Dismantling the Conservative Platform – Part 1: We Need Federal Government
This country has hardly ever been so divided, particularly on so many issues. And this has, most unfortunately, led to a great number of US citizens becoming either entirely apathetic, or loath to the very idea of partaking in the political “game” at all. While the former does present a huge problem in this country, it is the latter that threatens to actively drive passionate people away from working on corruption and forces them to join the former group. This theory suggests that those arguing from the left are essentially the same as those arguing from the right of the spectrum, and that there is no reason to get involved because of it.
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This argument has been toyed with for years, and claims that the social issues the two groups fight over are nothing but a distraction from the real issues, and anyone involved in politics is a part of the problem, particularly if they vote. It has been especially prominent among the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators, but I sincerely reject it. Though I will concede there is corruption on both sides of the aisle, and those in high places are protecting the richest among us (and lining their own wallets while they’re at it), I refuse to believe liberals and conservatives are really just two sides of the same coin.
Rather than look at it that way, and throw our entire political system out the window, I would prefer to pinpoint the exact problems and work on them accordingly. With that said, I would like to discuss why left sided policies are in this country’s best interest, and why those coming from the right are either false, detrimental or both. It is time to truly debunk the conservative platform and demand rational discourse when it comes to deciding what we will do for this country’s future. This is serious business and there is no more room for idiots and liars.
One of the most common themes among right wing politics is the constant jabber about the need for smaller centralized government and a heavy reliance on state government instead. It would be prudent to first point out the incredible hypocrisy of this, as right wingers tend to only want small government when it benefits their wallets or their narrow minds, and are the first to freak out when things like defense are even being considered for cuts. But, I digress.
We need big government. We really do. This is a very large country and we rely on our federal government for a lot. And before anyone tries to jump me and bash me over the head with a copy of 1984, please remember that “big brother” only gets as much power as we give him. There is a world of difference between relying on government to provide services to its people, and giving that government unquestionable and unrelenting power. We are seeing some examples of government with too much influence, and that is a separate issue to tackle.
State governments are actually relatively ineffectual. While states typically receive the majority of their revenue from sales and property taxes, many receive a good amount of money from the federal government. This is particularly true as of late. In 2009 (and for the first time in this country’s history), federal government provided more revenue for state and local governments than anything else, something that helped to stave off some of the worst effects of the recession. It’s also worth noting that federal aid is not the same across the board, and many lower income states benefit greatly from other states pitching in. These states would not be able to provide as well for their own citizens, which would lead to even harder times in poorer areas. In this way, and in others, the federal government works to ensure that there is a relatively constant quality of life across the country.
Federal government also serves to protect our civil rights. It is rather well known that some areas of the country are more dangerous for people who are viewed as “different”, and it is federal laws that tend to protect them. A federal government ensures that someone born in Alabama is afforded the same rights as someone born in New York, and guarantees that crimes against them won’t go unchecked if a local government sympathizes with the wrong doers.
The federal government regulates all that needs it in this country, including food and water, drugs, business, emissions and so on. There is no morality built into anything, and as evidenced in the past, when people are allowed to do anything they want, particularly when money is concerned, they are often selfish and don’t do what is in everyone’s best interest.
States’ rights exist in order to protect local interests. It goes without saying that life for the average person in Texas is probably different than the life of the average person in Rhode Island. And each state is going to have different reasons for wanting things a certain way. There are many things that can’t be decided upon well from a distance, and it is similar to when a company allows more decisions to be made by lower level employees. Those at the top of the pyramid tend to be at least slightly out of touch with the people and operations at the bottom, and can often hand down foolish rules that only serve to complicate things even further. It is also true, however, that if a large company with several branches eliminated or drastically reduced their corporate level workers, it would lose its cohesiveness and would no longer be able to properly function as one entity.
Those on the right would have us believe that downsizing our government is the best way to deal with corruption. They blame federal government for… well, everything. It’s big brother that’s stealing our money, enabling lazy people, drowning small businesses and crippling the average Joe. And they consistently remind us to be afraid. The whole thing is really just a giant scare tactic. But the only thing we really have to be worried about is the fact that fear is such a powerful motive for those on the right. I posit that we have no reason to be afraid of government. It’s “we the people,” not “they the evil doers.” Should those in government start wielding too much power, we have the right, and the numbers, to take it back.
Related posts:
“Sam: The return you get for the amount in taxes likely supercedes the amount you pay in, unless you happen to be a very wealthy individual. And, more to the point, if most people were given the option to keep their tax money, they wouldn’t be donating that same amount, they would likely be buying a newer car or something of that nature.
”
I don’t get anything out of the taxes that go to Washington. and I don’t get much out of the state and local taxes either.
How do you know what people would do with their money if they didn’t have to pay taxes? Do you know every person in the United States? Donations to charities go DOWN when taxes are raised.
http://philanthropy.com/article/Deficit-Plan-Would-Eliminate/125420/
“We have given government too much power, but most people are too apathetic to do anything about it.
”
yeah exactly. whose point are you trying to make. If the “we” in your example is apathetic, than it WON’T reign in power grabs by the state.
“If the poorer states were to use all the taxes their residents pay for state and federal, they still wouldn’t make the amount of money they use every year, because much of their revenue come from federal taxes paid by people out of state.”
Then they need to look at their economic model and see why it’s coming up so short. If other states are in the red and some are in the black they need to emulate the profitable ones.
and I really don’t think the goverment does much for the poorer states. Look at Detroit, upstate New York or any of the former manufacturing centers. They are the pits.
“too bad they don’t do this. How are the roads and schools in your area?
Sam: Actually, quite decent.
”
good for you. They aren’t here.
“Sam: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were hardly the sole reason for the housing crisis, despite the fact that so many want people to believe that”
I agree which is why I described the role of the Fed and wall street as well.
“there was a bigger issue with LACK of government regulation than there was with too much government”
I disagree. the lack of regulation enabled these people to leverage themselves to the hilt for sure, but then they should have been allowed to fail. The bailouts were a scam.
“But again, these are issues with corruption, they are not inherent problems for federal government.
”
if there is more government there is more possiblity for corruption. Sure, you could have a less corrupt big government and a more corrupt small one, but the possiblity of corruption expands when the size does because there are more variables.
“We need more in the way of preventing people into falling into poverty, I agree. ”
why is there ANYONE is poverty with a 4 trillion dollar dudget? Washingtons priorities are clearly very different from your own. If you could not pay your taxes and instead give them to a poor person you would not only be helping them person likly alot more than the state but you would also lose the moral culpability for all the evil that washington does. We’re paying for the Iraq war. We paid for the Mubarak regime to tyrannize the Egyptian people. Maybe you can accept that i can’t. I don’t think the Egyptian people are very understanding when Hillary Clinton says Mubarak was a friend of the family.
“If we, as a people, decided to actually partake in the democratic process and vote corrupted politicians out of office, and demanded transparency, we would not have these issues”
that will never happen. Or you can’t expect people to hope for it when it hasn’t been demonstrated to work in the past.
“It would be prudent to first point out the incredible hypocrisy of this, as right wingers … and are the first to freak out when things like defense are even being considered for cuts.”
agreed. that is totally hypocritical
” This is a very large country and we rely on our federal government for a lot.”
yeah for example what would I do with all the money from my paycheck and various items I buy that are taken away in taxes? thanks uncle sam!
“And before anyone tries to jump me and bash me over the head with a copy of 1984, please remember that “big brother” only gets as much power as we give him.”
I like that this is right under the “The National Defense Authorization Act Is Even Scarier Than We Thought, Allows Military To Torture American Citizens” article
“There is a world of difference between relying on government to provide services to its people, ”
too bad they don’t do this. How are the roads and schools in your area?
“many receive a good amount of money from the federal government.”
?? they don’t recieve anything from the federal government, they receive it from taxpayers. The government doesn’t have it’s OWN money.
“something that helped to stave off some of the worst effects of the recession”
…that it created though I’ll admit the federal reserve is a quasi private entity and wall street played it’s role. The govenment was over- promoting home ownership via fannie and freddie and the federal reserve was printing money like crazy in the early 2000′s Then they bailed out all these horrible companies at our expense.
And I’m supposed to thank them because they provided “aid” to beaurocrats like themselves in the state capitols so they wouldn’t have to feel the pain us peasants do.
“. In this way, and in others, the federal government works to ensure that there is a relatively constant quality of life across the country.
”
there are 30 million people living below the poverty line. That’s WITH a 4 trillion dollar a year budget. Our tax dollars don’t go to poor people, they go to rich people
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/6-10-richest-counties-us-are-dc-area
“The federal government regulates all that needs it in this country, including food and water, drugs, business, emissions and so on”
all that needs it as decided by who? them?
“Should those in government start wielding too much power, we have the right, and the numbers, to take it back.”
Yeah like how we stopped the Iraq War!
yeah for example what would I do with all the money from my paycheck and various items I buy that are taken away in taxes? thanks uncle sam!
Sam: The return you get for the amount in taxes likely supercedes the amount you pay in, unless you happen to be a very wealthy individual. And, more to the point, if most people were given the option to keep their tax money, they wouldn’t be donating that same amount, they would likely be buying a newer car or something of that nature.
I like that this is right under the “The National Defense Authorization Act Is Even Scarier Than We Thought, Allows Military To Torture American Citizens” article
Sam: Irrelevant. These are seperate issues. We have given government too much power, but most people are too apathetic to do anything about it.
too bad they don’t do this. How are the roads and schools in your area?
Sam: Actually, quite decent. I also have government health care. The library in my town is doing rather well, as are the parks. The fire station, police station and post office are all doing okay. As a matter of fact, even in such hard economic times, there are quite a few government funded services that are providing a lot of much needed help.
?? they don’t recieve anything from the federal government, they receive it from taxpayers. The government doesn’t have it’s OWN money.
Sam: Yes. The federal government receives it from the tax payers, but they redistribute it all across the country. If the poorer states were to use all the taxes their residents pay for state and federal, they still wouldn’t make the amount of money they use every year, because much of their revenue come from federal taxes paid by people out of state.
…that it created though I’ll admit the federal reserve is a quasi private entity and wall street played it’s role. The govenment was over- promoting home ownership via fannie and freddie and the federal reserve was printing money like crazy in the early 2000′s Then they bailed out all these horrible companies at our expense.
And I’m supposed to thank them because they provided “aid” to beaurocrats like themselves in the state capitols so they wouldn’t have to feel the pain us peasants do.
Sam: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were hardly the sole reason for the housing crisis, despite the fact that so many want people to believe that. They weren’t even the biggest players in the mess, to be honest. The housing crisis was a problem that was years in the making, and there was a bigger issue with LACK of government regulation than there was with too much government.
there are 30 million people living below the poverty line. That’s WITH a 4 trillion dollar a year budget. Our tax dollars don’t go to poor people, they go to rich people
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/6-10-richest-counties-us-are-dc-area
Sam: That is another issue I see as seperate. We do have problems with a lot of our taxes going to the wrong entities. However, we do still have many programs for the poorer folks in this country. We need more in the way of preventing people into falling into poverty, I agree. But again, these are issues with corruption, they are not inherent problems for federal government.
all that needs it as decided by who? them?
Sam: Technically, yes. But we elect them. If we, as a people, decided to actually partake in the democratic process and vote corrupted politicians out of office, and demanded transparency, we would not have these issues.
Yeah like how we stopped the Iraq War!
Sam: Again, irrelevant. If we were more informed and involved from the get go, we could have less corrupt government.
reply is above if you’re still interested. I didn’t hit “reply” on the right thing sorry.