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Less Government vs. Better Government

Less Government or Better Government?

  • Total voters
    57
The Mark said:
I require both.

Less AND better.

Especially since less IS better, to a degree, and particularly given the current size of government in most areas of the world.

Some few could do with more, of course.
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It's a dishonest question meant for trolling and flaming quite obviously.
 
ChrisL said:
It's a dishonest question meant for trolling and flaming quite obviously.
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Doesn't mean I cannot troll right back by answering my way.
 
Cardinal said:
Unless the big government is better and the small government is populated entirely by small-minded, sociopathic people.
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It seems to me that it is more likely a sociopath would desire a big government than a small government. You can easily charm people into thinking the power that the government is taking for itself is for the best, but it's bit hard to charm people and at the same say we will do nothing for your complaint or say, sorry, we don't have the power to do what you want.
 
Henrin said:
It seems to me that it is more likely a sociopath would desire a big government than a small government. You can easily charm people into thinking the power that the government is taking for itself is for the best, but it's bit hard to charm people and at the same say we will do nothing for your complaint or say, sorry, we don't have the power to do what you want.
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Unless I misunderstood the premise of the thread, the OP was asking if we would opt for a larger government if it functioned well, or a smaller government that might not. There are infinity threads on the topic of government being bad and too big, and personally I have zero interest in participating in another one of those.
 
Henrin said:
It seems to me that it is more likely a sociopath would desire a big government than a small government. You can easily charm people into thinking the power that the government is taking for itself is for the best, but it's bit hard to charm people and at the same say we will do nothing for your complaint or say, sorry, we don't have the power to do what you want.
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Our government WAS small at one time, and it probably functioned just fine. I wonder if you saw the link I posted earlier in this thread with all of the governmental agencies? It's just outrageous how many "agencies" we have. I see no reason at all why we couldn't streamline and get rid of some of these agencies. That would save us money and time.
 
Cardinal said:
Unless I misunderstood the premise of the thread, the OP was asking if we would opt for a larger government if it functioned well, or a smaller government that might not. There are infinity threads on the topic of government being bad and too big, and personally I have zero interest in participating in another one of those.
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Yes, it's a trick question designed so that if you would prefer a smaller government, it's made to sound as if it isn't going to be good.
 
ChrisL said:
Our government WAS small at one time, and it probably functioned just fine. I wonder if you saw the link I posted earlier in this thread with all of the governmental agencies? It's just outrageous how many "agencies" we have. I see no reason at all why we couldn't streamline and get rid of some of these agencies. That would save us money and time.
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Like HOA's? Those things do function (generally) on its primary objective, that being keeping real estate values up, but God those people can be bastards.
 
Cardinal said:
Like HOA's? Those things do function (generally) on its primary objective, that being keeping real estate values up, but God those people can be bastards.
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Never had to deal with one myself. I don't think I would move to a neighborhood like that.
 
ChrisL said:
Yes, it's a trick question designed so that if you would prefer a smaller government, it's made to sound as if it isn't going to be good.
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It's only a "trick question" insofar as it's supposed to make you explore where your true values lie, or if not that then how black-and-white your principles may be.
 
Cardinal said:
It's only a "trick question" insofar as it's supposed to make you explore where your true values lie, or if not that then how black-and-white your principles may be.
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I disagree. It's obvious that it's the OPs personal bias against small government. He is pro big government, and this was done on purpose so that if you pick "small" government it seems as if you are picking a less effective government. Well, that's not the case. I think that a smaller government would function much more efficiently.
 
ChrisL said:
Never had to deal with one myself. I don't think I would move to a neighborhood like that.
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I don't personally have to deal with one myself either, but I have multiple family members who do. Depending on the area they can vary from common sense rules to stepping into an Orwellian nightmare. They're set up so that home owners can maintain their real estate values while not being powerless in the face of that one neighbor who wants to keep his car on cinder blocks while playing techno til 4am, but on the flip side HOA's can also start establishing (and yes, enforcing) bull**** rules on what color your mailbox can be and demanding that all lawns be perfectly green (in spite of drought) and that they must all be 8.2287cm in height. No, I wouldn't want to live in a place like that either.
 
ChrisL said:
I disagree. It's obvious that it's the OPs personal bias against small government. He is pro big government, and this was done on purpose so that if you pick "small" government it seems as if you are picking a less effective government. Well, that's not the case. I think that a smaller government would function much more efficiently.
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So he has a bias, so what? He's still allowed to challenge someone else's views. That in itself doesn't constitute a "trick question." Being able to entertain a hypothetical that doesn't conform to your beliefs on how the world works is the sign of a flexible mind.
 
Cardinal said:
I don't personally have to deal with one myself either, but I have multiple family members who do. Depending on the area they can vary from common sense rules to stepping into an Orwellian nightmare. They're set up so that home owners can maintain their real estate values while not being powerless in the face of that one neighbor who wants to keep his car on cinder blocks while playing techno til 4am, but on the flip side HOA's can also start establishing (and yes, enforcing) bull**** rules on what color your mailbox can be and demanding that all lawns be perfectly green (in spite of drought) and that they must all be 8.2287cm in height. No, I wouldn't want to live in a place like that either.
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Well, for problems like that, if the neighbors don't listen to reason, that is what the police are good for. :mrgreen: I would rather take my chances with a crappy neighbor than an overbearing agency trying to control my every move on my OWN property. I don't think it would mesh well for me.
 
Cardinal said:
So he has a bias, so what? He's still allowed to challenge someone else's views. That in itself doesn't constitute a "trick question." Being able to entertain a hypothetical that doesn't conform to your beliefs on how the world works is the sign of a flexible mind.
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I never said he couldn't. I'm just pointing out that it's a biased poll and a trick question for those who DO prefer a smaller government to the overbearing money-eating monstrosity that we have now, and some people actually would like to see it even LARGER. :doh
 
ChrisL said:
Well, for problems like that, if the neighbors don't listen to reason, that is what the police are good for. :mrgreen: I would rather take my chances with a crappy neighbor than an overbearing agency trying to control my every move on my OWN property. I don't think it would mesh well for me.
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Having a neighbor who doesn't like to play nice when you're renting is bad enough (hope you like repeated visits from the cops, because their hands are tied a lot more than you could ever imagine). All you can really hope for is that the landlord doesn't renew his lease or the neighbor breaks enough of the rules of tenancy that he can be legally evicted (which is sort of HOA'ish if you think about it). However, if you're an owner and your mortgage and home value are on the line it's whole nother can of worms.
 
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ChrisL said:
I never said he couldn't. I'm just pointing out that it's a biased poll and a trick question for those who DO prefer a smaller government to the overbearing money-eating monstrosity that we have now, and some people actually would like to see it even LARGER. :doh
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The whole point of the thread is to mentally explore two choices that you don't like. Simply the fact that you don't like the options doesn't make the the OP a "trick question." If all you want to do is get out your soap box and re-assert that big government is bad, you can do that in literally every other thread on every other forum on the internet.

Honestly, I've never understood people who cannot (or will not) entertain a hypothetical.
 
Cardinal said:
Having a neighbor who doesn't like to play nice when you're renting is bad enough (hope you like repeated visits from the cops, because their hands are tied a lot more than you could ever imagine. All you can really hope for is that the landlord doesn't renew his lease or the neighbor breaks enough of the rules of tenancy that he can be legally evicted (which is sort of HOA'ish if you think about it). However, if you're an owner and your mortgage and home value are on the line it's whole nother can of worms.
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Most people learn after having the police called several times. I do rent and have lived in several different places. I've had a few problem neighbors but nothing I couldn't handle. MOST of the time, if you just talk to them like people and tell them, look, I have to get up really early in the morning and your music is keeping me awake, or something to that effect, they will usually be much more receptive.
 
Cardinal said:
The whole point of the thread is to mentally explore two choices that you don't like. Simply the fact that you don't like the options doesn't make the the OP a "trick question." If all you want to do is get out your soap box and re-assert that big government is bad, you can do that in literally every other thread on every other forum on the internet.

Honestly, I've never understood people who cannot (or will not) entertain a hypothetical.
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Oh, come now! :lol: The thread title is "Would you prefer LESS government or BETTER government." :lol:
 
Cardinal said:
The whole point of the thread is to mentally explore 1* two choices that you don't like. Simply the fact that you don't like the options doesn't make the the OP a "trick question." 2* If all you want to do is get out your soap box and re-assert that big government is bad, you can do that in literally every other thread on every other forum on the internet.

Honestly, I've never understood people who cannot (or will not) entertain a hypothetical.
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1* You're implying that people who don't like big government also don't like government that works right.

2* Not true. Everyone at the Star Wars forum would think I'm crazy if I started saying that on the "Is Darth Maul an awesome or sucky character?" thread. Here, it's actually on topic.
 
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Jesse Booth said:
1* You're implying that people who don't like big government also don't like government that works right.
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There are countless people on this forum who believe that big government is government that doesn't work right.
 
ChrisL said:
Oh, come now! :lol: The thread title is "Would you prefer LESS government or BETTER government." :lol:
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Shrug. Smaller, worse government vs larger, better government is what I took from it.
 
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