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What would you be willing to give up to reduce the size of government?

What goverment service that benefits you would you give up?

  • Total voters
    53
Kandahar said:
The United States is excellent in terms of human rights: there is almost total freedom of speech/press, there aren't extrajudicial killings or disappearances of political opponents, the government goes out of its way to protect the civil liberties of criminal suspects, etc.
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You see that is where you and I differ, "The CIA owns everyone of any significance in the major media."- William Colby former CIA director.
Let me explain that if the major media is controlled by a few-which it is-they can control what content is broadcasted. And not only that but a few is more easy to control then many. And we don't rank to high up on the world for diversity of the press. Colby might have been murdered because he was investigating a prostitution ring run by politicians. Does that scare you?
We don't have as many extrajudicial killings or disappearances of political opponents because the system has successfully curtailed any real difference between the political parties. So killings or disappearances are not necessary in an environment that is controlled.
 
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Winnb said:
My bad.

I'm not talking about fighting World Wars or disbanding the US Military. WWII had to be fought, no argument there, and the US industrial might was instrumental in winning that. We absolutely have to have a military.

I'm talking about the meddling. I'm talking about hundreds of military bases we have stationed around the world in peaceful nations. Nations with standing, funded armies perfectly capable of defending themselves. We pay for that. We pay Trillions for that.

Sorry about that. After reading my post again I see why you posted what you did.
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"Trillions"?

We like to exagerrating the a few orders of magnitude, do we?

Not that I'm disagreeing with the intent. Certainly since the Germans hate us we should evacuate their country. We'll make sure to tell the Russians when we turn the lights out. And we should tell France, "Don't call us, we'll call you". Yeah, there's lots of money we could be saving...but we can't pretend we don't have interests best served by some overseas bases.

I don't see the US vacating Diego Garcia any time soon, for example.
 
Evidently, I'm willing to give up nothing...
The department of war and homeland security, the CIA and the FBI could all be merged into one, with one leader.
These overlap,IMO.
We do have duplicated efforts in many areas...all part of reform...which, with the conservatives in power will never happen..
 
stalin_was_a_nice_being said:
You see that is where you and I differ, "The CIA owns everyone of any significance in the major media."- William Colby former CIA director.
Let me explain that if the major media is controlled by a few-which it is-they can control what content is broadcasted. And not only that but a few is more easy to control then many. And we don't rank to high up on the world for diversity of the press.
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Even if that were true, the internet has diffused the power of the media. You can call the president a Nazi all you want, and no one is going to come arrest you. You have almost complete freedom.

stalin_was_a_nice_being said:
Colby might have been murdered because he was investigating a prostitution ring run by politicians. Does that scare you?
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I really have no idea what you're talking about...if it's a conspiracy theory I'm not interested.

stalin_was_a_nice_being said:
We don't have as many extrajudicial killings or disappearances of political opponents because the system has successfully curtailed any real difference between the political parties. So killings or disappearances are not necessary in an environment that is controlled.
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No difference between the political parties? Are you aware that about a month ago, every single Senate Democrat voted for an 800 billion dollar health care bill, and every single Senate Republican voted against it? I'd call that a pretty significant difference.
 
earthworm said:
Evidently, I'm willing to give up nothing...
The department of war and homeland security, the CIA and the FBI could all be merged into one, with one leader.
These overlap,IMO.
We do have duplicated efforts in many areas...all part of reform...which, with the conservatives in power will never happen..
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Technically they already are under the department of defense. So you see? And the one leader is Robert Gates. And they don't really overlap because the CIA worries about things overseas and the FBI worries about domestic as the homeland security worry about borders and points of entry along with ICE.
 
Kandahar said:
Even if that were true, the internet has diffused the power of the media. You can call the president a Nazi all you want, and no one is going to come arrest you.
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I understand that but still it is important to have more than five corporations controlling the tv.
I really have no idea what you're talking about...if it's a conspiracy theory I'm not interested.
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It isn't a conspiracy I hate those things. But there is some truth the government doesn't kill joe nobodies or joe the tinfoil that believes in ET.

No difference between the political parties? Are you aware that about a month ago, every single Senate Democrat voted for an 800 billion dollar health care bill, and every single Senate Republican voted against it? I'd call that a pretty significant difference.
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That isn't enough.
 
Oftencold said:
If China were powerful enough, then according to their own system they would have the right and the duty.
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That wasn't the question. If they built bases on American soil and put troops here, how would that make you feel? I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it.

If you'll give this concept a little clear thought a concept might dimly begin to manifest for you -- that someone is going to exert this kind of global force and that it might just be in your best interest, and the best interests of just about everyone else, if it were us and not them.
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It is not the job of our military to be the international police force. We are a country, not an empire. Our military is to protect OUR nation. What other countries do is none of our business as long they do not threaten or harm our national security. When they do harm us, congress is to draft a declaration of war.. Only then do we use our military.

I know that thinking about real world concerns is difficult, that is why I recommend that people who find it too onerous, such as Leftists, Progressives, Socialists and Gaisits leave this difficult task and the decisions which are attendant on it to more informed and mature souls.
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Leftist - By definition this is someone who wants larger government. You want the U.S. government to be exercised on a global scale so you fit the definition better than I do.

By the way, I think of myself as more of an Imperialist than a Globalist.
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So either way, someone who doesn't really look to the constitution for guidelines. Speaking of the constitution... I'm still waiting on your reply to my question asking where in the constitution does it give you the power to exercise this imperialism.

I'll be waiting :)
 
You left out some expensive things like the social welfare programs, drug rehab programs, translating ballots into 20 different languages. Also you left out massive foreign aid for ungrateful nations. ;)

Not a complete list in your poll is my answer. :cool:
 
Also, some of these choices should not be totally eliminated, but just greatly scaled back.
 
I think we should scale back some of these frankly to reduce coast, and the government role in our life.
 
megaprogman said:
What goverment service that benefits you would you give up?
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Democrats.

Well, actually I guess that doesn't count. They don't benefit me.
 
Catz Part Deux said:
FFS yes, at least until I am one. And then, I plan to be heavily armed.
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Well we won't have to worry about you aging because the people who are really going to hurt us are the people already over 45. So when you are old the younger generation won't have the problem with old people as we will. So your safe so don't worry about arming yourself.
 
RyrineaHaruno said:
I think we should scale back some of these frankly to reduce coast, and the government role in our life.
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I know its why I think the police department should be scaled back big time in areas with low crime. Because those police officers typically don't fight criminals but fight against "speeders" who are so dangerous. But really the police can't fight the crime that it was intended for that is why the feds created the FBI. Which says a lot about the quality of the average police officer.
And then there is the building department of every city and town. These people when you contract an electrician or want to add to your building need not only to approve of the initial design but need to approve it once it is done. And then if they don't like it they can fine you but they don't fine the contractor or if they see something that doesn't meet up with regulation currently they will tell you to fix it or be fined. That is ridiculous. The government has way too much power and really you can't talk back to them because they will start to act all pissy and that just brings hell to you.
 
Across the board cuts and elimination of 1/3 of all federal agencies to start off with.

Then re-evaluate and cut some more.
 
Loaded question, since there is plenty, plenty to cut besides what's listed... and you don't have to completely get rid of something to reduce its size.
 
Partisan said:
Government pensions........;)
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Yeah people that work for their retirement sure don't deserve those, and btw most of those pensions are in 401K's now just like other Americans. They also pay into social security just like other Americans. They pay into Medicare just like other Americans, and on and on. :roll:

Putting the court system and military was dumb since those are part of the Constutiontal duties of Fed govt. Infrastructure can probably be improved somehow, but I don't know. The regulatory category is too broad, because some could go and others are needed.
 
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American said:
Putting the court system and military was dumb since those are part of the Constutiontal duties of Fed govt.
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It would be impossible to frame the poll in a way that would make everyone happy. So either do you can with it or make a new post.

But I will admit I worded it badly. The intent was to either give up or reduce.
 
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stalin_was_a_nice_being said:
I know its why I think the police department should be scaled back big time in areas with low crime. Because those police officers typically don't fight criminals but fight against "speeders" who are so dangerous. But really the police can't fight the crime that it was intended for that is why the feds created the FBI. Which says a lot about the quality of the average police officer.
And then there is the building department of every city and town. These people when you contract an electrician or want to add to your building need not only to approve of the initial design but need to approve it once it is done. And then if they don't like it they can fine you but they don't fine the contractor or if they see something that doesn't meet up with regulation currently they will tell you to fix it or be fined. That is ridiculous. The government has way too much power and really you can't talk back to them because they will start to act all pissy and that just brings hell to you.
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Just a couple of observations about the above:

I'd be willing to bet that speeders kill more people in this country than murderers do. Anyone want to take that bet?

Folks in Haiti don't bother with those pesky building codes.
 
Dittohead not! said:
Just a couple of observations about the above:

I'd be willing to bet that speeders kill more people in this country than murderers do. Anyone want to take that bet?

Folks in Haiti don't bother with those pesky building codes.
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I am not saying that there isn't a need for building codes. There are, but the government doesn't need to be control freaks about it. We had one inspector telling us that the pipes carrying wires for electricity needed to be copper. Are your pipes made out of copper? I don't think so.
Then about speeding, I bet you it isn't because they were driving fast but because they were going at a speed they couldn't drive, ie they did not know their limit behind the wheel. And there are a lot of lousy drivers so that adds to accidents happening more often and it could be because some drivers drive to slow or because they are distracted. But the point is that Germany has safer roads then the US. And the autobahn has no speed limit. Why is that? Because German drivers are not lousy like the US.
 
I would be willing to give up the salaries of lawmakers, presidents, and various other overpaid lying scumbags.
 
Vader said:
I would be willing to give up the salaries of lawmakers, presidents, and various other overpaid lying scumbags.
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Overpaid? They are tasked with overseeing a government in charge of 300 million people, and you think a couple hundred thousand dollars is too much?

The fact is that Congress already has plenty of millionaires. If you eliminate the salary, it would basically eliminate the possibility of anyone who ISN'T rich becoming a lawmaker. It would also further drain the talent pool, as smart people would prefer to make money in the private sector instead of serving the public.

And needless to say, while it might feel good to do it, the effect on the size of government would be approximately nil.
 
Vader said:
I would be willing to give up the salaries of lawmakers, presidents, and various other overpaid lying scumbags.
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Wow!!!!!!!... you actually said something I agree with!

Edit.... I thought you wrote pensions… your record is safe.
 
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