In a country with over 350 million folks, what does 'small' government look like?

[bongsaway]

Looking Through this thread makes me think that americans do not understand the word small.

The irony here is that to make a small government you actually need to increase the amount of political parties you have.

Small in this case does not mean reducing how many there are or even attempting to reduce their power and influence by reducing numbers.

What it should mean is that instead of having a first past the post style of election that creates one party having all the power and therfore making it the biggest and strongest player. Instead try a mixed member proportional style where smaller parties have to form a coalition and will also be the guards to guard those who lead.

Good idea.

 

[Razoo]

It's a bullshit, empty slogan like most of the so called "conservative" ideals.

Waht they are basically saying is only rules and regulations that they like and benefit them. Anything else is bad.
And its completely moronic to have 50 states with 50 completely different laws, not practical

Amen .............. Koch wants states to appear as though states can over throw the US government = the ALEC concept. ALEC is spending lots of money and time on this effort.

In doing so will throw the USA in an economic tail spin that the world will not believe. FASCISM at it's finest. A lot of millionaires and a few billionaires will go up in smoke = of course these folks believe they are invincible.

 

[Lloyd Christmas]

Our collective police spending is double that of Russia's military budget

We barely even need a military.

Imagine if we spent more money on social services to help prevent crime, drug abuse, treat mental illness, and rehabilitate? We wouldn't need a militarized police. All that money, crime goes nowhere. the insane rate of imprisonment in the "land of the free" and crime goes nowhere. THe moronic answer "tough on crime!" Humans are so stupid

 

[ataraxia]

In a free society, the government doesn't "run the country". Your dreaming of something like the USSR.

So you are thinking of something like the freedom of the jungle.

 

[gdgyva]

C'mon man, our military budget we show on the books is astronomical and who knows how much more we spend on black projects? We outspend the other top ten countries put together. I think we could cut our military budget in half for several years with ill effects.

Leave nato, your words not mine, leave the military bases, your words not mine. Our troops don't look like they are hurting for equipment or food.

Can we now declare the 'crisis' over?

i dont care how bloated you think the defense budget is

until you ass is on the ground over there....or your family, you have no idea how important having the best equipment and training really is

i could give a shit less about the defense contractors....but i care deeply about our troops

and if you keep the same mission as today with cutting the budget 30/40/50 percent you are putting their lives on the line

cut the mission....let NATO fend for Europe and we can pull out.....and let them carry the weight for awhile

then we can see if they can maintain the same healthcare when they have to increase defense 6-10% annually

 

[bongsaway]

i dont care how bloated you think the defense budget is

until you ass is on the ground over there....or your family, you have no idea how important having the best equipment and training really is

i could give a shit less about the defense contractors....but i care deeply about our troops

and if you keep the same mission as today with cutting the budget 30/40/50 percent you are putting their lives on the line

cut the mission....let NATO fend for Europe and we can pull out.....and let them carry the weight for awhile

then we can see if they can maintain the same healthcare when they have to increase defense 6-10% annually

You've made your position crystal clear with your first sentence and I think nothing more needs to be said.

 

[Razoo]

Imagine if we spent more money on social services to help prevent crime, drug abuse, treat mental illness, and rehabilitate? We wouldn't need a militarized police. All that money, crime goes nowhere. the insane rate of imprisonment in the "land of the free" and crime goes nowhere. THe moronic answer "tough on crime!" Humans are so stupid

The USA cannot afford to keep millions locked up being non-productive. Keeping prisoners locked up I believe starts at $50,000 annually and goes up per prisoner.

 

[Razoo]

It looks like a far right fantasy. As a progressive I know what it feels like to wish for something you'll never get in this country. It's a waste of time.

They'll have as much luck getting less government as I will getting a universal healthcare system.

I am wayyyyyyyyyyyy more hopeful you'll have single payer BECAUSE it will reduce the cost of BIG GOVERNMENT.

 

[gdgyva]

Imagine if we spent more money on social services to help prevent crime, drug abuse, treat mental illness, and rehabilitate? We wouldn't need a militarized police. All that money, crime goes nowhere. the insane rate of imprisonment in the "land of the free" and crime goes nowhere. THe moronic answer "tough on crime!" Humans are so stupid

are you that much of an idealist?

humans will always want more....give them an inch, and they'll want a mile

you think crime will magically disappear? no more robberies? no more envy? yeah, fat freakin chance!

Humans are stupid.....and most of us dont wear rose colored glasses.....maybe take them off once in a while and see the REAL world

 

[reflechissez]

A couple of things that come to mind. The House is only scheduled to be in session for 112 days this year and the Senate for 171 days. For that they’re paid an average of $174,000. No more. Both should be in session every day except federal holidays and paid an hourly rate at minimum wage. And the Vice President needs to do their job and preside over the Senate every day.

why?

 

[Napoleon]

why?

Because the nation doesn’t stop existing after 112 days.

 

[reflechissez]

Because the nation doesn’t stop existing after 112 days.

I see you spent a lot of time thinking this through.

 

[Napoleon]

I see you spent a lot of time thinking this through.

It’s not complicated.

 

[reflechissez]

It’s not complicated.

sure

 

[Chainsawmassacre]

This has what to do with smaller government?

Democrats idea of a smaller government is cutting defense spending.

 

[uptower]

I hear the term all the time but I don't think I've heard it explained. How small of a government would it take to run a country with hundreds of millions of people?

It means taxes on everyday families but none for the rich; the biggest military-industrial complex in the world with a surveillance-intelligence network to match; no restrictions on guns or hate speech but gays, muslims, coloreds, women and other minorities must have their most intimate choices pried upon while the state forces everyone to accept Jesus in school.

In short, freedom.

 

[ataraxia]

are you that much of an idealist?

humans will always want more....give them an inch, and they'll want a mile

you think crime will magically disappear? no more robberies? no more envy? yeah, fat freakin chance!

Humans are stupid.....and most of us dont wear rose colored glasses.....maybe take them off once in a while and see the REAL world

Not at all. All developed nations in the world today, from Scandinavia to the Far East, have robust safety nets to protect the basic human rights of their citizens. It works fine.

Scandinavians Explain Why They're the World's Happiest People - Thrillist

www.thrillist.com

Thailand gave healthcare to its entire population and the results were dramatic | World Economic Forum

www.weforum.org

 

[washunut]

Not at all. All developed nations in the world today, from Scandinavia to the Far East, have robust safety nets to protect the basic human rights of their citizens. It works fine.

Scandinavians Explain Why They're the World's Happiest People - Thrillist

www.thrillist.com

Thailand gave healthcare to its entire population and the results were dramatic | World Economic Forum

www.weforum.org

Most if not all of those nations have large regressive VATs.

 

[Blue Dog]

“Small government” is a Republican campaign canard designed to wheedle the vote.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I hear the term all the time but I don't think I've heard it explained. How small of a government would it take to run a country with hundreds of millions of people?

Hmm… how are you measuring the size of the (federal?) government?

I think a good way to measure its spending (and revenue) as a percentage of GDP.

Federal Net Outlays as Percent of Gross Domestic Product

Graph and download economic data for Federal Net Outlays as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYONGDA188S) from 1929 to 2023 about outlays, federal, Net, GDP, and USA.

fred.stlouisfed.org

Federal Receipts as Percent of Gross Domestic Product

Graph and download economic data for Federal Receipts as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYFRGDA188S) from 1929 to 2023 about receipts, federal, GDP, and USA.

fred.stlouisfed.org

The problem (and resulting huge national debt) seems obvious when one sees that federal spending (of about 20% of GDP) has consistently exceeded federal revenue (of about 17.5% of GDP) since shortly after WWII.

 

[bongsaway]

Hmm… how are you measuring the size of the (federal?) government?

I think a good way to measure its spending (and revenue) as a percentage of GDP.

Federal Net Outlays as Percent of Gross Domestic Product

Graph and download economic data for Federal Net Outlays as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYONGDA188S) from 1929 to 2023 about outlays, federal, Net, GDP, and USA.

fred.stlouisfed.org

Federal Receipts as Percent of Gross Domestic Product

Graph and download economic data for Federal Receipts as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYFRGDA188S) from 1929 to 2023 about receipts, federal, GDP, and USA.

fred.stlouisfed.org

The problem (and resulting huge national debt) seems obvious when one sees that federal spending (of about 20% of GDP) has consistently exceeded federal revenue (of about 17.5% of GDP) since shortly after WWII.

I'm not measuring the size, I'm asking the folks who say they want a smaller government what they mean.

 

[Ginger Ale]

I'm not measuring the size, I'm asking the folks who say they want a smaller government what they mean.

They mean they want a Christian Right Government, with enforced Christianity. It's code like Go Brandon! They like the code words.

 

[bongsaway]

They mean they want a Christian Right Government, with enforced Christianity. It's code like Go Brandon! They like the code words.

The gop has reduced itself to a party of slogans, they sound great but are meaningless but the base eats it up.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I'm not measuring the size, I'm asking the folks who say they want a smaller government what they mean.

OK, but regardless of its size it should not spend more than it dare ask for in taxes. Using that measure, it appears to be too large now.

 

[bongsaway]

OK, but regardless of its size it should not spend more than it dare ask for in taxes. Using that measure, it appears to be too large now.

I'm pretty sure we could reduce the federal workforce by ten percent without much notice except for the folks losing their jobs.