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The key is that government shouldn't be heavily involved in personal lives. Joel Send a noteboard - 03/09/2009 05:58:39 AM
The more the government gets involved in people's personal lives, the less people seem to trust them. I don't know that there is any cure for the distrust of the government in this country, but I'd like to think we can find a happy balance.

It should enable healthy choices, but it shouldn't dictate many. A cornerstone of the American Dream that's been ceded to the left and made a point of mockery for the right is that America seeks to ensure equal opportunity but not equal outcomes. Increasingly the individual American is on their own, and if others can find ways to stack the deck in their favor, well, that's just good old fashioned American ingenuity, right? :rolleyes: Competition to the exclusion of all else is largely ascendant over community, and any gains for my neighbor must obviously be at my expense, so why shouldn't I attempt similar gains at his expense? That's not healthy for America.

Governments role is as a facilitator, and the Founding Fathers understood that well. It's not properly a tyrant telling you how to live your life, but a partner assisting voluntary decisions to live your life better. Thus it's critical for government to engage the public and for the public to cooperate with government, but vital government not trample on peoples freedom. Which is where we get into flat taxes, the constitutionality of the 16th Amendment, Libertarians and the mindset any government service from which one doesn't directly and immediately benefit is tyranny. I'm less alarmed by the knowledge some people would object to funding the military if they could provide their own than the knowledge that if they have their way they'll do exactly that.
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For Europeans who don't understand why Americans are against ObamaCare - 03/09/2009 04:24:35 AM 1152 Views
I'd be happy to tax top "earners" more and suffer Europes economic "collapse. " - 03/09/2009 04:30:31 AM 626 Views
The US will never work with socialism. - 03/09/2009 04:40:21 AM 710 Views
Re: The US will never work with socialism. - 03/09/2009 04:58:47 AM 701 Views
I don't think the mistrust of the government is really all that overblown - 03/09/2009 05:04:34 AM 621 Views
It's advanced beyond what it was during the Revolution, I think. - 03/09/2009 05:18:22 AM 662 Views
I would say it's grown with the government - 03/09/2009 05:23:52 AM 649 Views
The key is that government shouldn't be heavily involved in personal lives. - 03/09/2009 05:58:39 AM 669 Views
Re: I don't think the mistrust of the government is really all that overblown - 04/09/2009 03:30:23 AM 586 Views
If I lived in France I wouldn't trust the Government either. - 04/09/2009 03:44:55 AM 638 Views
*laughs* the point is taken. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:24:07 AM 435 Views
Re: The US will never work with socialism. - 04/09/2009 03:28:24 AM 747 Views
How much more can we really tax the wealthy?? - 03/09/2009 04:41:14 AM 550 Views
Sadly, I think going back to the Clinton rates would help - 03/09/2009 04:42:54 AM 534 Views
I'm ok with that....not super excited....but ok with it - 03/09/2009 04:57:32 AM 543 Views
A lot; before Reagans "reforms" we already taxed them less than any other industrialized state did. - 03/09/2009 05:06:00 AM 667 Views
I'm in the lower-middle class tax bracket - 03/09/2009 05:13:39 AM 591 Views
It's both, IMHO. - 03/09/2009 05:29:41 AM 509 Views
I hear a lot of socialism coming from you..... - 03/09/2009 05:19:08 AM 531 Views
Re: I hear a lot of socialism coming from you..... - 03/09/2009 05:40:32 AM 617 Views
Nice non-answer answer..... - 03/09/2009 05:52:04 AM 627 Views
You want detailed answers that require detailed data I don't have. - 03/09/2009 06:06:55 AM 683 Views
Here are some facts and analyses..... - 03/09/2009 02:40:22 PM 705 Views
The Heritage Foundation, huh? - 03/09/2009 03:01:17 PM 735 Views
The non-working wealthy? Please quantify..... - 03/09/2009 03:31:58 PM 719 Views
Paris Hilton? - 04/09/2009 03:43:19 AM 609 Views
You're so full of shit on this issue I don't know where to begin. - 04/09/2009 03:15:55 AM 700 Views
Re: You're so full of shit on this issue I don't know where to begin. - 04/09/2009 03:59:21 AM 785 Views
Less than 200 people were said to be US persons with Swiss accounts - 04/09/2009 04:16:24 AM 582 Views
And yet account for many millions of dollars; what does that say...? - 04/09/2009 04:21:57 AM 617 Views
It's statistically insignificant and your hyperbole is reminiscent of screaming guests on CNN. - 04/09/2009 02:07:31 PM 518 Views
Well, look at this way: - 04/09/2009 02:24:03 PM 660 Views
That's not a solution. - 05/09/2009 02:39:12 AM 669 Views
The Soviets weren't socialist, or even communist, so it's a false comparison. - 05/09/2009 03:09:06 AM 610 Views
Okay, now you've just gone into Kool-aid drinking territory. - 05/09/2009 04:32:07 AM 720 Views
Communist THEORY is predicated on democratic participation at every level,totally absent in the USSR - 05/09/2009 04:55:00 AM 838 Views
FINALLY!!! - 07/09/2009 10:22:53 AM 634 Views
Ever heard of the 20-80 rule? - 04/09/2009 04:28:54 AM 528 Views
Yes, and 90% of people are idiots. - 05/09/2009 02:41:35 AM 821 Views
Re: Yes, and 90% of people are idiots. - 07/09/2009 10:09:30 AM 646 Views
Top earners? Please define.....what income and how much more? *NM* - 03/09/2009 04:52:25 AM 429 Views
That would be open to definition, and should change with inflation. - 03/09/2009 05:13:02 AM 779 Views
What is your justification for taking over 50% of anyone's income? - 03/09/2009 05:28:22 AM 708 Views
That's a good example of why I say the rate has to be set to cost of living. - 03/09/2009 05:50:16 AM 741 Views
Still no comment on the fact that 40% of Americans don't pay any income taxes? - 03/09/2009 02:32:12 PM 669 Views
To what 40% do you refer? - 03/09/2009 02:42:55 PM 525 Views
Dude, you are not making this easy..... - 03/09/2009 03:38:01 PM 562 Views
No one "gets money from the IRS. " - 04/09/2009 02:55:02 AM 576 Views
Actually with EIC you can get money back that you never paid in. - 04/09/2009 02:56:43 AM 560 Views
It MIGHT be possible with the EIC, but in practice few people get more than they paid. - 04/09/2009 03:43:36 AM 598 Views
I don't know, I've known plenty of people that have gotten more back than they paid in - 04/09/2009 03:46:29 AM 691 Views
A neat trick then. - 04/09/2009 04:09:58 AM 689 Views
To be fair - 04/09/2009 04:50:20 AM 628 Views
Ah, gotcha. - 04/09/2009 04:53:58 AM 633 Views
Yet another example of your ignorance on tax policy. - 04/09/2009 03:19:39 AM 512 Views
The word I notice is "welfare" - 04/09/2009 03:57:01 AM 628 Views
I wouldn't say that's what it means.... - 04/09/2009 04:02:40 AM 631 Views
It's what welfare means to me... - 04/09/2009 04:32:17 AM 635 Views
I was just talking about EIC as a form of welfare, not welfare welfare. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:45:13 AM 387 Views
yes, I get that now. *NM* - 04/09/2009 05:02:53 AM 370 Views
*NM* - 04/09/2009 05:14:01 AM 369 Views
Not necessarily - 04/09/2009 04:11:41 AM 558 Views
*shrugs* I have a soft heart. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:30:52 AM 380 Views
It's a credit for people who file a return on income that's been taxed. - 04/09/2009 04:19:57 AM 561 Views
It is only for the WORKING poor, yes. - 04/09/2009 02:12:55 PM 550 Views
Mean it may be, but hardly illegal. - 04/09/2009 02:31:16 PM 583 Views
How does the business benefit? - 04/09/2009 04:54:27 PM 567 Views
I didn't realize you meant literal withholding. - 05/09/2009 03:03:32 AM 598 Views
That's a no-no, Joel - 03/09/2009 07:32:03 AM 568 Views
Europe impresses me for one simple reason: - 03/09/2009 09:21:28 AM 650 Views
No real comments, just 100% agree with you....plus the $12 trillion is terrifying to me. *NM* - 03/09/2009 04:33:39 AM 273 Views
If that scares you, check this out! - 03/09/2009 04:48:56 AM 670 Views
Excellent post - the US government is not capable of running HC..... - 03/09/2009 04:40:19 AM 505 Views
There is one thing the government did right - 03/09/2009 04:41:36 AM 623 Views
The bailout, some of it, was necessary..... - 03/09/2009 04:51:03 AM 615 Views
I still think it was too one sided. - 03/09/2009 05:21:45 AM 645 Views
It depends on your level of cynicism - 03/09/2009 05:38:53 AM 676 Views
when have they ever cut the fat? - 03/09/2009 08:35:36 PM 596 Views
Contrary to popular belief, they are quite good at it - 03/09/2009 09:05:15 PM 627 Views
Well there is only one catch *NM* - 03/09/2009 10:56:00 PM 368 Views
This doesn't make sense to me. - 03/09/2009 08:33:18 AM 644 Views
The key phrase is "should be. " - 03/09/2009 09:38:15 AM 781 Views
Re: The key phrase is "should be. " - 03/09/2009 09:47:39 AM 625 Views
That sounds like a good stop gap to me. - 03/09/2009 09:50:57 AM 681 Views
In fairness, most Europeans don't seem to realize what ObamaCare is. - 03/09/2009 02:34:01 PM 669 Views
What makes you think we do? - 03/09/2009 09:11:06 PM 668 Views
Oh, you don't either. I thought that went without saying. *NM* - 03/09/2009 09:25:54 PM 383 Views
As far as most people I know are concerned, opposition to ObamaCare isn't the issue. - 03/09/2009 11:04:36 PM 741 Views
It's hard not to be horrified with a government as wasteful as ours - 03/09/2009 11:24:59 PM 526 Views
I can understand horror of governments. - 03/09/2009 11:30:23 PM 516 Views
a bit, yes. *NM* - 04/09/2009 04:08:37 AM 394 Views
For Americans who don't understand why Canadians like their public healthcare. - 04/09/2009 04:23:11 AM 645 Views
Correction - 04/09/2009 04:44:32 AM 628 Views
Re: Correction - 04/09/2009 05:05:11 AM 705 Views
In all honesty.... - 04/09/2009 05:18:23 AM 579 Views
Re: In all honesty.... - 04/09/2009 07:19:28 AM 673 Views
Re: Correction - 04/09/2009 05:24:49 PM 595 Views
Re: Correction - 07/09/2009 10:11:45 AM 787 Views
That's a nice theory. - 04/09/2009 02:49:34 PM 647 Views
It's a fact - 04/09/2009 05:21:59 PM 617 Views
Re: It's a fact - 05/09/2009 03:18:39 AM 595 Views

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