5 ms·

This is objectively false, of course. Governments do get things done all the time, even if policy changes you want are not happening. Even as hyperbole, your st

This is objectively false, of course. Governments do get things done all the time, even if policy changes you want are not happening. Even as hyperbole, your statement serves to fray the social fabric. People seem to think that governments should be solving all the problems on their own. But a democracy is a government of the people. If people don’t participate beyond just voting, they deserve what they get.

ravenstine 7y ago
I dunno. When my state ends up with more homelessness and sanitation problems and police ignore low-level crimes, I'm not inclined to give it more money.
- labster 7y ago
  Were you trying to reply to a different comment? It seems unrelated to mine.
AdrianB1 7y ago
When the government takes your money, they have the obligation to do everything they are supposed to do; if you don't do your part of the deal (paying taxes) you go to prison, if they don't do theirs, they should go to prison. Equal treatment, right? When you pay your taxes there is no disclaimer: "people have to participate beyond just voting". Your taxes is your participation by the social contract, the government needs to either deliver or stop collecting taxes and everyone will have to get their services from private entities (of course this is not possible).
- labster 7y ago
  Paying taxes for a working government is simply not the social contract we made in the United States. You may be thinking of other forms of government. The US Constitution says that you, as one of the people, are the ultimate authority of the government. In a representative democracy, this means not only electing representatives but advising them and holding them to account. The transactional nature you are suggesting simply doesn’t exist. Good governance is not an entitlement program, it’s part of your duty as a citizen.

5 ms·

This is objectively false, of course. Governments do get things done all the time, even if policy changes you want are not happening. Even as hyperbole, your st

by labster 7y ago

ravenstine 7y ago
I dunno. When my state ends up with more homelessness and sanitation problems and police ignore low-level crimes, I'm not inclined to give it more money.
- labster 7y ago
  Were you trying to reply to a different comment? It seems unrelated to mine.
AdrianB1 7y ago
When the government takes your money, they have the obligation to do everything they are supposed to do; if you don't do your part of the deal (paying taxes) you go to prison, if they don't do theirs, they should go to prison. Equal treatment, right? When you pay your taxes there is no disclaimer: "people have to participate beyond just voting". Your taxes is your participation by the social contract, the government needs to either deliver or stop collecting taxes and everyone will have to get their services from private entities (of course this is not possible).
- labster 7y ago
  Paying taxes for a working government is simply not the social contract we made in the United States. You may be thinking of other forms of government. The US Constitution says that you, as one of the people, are the ultimate authority of the government. In a representative democracy, this means not only electing representatives but advising them and holding them to account. The transactional nature you are suggesting simply doesn’t exist. Good governance is not an entitlement program, it’s part of your duty as a citizen.