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Is "good government" even possible?

Is "good government" even possible?

  • Yes

    Votes: 16 53.3%
  • Maybe, depends

    Votes: 5 16.7%
  • No

    Votes: 9 30.0%

  • Total voters
    30

radcen

Phonetic Mnemonic ©
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Is "good government" even possible?

I'm going to purposely leave the question open to interpretation.
 
It hasn't been shown to be possible, so I'm going to go with no based on historical evidence.

Anyway, why is the poll not public?
 
Yes, but I purposely avoided giving any policy specifics prior to my election. ;)
 
No, due to the age-old wisdom of "power corrupting". However, government is necessary for national defense (NOT world defense), regulating (NOT micromanaging) commerce, etc. Thus, it is imperative that the power of government be limited as much as possible. This is sadly forgotten by those in power and newly remembered by those out, but of course the sides switch periodically. We are therefore left with the absurdities of the present day, with ever more tenuous parsing to justify injustice and playing the victim to exert power.
 
Depends on what you think the responsibility and duties of government are.
 
Is "good government" even possible?

I'm going to purposely leave the question open to interpretation.


I say yes assuming all sorts of restrictions on government are put into place to combat corruption. Term limits, waiting periods between different elected and appointed offices, letting computers draw precinct maps based on population alone, A ban on tax dollars being used to aid in campaigning(meaning if an elected or appointed official wishes to campaign for himself or others then the money must come out of that elected official's pocket.If he wants to bring secret service/security, aids and other people with him then that elected official must pay for those himself), severe restrictions on how much individuals and groups may donate to candidates and PACs, a ban on elected officials and their loved ones from having any investments, a ban on elected or appointed officials making any money other than their salary for their office pays, elected officials must pay for things out of their own pockets, and etc.
 
I say yes assuming all sorts of restrictions on government are put into place to combat corruption.

When has that ever worked? Name just one government in history that was controlled in any sort of successful manner?
 
Is "good government" even possible?

I'm going to purposely leave the question open to interpretation.

That depends on one's definition of good government. Today it seems whether or not the political ideology is achieved by one party or the other represents good government. I don't buy that.
 
Is "good government" even possible?

I'm going to purposely leave the question open to interpretation.



Almost any general form of government can be "good", that is to say it can govern well, if:

1. Authority and responsibility (accountability) are equal and coordinate.... and the consequences (of corrupt or inept use of authority) are preferably applied immediately!

2. If power is limited to that which is truly necessary, and not one whit more.

3. There must of course be an independent means of enforcing the accountability of 1 and the limits of 2.
 
Unfortunately, it can only be as good as its people, because imperfect people run it.
 
Good government? What's that? A government that preserves freedom? Is freedom good? Some don't think so. Some think freedom is impossible, doesn't exist.

Good is a subjective word.

Based on my beliefs on what is good, is good government possible? Absolutely.


But you know what they say about making some of the people happy some of the time...
 
Yes, it's called the developed world -- though we did or do some ****ed up stuff every now and then. If you're looking for a perfect government that acts as it should in all ways all the time, it's never gonna happen, so cut reality some slack.
 
Yes. A government that acts in the interests of working people, people of color, the disabled, LGBTQIA+ people, etc, is possible
 
Depends on who is electing the politicians.

example: the elections of 2008 and 2012.
 
When has that ever worked? Name just one government in history that was controlled in any sort of successful manner?

I did say with certain restrictions on the government in place.
 
I did say with certain restrictions on the government in place.

Again, when has that worked? Can you say with confidence that in the US putting restriction on government worked? The thing you might not realize is that the reason anarchy doesn't work is because the forces that bring about government exist. It is not the fact that people come together voluntarily that bring about government, but the fact that sooner or later a dickhead comes around and makes slaves of everyone and steals their ****.
 
Again, when has that worked? Can you say with confidence that in the US putting restriction on government worked? The thing you might not realize is that the reason anarchy doesn't work is because the forces that bring about government exist. It is not the fact that people come together voluntarily that bring about government, but the fact that sooner or later a dickhead comes around and makes slaves of everyone and steals their ****.

The right restrictions are not placed on the government.Which is why it acts the way it does.
 
It's a necessary evil.
 
If you want better government you need to enact a few new laws.

How about this - if you are a corporation that recieves tax breaks from the government to help you become a better "job creater", or to help bail you out, or to help your industry be more competetive - then you cannot use that money to hire lobbiests, that lobby for more tax breaks.

You choose - hire lobbiests or take the tax breaks. You cannot spend the money that we give the government, and that the
government gives you - to ask the government for more money.

If you want to ask the government for money, do it on your own dime.
 
I could post a fairly lengthy and well thought out reply, but instead, I'll just post a link to a Napalm Death song that tangentially addresses this topic.

 
I could post a fairly lengthy and well thought out reply, but instead, I'll just post a link to a Napalm Death song that tangentially addresses this topic.



How do people listen to that crap?
 
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