- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 34,817
- Reaction score
- 18,576
- Location
- Look to your right... I'm that guy.
- Gender
- Undisclosed
- Political Leaning
- Centrist
Can somebody name one... just one... government program that was such an unqualified success, and because it was a success, that it was ended because it was no longer needed?
I have long said that, in my opinion, power and prestige corrupts people/politicians more than money. And they won't turn down the money, either. But, as I grow older, and as I learn the history behind so many government programs... i.e.: the so-called "drug war", the "war on crime/terrorism", welfare, even smaller programs that tackle homelessness and illiteracy, etc... they all seem to be set up to give an illusion of wanting to solve the problem, but not really doing serious measures that could solve the problem. They all seem to get stuck in a vicious circle that falls short and really only serves to make sure that enough of a problem always exists to justify their continued existence.
Granted, due to human frailties, none of these problems could have 100% success in the sense that there will always be a homeless person or a drug addict somewhere. But, I don't think it unreasonable that they could be "solved" to the point that the bureaucracies could get smaller because the problem got smaller. Yet, that never seems to happen. Programs always get bigger and more intrusive. A sane person would actually conclude that many of these programs are actually huge failures if they continue to need to grow.
Politicians, in their greed for power and prestige, *need* their little fiefdoms to continue to exist and thrive.
What think you?
I have long said that, in my opinion, power and prestige corrupts people/politicians more than money. And they won't turn down the money, either. But, as I grow older, and as I learn the history behind so many government programs... i.e.: the so-called "drug war", the "war on crime/terrorism", welfare, even smaller programs that tackle homelessness and illiteracy, etc... they all seem to be set up to give an illusion of wanting to solve the problem, but not really doing serious measures that could solve the problem. They all seem to get stuck in a vicious circle that falls short and really only serves to make sure that enough of a problem always exists to justify their continued existence.
Granted, due to human frailties, none of these problems could have 100% success in the sense that there will always be a homeless person or a drug addict somewhere. But, I don't think it unreasonable that they could be "solved" to the point that the bureaucracies could get smaller because the problem got smaller. Yet, that never seems to happen. Programs always get bigger and more intrusive. A sane person would actually conclude that many of these programs are actually huge failures if they continue to need to grow.
Politicians, in their greed for power and prestige, *need* their little fiefdoms to continue to exist and thrive.
What think you?