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Laura PourMeADrink

(42,770 posts)
24. Thanks for explanation. I imagine some learned from it. But, living
Sun Jan 27, 2019, 12:00 PM
Jan 2019

in a deep red area of TX now, (generalization here), as long as they get paid, they get their tax return and their mail...they probably felt nothing and had nothing to complain about. Not like they frequent national parks, or travel much by air. In other words, if it doesn't affect me - who cares.

Personally I have always hated the meme that government and government workers suck. If you stop and think - SS works just fine - millions of seniors get their $$ deposited when the government tell you they will. IRS works just fine as well, and you get your refunds. The mail comes every day.

I worked in DC for a couple years - for USDA Forest Service. The computer systems were fast and NEVER down (unlike financial institutions I have had contracts with).

And, people I encountered, government employees, were dependable and diligent. The worst part, to me were the incredibly complex, restrictive, and time consuming policies that had to be followed. A simple change to a procedure took months to go through all the steps and approval hierarchies. And staff from one area can't just help out another area - which seemed crazy to me. I remember a group who was under a deadline and short-handed and next to them were people who literally had nothing to do. Although they wanted to help, they couldn't because of rules/policies.

You are correct. nt sheshe2 Jan 2019 #1
Not quite. Let's think deeper, more long term.... DemocracyMouse Jan 2019 #16
Pretty sure the OP covered that. sheshe2 Jan 2019 #19
A country of over 325 million cannot have a small government. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #31
A big, complicated Country requires a robust, responsive government... annabanana Jan 2019 #50
With somebody intelligent MyOwnPeace Jan 2019 #52
And having a competent electorate requires work. And awareness of the actual issues, guillaumeb Jan 2019 #61
The interesting thing is "small government" will hurt the people pushing it most. Blue_true Jan 2019 #54
Great point! dragonlady Jan 2019 #64
Haven't heard the term "regenerative infrastructure" before. EarnestPutz Jan 2019 #37
Things have gotten so complex on planet Earth... DemocracyMouse Jan 2019 #58
I'm with you. The role of government in a market economy is PatrickforO Jan 2019 #42
No right-winger will have the foggiest idea what ""regenerative infrastructure" means. pangaia Jan 2019 #43
Good points by all above! Thanks for groking my squawking DemocracyMouse Jan 2019 #55
Nope. But I have no idea. pangaia Jan 2019 #62
Well, that's because they're so busy "degenerating".... DemocracyMouse Jan 2019 #57
It's like the national debt LeftInTX Jan 2019 #2
Repugs want government volstork Jan 2019 #20
they want a government just big enough to protect them from their slaves DBoon Jan 2019 #26
Charlie Pierce is on it! volstork Jan 2019 #3
Wow. Ok. Maybe some are talking it. GulfCoast66 Jan 2019 #5
my favorite paragraph Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2019 #7
Yes, absolutely manor321 Jan 2019 #4
I think there is a new hunger for effective government and delisen Jan 2019 #6
The example I use jmowreader Jan 2019 #8
Yes. PoindexterOglethorpe Jan 2019 #17
You are correct, and volstork Jan 2019 #22
Jeeze, if government controls all that stuff, it certainly must be too big ! pangaia Jan 2019 #44
Yes! volstork Jan 2019 #49
That narrative is not meant to get rid of departments or services Perseus Jan 2019 #9
+1. Nailed it, nicely said. yonder Jan 2019 #14
You've just described the oligarchy system that's running Russia now FakeNoose Jan 2019 #34
Its like The Church volstork Jan 2019 #51
Not sure I am following your point? That the Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2019 #10
The right had been saying we don't need much government. GulfCoast66 Jan 2019 #13
Basically, I think, yes. They hate what they sneer and smear as big government. calimary Jan 2019 #18
Thanks for explanation. I imagine some learned from it. But, living Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2019 #24
" Although they wanted to help, they couldn't because of rules/policies." pangaia Jan 2019 #53
Problem is, most of them were not affected by it at all. pangaia Jan 2019 #47
This libertarian bull has been going on ever since James Buchanan and his band of merry men turbinetree Jan 2019 #11
Jodey Arrington is on the House Ways and Means Committee... czarjak Jan 2019 #12
Excellent point! orangecrush Jan 2019 #15
Yes. Let's hope it lasts. yardwork Jan 2019 #21
To me this is the most important idea of the day! Thank you! ancianita Jan 2019 #23
Why would anyone vote for a candidate who has disdain for government? CrispyQ Jan 2019 #25
Jesus, guns, minorities. I'd guess these are there top 3 reasons GulfCoast66 Jan 2019 #27
Unfortunately that requires.... doompatrol39 Jan 2019 #28
K and R Ferrets are Cool Jan 2019 #29
The GOP loves these points ... TwistOneUp Jan 2019 #30
Not sure the GOP wants true "Religious freedom" erronis Jan 2019 #36
Another bullshit narrative along with trickle down economics, yet intelligence challenged world wide wally Jan 2019 #32
K&R northoftheborder Jan 2019 #33
Here is the thing about big vs small government and how the RW sells it to voters.. world wide wally Jan 2019 #35
the problem has a name: "submergence" nuxvomica Jan 2019 #38
Kind of like "women's work".. you know, the boring, maintenance kind of stuff. annabanana Jan 2019 #48
The Washington Post has reported on this aspect of the damage to the GOP. Nitram Jan 2019 #39
If government is the problem, Mr.Bill Jan 2019 #40
Clearly, to screw it up. . . .n/t annabanana Jan 2019 #46
national parks destroyed, HUD payments halted, etc. n/t CousinIT Jan 2019 #41
"Big, Complicated Country needs Robust, Responsive Government" annabanana Jan 2019 #45
Yeah...I always push back on that argument. Honeycombe8 Jan 2019 #56
I posted about this earlier in the week. These people want to eliminate 'the state'. GoneOffShore Jan 2019 #59
Great point. Pepsidog Jan 2019 #60
K&R smirkymonkey Jan 2019 #63
WHEN AIRLINE GROSS RECEIPTS DROP 5% homegirl Jan 2019 #65
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