Why Americans Should Love the Government They Hate

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Of course I want my Social Security and Medicare money when I retire - because the government took it away from me while I was working - promising to pay it back when I got old and retired. This is NOT an entitlement! It is my money and always was my money! (I would have preferred to save my own money for retirement like in the early 1900's - but - the government said they would do it for me. It's the law now.)

I'm happy to pay extra taxes for people who are very sick or handicapped thru no fault of their own and cannot work. I do not want to pay people just because they do not want to work - or have large numbers of children.

Why is our big government handicapping/enabling people to be totally non-preductive thru

generous entitlements? Right now, we are payiung people to be more & more dependent. It is so backwards. If the entitlement programs had been working over the last 60 years - there would be less poor people. But, no, There are more poor people. what better proof does the government need to see that the give-away programs are not working.

Susan Demidovich of FL 5:43PM June 03, 2010

I haven't heard complaints against government workers. The complaints I hear are about the lobbyists' influence on legislators. Look at the farm subsidies, the action against the government option on health insurance (which would have saved the people a huge amount of money) and other such influences that silence the voice of the people. But then the people should realize that their legislators are not taxing them for the benefits they receive. It would take a real leader to do this in America. Meanwhile our leaders keep borrowing to pay for our desires. When what happened to Greece happens to America something will finally be done to pay off our debts and balance the budget. Of course the people who take over at that time will blame all who have gone before. And today's legislators must shoulder a good part of that blame.

Bob O'Connor of CA 9:36AM June 03, 2010

You missed the point: it is not about the virtue, or lack thereof, of Federal employees.

It's that the nature of government is legal, regulatory, bureacratic, impersonal, and inefficent: no matter who you employee.

And actually, Federal employees make more than the private sector in this economy if you include benefits.

Steve of VA 8:50AM June 03, 2010

Government is better than anarchy, We can achieve our rights through this.

Medvision 2:50AM June 03, 2010

Your Tea Party comment shows where you're comming from so no matter what I say won't go far either. George Bush did not try to go after S.S., he tried to reform it to the point at least if I or you died our families would recieve what we paid in instead of our money back into the goverment coffers. Why would you have a problem with your family getting your money? Newt and the republicans balanced the budget and gave us a surplus, what's so wrong with that. Problem, politicians, republicans and democrats spent more money as today. They are spending the S.S. money GWB wanted us to have in an account of our own, as was intended when S.S. was invoked, it was only to be open for two years then put into private accounts. Even politicians back then couldn't pass up the chance to spend money. Not much has changed

Hunter of WI 10:05PM June 02, 2010

What of all the tea-baggers and their outrageous claims? GWB and his neo-conmen, tried deeperately, to go after Social Security, and nut cases like newt Gingrich are alwasy shoveling their anti-big government manure.

Dwight Powers of NY 9:45PM June 02, 2010

Along with your BIG HEAD, BIG EGO you're a BIG A.. I paid you a compliment and thanked you and you shoved it. Let me tell you, my grandfather fought, my father fought, my wifes father fought, my brother fought and my sister-in law is fighting. you and your self rightous a-- can go to he--!!!

You're not worth comment...

Hunter of WI 8:16PM June 02, 2010

Big business would have us fear Big Government because Big Government is Big Businesses biggest nightmare. Big business do not want the Government shedding light on there scams and the best way to keep that from happening is to Keep Government small and the people in fear of a government that is supposed to be guided by the people. Our Government is unlike any other or at least it was.

It can still be if the people take back the power big business is stealing from us. Fear big business not yourselves(Government)

We cannot control big business but we can control our Government if we organize into small grass roots groups, Meeting on our schedules and sending group representatives to city counsel meetings and other Government meetings so others can benefit from the abilities of there own chosen representative and know what is going on in our community and country.

I have learned the importance of learning history, Not to hold on to it, But to move on without repeating past mistakes made by those who came before us.

Don D. Brock of AZ 1:04PM June 02, 2010

looks like someone needs to up the doses of his meds......

enzo of IN 10:48AM June 02, 2010

You're laughable retort aside, every veteran in the country knows that any variation of the phrase "thank you for your service" from an armchair patriot is the same as saying "f**k you". And to provide you with the final, elementary explanation, here's this: It's clear that I AM smarter than you are. It's clear that I HAVE served the country I love while you and your ilk sit back and send OTHER peoples' children to fight for YOUR rights and security. I made NO comments that purport that I KNOW you beyond those which YOU made of yourself. When conservatives take over government, as I pointed out that the Reagan administration did following President Carter, they intentionally sabotage the system to make it fail so you and your ilk can sit back smugly and point to the failure and feel good about enriching the already rich and empowering the already powerful. You're acting as the stooge for the very people you THINK you're defending the nation against. Do you seriously think that Rupert Murdoch and his ultraconservative organization DO NOT provide cover for what's really happening? Do you NOT see that the efforts of the government to prevent a corporatocracy benefit a free, functional, free market democracy? Feel free to disagree. I spent time in combat and in special operations around the world to INSURE your right to do so. As for twisting words and hypocritical behaviors, I suggest you turn the TV off, pick up source documents and do your own research. If you do, it's just possible that you'll stop parroting the words of Faux News and THINK FOR YOURSELF.

AlienMindTrick of GA 8:57AM June 02, 2010

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Matthew Dallek

Matthew Dallek

Matthew Dallek, a visiting scholar at the Washington-based Bipartisan Policy Center, teaches history and politics at the University of California Washington Center. He is author of The Right Moment: Ronald Reagan’s First Victory and the Decisive Turning Point in American Politics. He worked as a speechwriter for House Democratic Leader Richard A. Gephardt and Federal Communications Commission Chairman William E. Kennard.

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