Originally Posted by GenuineRisk
But see, here is where I think 30 years' of propaganda in the wake of Watergate has radically affected the average American's view of what government can and can't do, and the fact that we can't seem to remember beyond ten minutes ago doesn't help. FDR was far from perfect (attempting to stuff the Supreme Court with 15 justices comes to mind), but look what government stepped in to do during the Great Depression- instituted Social Security, which, for all the current dour predictions, is one of the single most successful social programs ever created (and a model of efficiency). The WPA, which put thousands and thousands of people back to work in jobs created by the government, building roads, digging ditches, creating dams. We scream now about the evils of socialism, but in the 1930's, especially with 25 percent of America out of work and bread lines around the block, socialism was seen by many as the solution. FDR's government programs saved capitalism in the US. JFK's administration set us towards the moon. Nixon's brought about Title IX, and for all the screaming from the right about it, it's been a very, very valuable program for thousands of girls all over the country- girls who play sports are less likely to wind up in abusive relationships or get pregnant as teenagers. These are extraordinary things government accomplishes.
Goood government is a great thing. Bad government isn't. And yes, lots and lots of bad people go into government. And they become bosom buddies with people in big business and soon we're awash in crony capitalism. But to shrug and say, well, power corrupts, therefore government is for bunk is, I think, indicative of another American trait, which is that we hate complexity and we want results right away. Something goes wrong and we want to throw it out, rather than repair it. But we've been blessed with years and years of prosperity, thanks to the wise government of past administration (and, unfortunately, to cheap oil, thanks to the unwise government of those same administrations, which has created a whole wealth of new problems), and I think we get complacent and forget how long it can take to make things better, because we haven't really had anything all that wrong for so long. And so we blame government for all our problems, and think we'd be better off without it. And the media continues to villanize everything government does and we all stop thinking of government as a tool of the people and think of it as the enemy.
And maybe so many crooks and liars wouldn't get voted in if more than half of the population would bother to turn out to vote. Or read up on the issues. Or vote based on more than, "I just don't like him/her. I can't explain it." Or if more than a thousandth of them would bother to write their Congressman once in a while. Did any of the DTers who posted about their political leanings- specifically, that they don't care if gays get married, ever think to write their Congressman to that effect? Again, complacent.
Anyway, my eight dollars of opinion. Good government, good. Bad government, bad. Up to us to decide which is which.
|
