What is the function of the government?

[twa]

If our federal govt worked properly, and effectively, the differences would be represented at the federal level.

No govt works properly...and the further removed from the populace,the worse they do

[skinsfan_1215]

No govt works properly...and the further removed from the populace,the worse they do

I can't say I disagree with this. Just wanted to point out that if the federal level were less about partisanship and more about compromises to get stuff done, the result would be more accurate representation of the populace as a whole.

[Burgold]

I can't say I disagree with this. Just wanted to point out that if the federal level were less about partisanship and more about compromises to get stuff done, the result would be more accurate representation of the populace as a whole.

Right now, the purpose of government is the accumulation of power. Not what most of us want or believe in, I hope, but that's functionally what it was about. During Bush's last two years, the Dems sat on their hands watching things go wrong hoping it would buy them the Presidency. They really only acted when it was obvious that things were much much worse than anyone thought.

Similarly, the Republicans nearly perfected the art of poisonous obstructionism over the past four years.

[DieselPwr44]

I think somebody wrote that down somewhere........


http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

[twa]

It has been thus for ages Bur....I blame Lincoln

power corrupts

[Burgold]

It has been thus for ages Bur....I blame Lincoln

power corrupts

I cynically think it's worse today... we used to be rancorous in public, but roll up our sleeves and get deals done. These days, they don't care how badly they harm the nation if they think it benefits the party.... especially, on the R side. The Dems would be just as bad, but they don't have quite the guts or spine and cave more often.

One reason I think it is worse is that this go around for the first time in our history our bond rating was lowered not because of the economy, but because according to Moody's they distrusted the government's ability to work together to come up with a resolution.

I think it all began to fall apart with the witch hunt that began with White Water and somehow ended with a blue dress. The Dems took it over and tried their best to be rotten. The Republicans then tried to one up the Dems rotteness. Ultimately though, I think government is in a worse frame of mind than it has been through most of its history.

[twa]

you .....cynical?

[Jumbo]

To help with dating.

[DogofWar1]

I could delve into this really deep, and I had like 3 paragraphs before I decided to erase that stuff and bottom line it.

Function of any government (dictatorship, democracy, theocracy, whathaveyouocracy):
- Take us out of the state of nature (nasty, brutish, short, and all that stuff)

Further basic function of representative government (it's important to make that distinction):
- Implement will of the majority (majority of course defines rights and the like)

Nowadays we can add "protect the rights of minorities," but for a long time we couldn't.

I think the vast majority of the debates about function of government today ultimately end up becoming a battle of personal preference between the majority and minority. If the majority wants something badly enough, sooner or later it's going to get it, that's the nature of representative governments.

Now, things like indirect election, court systems, gerrymandering, special interests, executive powers outside of public control, etc. etc. gum things up, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but even so, the natural momentum of policy is almost always towards the majority view in the long run. Of course, the majority can change its mind too.

Anyways, for the purposes of this thread, the function of government is to do what the majority wants while protecting the rights of the minority.

---------- Post added November-19th-2012 at 01:52 AM ----------

To help with dating.

So...is there like a sign up sheet? And please don't tell me it was on some page on my tax return.

[sportjunkie07]

Got it. So people who can't help themselves should either:

Grow a pair and make it work somehow
Ask their families for help (since they obviously have families that CAN help)
Ask private companies to give them food, medicine, etc (since said companies have a huge incentive to do so)
Hope there are enough charitable donations that year to let them eat (works great in a recession)

i would prefer the way you outlined it. i think it would spark a culture change of more accountability knowing that the gov't is not responsible for you. we would be left with the people who need help the most actually getting help. i would be inclined to donate more money in that scenario as well instead of it being demanded by the gov't.

also, some churches have and continue to play a role in helping those who cant help themselves.

[Rdskns2000]

To do what the powers that be want done and to enslave the rest of us. If Obama was really for the people, he would've gone after Wall St and instead of bailouts; he would be arresting those scumbags for treason.

[sportjunkie07]

What worked for 1776 does not necessarily work for 2012. We now have the means, and we absolutely have the justification.

considering that our country cant seem to run a surplus and we are in extreme debt, i dont see as how we have the means; and if we do have the means, then it's being grossly misappropriated.

[Thiebear]

considering that our country cant seem to run a surplus and we are in extreme debt, i dont see as how we have the means; and if we do have the means, then it's being grossly misappropriated.

Fed = Everything given them in the Constitution and the rest goes to the State, or the people.
When we start voting for people that use Czars, that's what we get.
When branches break the law (budget) and we allow it, that's what we get
When we start voting for people that wait for the worst so they can assume the sweet seats, that's what we get.
When we start voting for people that only work on the debt ceiling when there is 2weeks left, that's what we get

[Burgold]

you .....cynical?

That's fair. I have my moments though.

[thebluefood]

What worked for 1776 does not necessarily work for 2012. We now have the means, and we absolutely have the justification.

This brings up a point I brought up a little while ago: is it time for the United States to adopt a new constitution?