

WW2 was a goverment program BTW ;)

I can't think of even one instance where the government has receded from anything after getting involved. If you can think of one let me know

Draft, interning American citizens in camps.
 
Actually WWII helped us out of the great depression. The government programs just extended the time it would have lasted.

I can't think of even one instance where the government has receded from anything after getting involved. If you can think of one let me know.

WWII was a contributing factor, but the Middle Class would not have bounced back so strong if it were not for the changes made by FDR to level the playing field with the New Deal.

The government has receded on many things, the biggest, and unfortunately most costly was in banking and market regulation. The government eased oversight and as a result we have a recession and Bernie Madoff.
 
With a program for this, an entitlement for that, an allocation for the other thing I really have to throw this question out there, and I would like you folks (especially on the Left) to answer honestly.

Does anyone really think that Governmenet, especially Big Government is the answer to America's problems?

not so simple OR straightforward. depends on the problem, don't you think?
 
WWII was a contributing factor, but the Middle Class would not have bounced back so strong if it were not for the changes made by FDR to level the playing field with the New Deal.

"The National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, in particular, gets a lot of blame. It created the National Recovery Administration, a federal bureaucracy that limited competition in various industries by setting prices and wages above market levels. The ensuing upward pressure on the price of goods and unemployment may have turned a bad situation worse. While it benefited some producers, the NRA's policies meant basic goods were more expensive for consumers and jobs harder to come by for people who were already in dire straits." - Did the New Deal Work? - US News and World Report

Not so much.

The government has receded on many things, the biggest, and unfortunately most costly was in banking and market regulation. The government eased oversight and as a result we have a recession and Bernie Madoff.

Less over site on one aspect of the market is not receding. It was the government intervention in banking that caused the problem in the first place.
 
Back
Top Bottom