A year after Reagan died: Why government is the problem.

[UrbScotty]

Ronald Reagan, who died one year ago tomorrow, once declared that "Government is not the solution to the problem; government is the problem."

With his VP's son in charge in Washington, I find myself agreeing with the 40th President: government is the problem.

When it comes to our basic rights as Americans, our government is proving to be the problem, as evidenced by the (un)Patriot Act.

When it comes to a general mistrust of America by other nations, our government - through its mishandling of Iraq - is the problem.

When it comes to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, our government - through tax breaks for the wealthy and nothing for the middle class - is the problem.

When it comes to the towering national debt, our government - due to said tax breaks - is the problem.

When it comes to the destruction of our environment, our government is the problem.

Now, I hardly remember anything about Ronald Reagan, except for his death one year ago tomorrow and the memorial commemmorations they had. If I knew more about his presidency, I bet I would detest him more. However, his words ring true to me in June of 2005: "Government is not the solution to the problem; government is the problem."

[Warpy]

1. When Reagan was swept in on a tide of tax fatigue

after the runaway inflation of the 70s had pushed everybody into a stunningly high tax bracket, government made sure there were disincentives to greed, took care of the destitute, and made sure that corporations treated their employees fairly and negotiated in good faith.

After Reagan had been in power for a scant two years, we started to see something we had never seen before, huge numbers of homeless people, whole families with kids and even babies in arms among them.

That alone should tell you where Reagan was at, but the thing that he did to get power wasn't only to promise (but not deliver) tax relief, it was his handing the party of the rich over to the religious fascists that swept him into power. He started to hack away at the separation of church and state, and the process is only accelerating.

That man should never be forgiven for what he did to us as a people.

[pnorman]

2. With proper apologies to you,

I'm going to plagiarize that en toto! (I'll probably 'tinker' with the last part). I'll also add my vote to recommend it.

pnorman

[killbotfactory]

3. Never elect a politician who says the gov't can't do anything right

The first thing they do when they get into office is to try and prove themselves right.

[ramapo]

4. "We" are the problem

It's easy to blame "the government". Conservatives love to even though today they ARE the government.

The problem is deeper than that. The middle-class also loves to blame the government, the bureaucracy, those dirty taxin' scoundrels.

The basic fault in all this is that "WE" are the government. Your neighbors, friends, or relatives. Probably one or more work for "the government".

And if that's not the case then who elects (and reelects) these fools in the first place? Someday Americans will realize that they need to take responsibility for something, and their government is probably a good place to start.

[lala_rawraw]

5. He would know... look at the VP he chose n/t

[Rebellious Republican]

6. Damn that's good! Every Democrat politician needs to preface

every speech they give with that statement. They should blatantly emphasize who said it as well.

Remind the moderates of what their supposed core values are, or were.

Thats damn good ih8thegop, we need to keep this kicked, so some of our politically connected bloggers and lurkers make sure that their politicians hear this.

So we all know reagan was an ass, but we can use their very own tactics against them! What the hell, if it works use it.

:think:

[Egalitariat]

7. "If it moves, tax it. If it keeps movin', regulate it. When it stops...

moving, subsidize it."

Now I have two Ronald Reagan quotes I like.

[UrbScotty]

8. Kinda scary, huh? (nt)

[tabasco]

9. I don't agree.

The corporate elite who would be kings are the problem. It just so happens that they are running the government right now.

[T Town Jake]

10. Compared to what we have now...

...I'd take Reagan any day of the week. Hell, even Nixon is looking better and better all the time in contrast.

[etherealtruth]

11. It's sad that Nixon ...

... a paranoid criminal self-aggrandizing narcissist looks so good when compared to Chimpy.

[UrbScotty]

14. I hope no future President ever makes Bush look good. (nt)

[Selatius]

12. Government becomes a problem when it becomes centralized

When decision-making power becomes too centralized into the hands of a few people who are generally considered good, there are few complaints, but when bad people get ahold of that awesome power, that's when people bitch.

The problem is people become too dependent upon an authority figure to make decisions for them. To expect that the people will not fall victim to manipulation when they place trust into someone else to make decisions for them is absolutely foolish.

This is what Eugene V. Debs, a democratic socialist, said once in 1910 in Utah:

I am not a Labor Leader; I do not want you to follow me or anyone else; if you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of this capitalist wilderness, you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you into the promised land if I could, because if I lead you in, some one else would lead you out. YOU MUST USE YOUR HEADS AS WELL AS YOUR HANDS, and get yourself out of your present condition.

Are you people who read this listening? You've got to become leaders in your own right. You should not wait for the knight in shining armor to come and save you because if you do, he will end up becoming your next JFK. Do you want that? You've got to walk the path with your brothers. You cannot simply wait to be led.

[flaminbats]

13. but now Social Security is the problem..not the solution

:puke: it makes me sick when neocons can still use these lines, but Democratic officials only respond defensively.

Why should we be defensive about anything now? When Clinton was President..I didn't hear Democrats defending him then, I didn't hear Democrats defending Dukakis or Mondale, and Jimmy Carter was savagely attacked by Democrats!

But now that Republicans control Congress, the White House, and the states..why should Democrats act defensively about 9/11, trillions in wasteful government spending, an exploding national debt, the War in Iraq, or our failed education system? When will Democrats attack Republicans for being weak on defense, providing another new bureaucracy and war for every terrorist attack, for favoring the imprisonment of all free women, and defending the rights of corporations to harm and trash workers in the name of capitalism?

[bemildred]

15. This government is the problem. "Government" is not the problem.

Government is the solution.

[UrbScotty]

16. It CAN be the solution.

Provided, of course, that the right people are in office.

[0rganism]

17. Bush has done more to make me sympathetic to Libertarian "philosophy"

than Ayn Rand ever could have done in a thousand years.