The Liberal Politics & Current Events Book Club discussion

I am so tired of people blaming the government for everything. That attitude only benefits the rich and powerful. Good government can help us all.

I think it depends on whether the government is doing good or bad things. The US "conservatives" only advocate small government when it comes to helping the poor and the disadvantaged but are all for big government when it comes to invading foreign countries, mistreating illegal immigrants, or policing women's bodies.

I agree with you completely.

On environmental issues, without government regulations, we would not be able to protect our air, earth, and water. And it's a constant battle to keep improving on those regulations. There are people who would sell the earth down the drain for money.

Take a careful look at what food stamp cuts will mean and to the incomes of the people affected by Republican insensitivity.

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=...

Jimmy wrote: "Take a careful look at what food stamp cuts will mean and to the incomes of the people affected by Republican insensitivity.

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=..."

Great link. I'll say it again: the practical effect of all of this is actuarially genocidal, and "it's not a bug; it's a feature." The Republican agenda -- all their disparate policies -- are unified by the objective of genocide, of inflicting incalculable harm and countless deaths on the bottom 99%. And the motive, in my opinion, is pure Schadenfreude, apart from fathomless avarice and lust for power. "It's not sufficient that [they] succeed; everyone else must suffer/fail/die."

Xdyj wrote: "I think it depends on whether the government is doing good or bad things. The US "conservatives" only advocate small government when it comes to helping the poor and the disadvantaged but are all f..."

You're right, Xdyj. "Big government" has no significance other that as a bogeyman meme -- an act of mind-controlling misdirection from the parties actually in control of the game. We really do need a very big government to protect us -- not from terrorists or from threats of invasion, but from loss of life for want of a social safety net, and from the very people who own, outright, what currently passes for "our government."

William wrote: "I cannot believe that since Ronald Reagan that people believe government is the problem. However, experience taught me that small government is really bad for us since without government, some can ..."

The reason they believe it is mind control, disinformation disseminated 24/7 by the corporate media to a deliberately stultified and lobotomized populace who suckle at the teat of Faux News, revelling in hatred of minorities as they're led complacently to the economic slaughterhouse. God help the sheep, but their stupidity is going to kill us all.

Xdyj wrote: "I think it depends on whether the government is doing good or bad things. The US "conservatives" only advocate small government when it comes to helping the poor and the disadvantaged but are all f..."

SO true!! When the Supreme Court was ruling about Texas's strict laws against abortion clinics, I was thinking, "If Republicans and conservatives say they hate government control so much, why would they extend government control over the bodies of women?"

"Big Government" works as a kind of "scare phrase" because it reminds people of Communism. While I'm no big fan of Communism, government is NOT the problem. There are definitely parts of gov't that need to be streamlined, but it's not the solution to just reduce government. It's kind of like saying, "My house is all cluttered and it needs repairs. Why don't I just tear the whole thing down and live outside in the wilderness?" Moving into the wilderness is a bit of an extreme step when you can simply renovate and clean your house. It'll take a lot of work, but it's far more realistic than other options.

The people for "small government" advocate for private control on the premise that private companies that compete will get things done more efficiently because they have to get things done as cheaply and quickly as possible. Well, like any kind of competition, too much competitiveness drives businesses to cut corners. Look at companies in China, where there are few regulations, but hey, they make stuff cheap and quick! They force workers so hard that some (working at Foxconn, an electronics company that makes parts for Apple) committed suicide under the strain. And in the end, you get shoddy junk that falls apart after a few weeks of use.

The "Big" problem with gov't is gridlock. Politicians are elected on the promise of "not compromising" because it makes a nice slogan, but in reality, it gets nothing done because without compromise, if people have even the slightest difference, nothing will get done.

LilyCat (Agent of SHIELD) wrote: "Xdyj wrote: "I think it depends on whether the government is doing good or bad things. The US "conservatives" only advocate small government when it comes to helping the poor and the disadvantaged ..."

So true, LilyCat.

Yes, very true. I just don't understand why the cons think that big govt. is so bad but they love, love, love big business. At least with govt., you can eventually elect someone else, but with big biz, those CEOs usually stay there forever. Heck, even when they do get let go, they leave with multimillion $ severance pckgs. So phooey on worshipping big biz.