fredmertz
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2010
- Messages
- 358
- Reaction score
- 115
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Libertarian
We the people decide what powers the government has. How big the government should be. And how the balance of powers is enforced. The founders of our nation debated this and came up with a system via the constitution. It feels to me, that we have veered from that system (for better or worse). If this is what we as a nation want to do, so be it, let's change the system/rules/constitution based on our 'new' philosophies. But neglecting the rulebook isn't the answer.
So I feel we need to go back to the basics. Let's first ask the most important question: What is the job of our government?
1) To define and protect our fundamental rights
2) #1 and to define and provide additional privelages
so let me define the options:
1) our constitution, exactly as it is written - no extras.
2) our constitution plus the ability to provide laws granting privelages (such as health care, social security, medicare, unemployment benefits, public roads, etc.). Assuming that most people want it, therefore it passes legislation, and all people live by it for the benefit of the majority.
I am asking in a broad sense, should it be the government's job to step beyond simply protecting our fundamental rights as defined by the constitution and also grant us privelages?
My arguments against any 'privelage' is always the same. But it seems those against the 'privelages'.... the GOP... are against it based on some other ideas that just don't make sense to me. The debates seem pointless to me. It's not a question of 'is this a good or bad idea' but rather, 'is it the job of the government?'
So I feel we need to go back to the basics. Let's first ask the most important question: What is the job of our government?
1) To define and protect our fundamental rights
2) #1 and to define and provide additional privelages
so let me define the options:
1) our constitution, exactly as it is written - no extras.
2) our constitution plus the ability to provide laws granting privelages (such as health care, social security, medicare, unemployment benefits, public roads, etc.). Assuming that most people want it, therefore it passes legislation, and all people live by it for the benefit of the majority.
I am asking in a broad sense, should it be the government's job to step beyond simply protecting our fundamental rights as defined by the constitution and also grant us privelages?
My arguments against any 'privelage' is always the same. But it seems those against the 'privelages'.... the GOP... are against it based on some other ideas that just don't make sense to me. The debates seem pointless to me. It's not a question of 'is this a good or bad idea' but rather, 'is it the job of the government?'