They don't want small government, they want a government that kills black people and tortures

[Bjorn Against]

Looking at the news of the last couple of weeks I think it is important we notice that the people who scream the loudest insisting that we can't trust the government tend to be the same group of people who insist we trust the government completely when they torture people and shoot unarmed black men down in the streets. Let us be clear, these people do not actually want a small government, they want a repressive government in which the police are able to gun down civilians who pose them no threat, a government that bombs other countries and tortures their people, a government that restricts a woman's right to control her own body, a government that restricts marriage rights to those they deem worthy, a government that busts up unions, a government that pushes religion on its citizens, they want a government that protects the corporations and uses its heavy hand to keep citizens in line.

The right-wing does not want small government, they want a corporate oligarchy. I can't say I want a small government either because there are certain areas in which I want government to expand. I want a government in which all citizens are guaranteed access to health care and a quality education. I want a government that ensures that the wealthy are not able to exploit their workers or rip off consumers. I want a government that ensures that corporations are not allowed to destroy our environment. I want a government that serves the people rather than shoots the people, it is not about big government or small government it is about having a government that works to give its citizens a better life rather than a government that uses violence against its people.

[winterwar]

1. well put

[madokie]

2. Pretty much it no doubt

Count me in too. I like government especially if its doing what governments should be doing. I want all those things you said. I like paying taxes so we can have those things.

[Bjorn Against]

4. To me it is not so much about liking government, it is about wanting a better government

I am not what you would call a fan of the government by any means, I have protested the government on many occassions and I think our government is plagued by corruption and abuse of power. I also recognize that there are certain areas where government does very good things however and I want government to be able to do more of those good things. We need to support the government when it helps people and oppose it when it uses violence against people or allows money to corrupt its actions.

[madokie]

6. I understood what you were saying

and I agree with you 100% on what you're saying

[Kalidurga]

3. I noticed that

a while ago. This was before Mike Brown was gunned down in cold blood. That is something I didn't really think of as being a possibility that LEOs would actually be able to kill US citizens with impunity. But, if I thought this was an actual possibility that the vast majority of people would think it is wrong and that they would object. The fact that so few people other than minorities see this as an issue of having an oppressive government is troubling to me to put it lightly.

[AverageJoe90]

5. Sad, but true in many cases.

And it doesn't help that the left is still fractured, either.

There is some hope, though: people HAVE been coming together over Eric Garner's death, and it's only gotten more and more widespread since then, without any signs of slowing down.

[airplaneman]

7. I believe the purpose of government is

To help its citizens solve their most intimate problems. Size is not the issue the government should be as big or small as necessary to help us identify and solve the problems we are facing on all levels. Social, economical, environmental, the distribution of wealth, caring about each other and the world we live in. Finding the truth. The republican ideal and plan is a lie, it seem to be more about the select ideology of a few and very little to do with the actual reality we are faced with from day to day.
-Airplane

[Calista241]

8. In order for corporations to be successful, the American people must be wealthy enough to actually

buy their shit. You would think this would occur to someone eventually.