Our Government Is Not Broken - And Response (11)

  • Monday, December 29, 2014

A recent Fox News poll indicated two thirds of Americans think their government is broken.

That's not good for America because in reality our form and system of government has generally worked very well. Even recently, our system of government has produced some very good results.  

Consider some of the following: 
1. Winding down long expensive wars in Afghanistan and Iraq after achieving basic national security objectives. 

2. Maintaining drones, special-forces and other military assets in key places around the world to quickly strike terror cells and continue to protect American lives and interests. 

3. Killing Osama Bin Laden and many top ISIS, Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders. 

4. Implementing a new health care law where children can stay on a parent’s insurance plan until age 26 and insurance companies can't deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.  Plus, many more poor and young people have now been added to the ranks of the insured, saving taxpayer money in the long-run.  

5. Implementing government policies and Federal Reserve action that have now contributed to a strongly rebounding national economy in terms of strong job creation, a roaring stock market and the highest GDP in a decade, with low interest rates and low inflation.  

6. Government policies that have contributed to the USA becoming the top oil producing nation in the world and gas prices reduced to a five year low. 

7. Stopping the Ebola outbreak in the USA and containing it in other parts of the world. 

8. Significantly reducing the yearly budget deficit for the first time in many years. 

9. Operating a very safe air traffic control system where the recent holidays saw more people traveling safely by air and in better maintained planes than ever before. 

10. Keeping order and civility in the streets by successfully enforcing laws implemented by the people and reducing overall crime to historic modern day lows. 

These are just a few of the many successes of government efforts on all levels.  

In addition, we breathe relatively clean air, drive on decent roads, drink clean water and use electricity to operate homes and businesses, largely due to the collective efforts of government initiatives in promoting the general welfare of all.  

In fact, our opportunities to participate in capitalism and free markets along with the preservation of our basic human and civil rights, as set forth in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, could not happen without a strong, active, robust government protecting and supporting them with an environment where they can flourish. 

So, while many may think our government is broken, it is not.  

Sure there are problems, no government is perfect.  We need to address the excessive amounts of money influencing the national political campaign process and take more active steps to address the widening income gap between the ultra-wealthy and working middle-class.  Almost 75 percent of people do not make enough to live beyond pay check to pay check and the cost of college educations are getting out of reach for many,  without incurring burdening student loan debt for years. Long-term success in this country has always depended on public policy to help build and sustain a strong, robust middle-class.  

Our government can still be used for much good in this country, especially in support of a strong, working, middle-class in the tradition of Progressive Republican Teddy Roosevelt.  

Tim Gobble 

* * * 

Yeah, it's broken.  

$18 trillion in national debt- yeah, it’s broken
$116 trillion in federal unfunded liabilities-yeah, it’s broken
$1.2 trillion in state debt-yeah, it’s broken
$1.9 trillion in local debt-yeah, it’s broken
Over 158 million people receiving one or more government benefits-yeah, it’s broken
Over 23 million local, state, and federal employees-yeah, it’s broken 

Not in Labor force for year 2000: 78,751,647 for year 2014: 92,540,956-yeah, it’s broken
US work force for year 2000: 154,461,125 for year 2014: 147,515,587-yeah, it’s broken
Official unemployed 9,116,315 actual unemployed 17,838,425-yeah, it’s broken
Median Income for year 2000: 28,848 year 2014: 28,631-yeah, it's broken 

A life long employee of government telling us government isn't broken doesn't carry too much weight with me and I would bet it doesn't carry too much weight with the two-thirds of Americans who believe it is broken. 

I don't know which piece of propaganda is funnier, a life long government employee espousing the greatness of government by winding down wars,  maintaining drones, implementing a healthcare plan so 26 year olds can stay on mommy and daddy's healthcare plan and reducing the budget deficit for the first time in years, or the president and his attorney general recently saying race relations are better since he's been in office. I would have to had been born last night to believe either. 

Good government is government that does as little as possible and better government would stick to what it is suppose to do; protection of life, liberty and property.  

Another classic example of government trying to convince the people they are just wrong. 

Mike Lynn 

* * * 

Mr. Lynn,
You are entitled to your own emotionally driven opinions, but not the facts.  Read Mr. Gobble’s post again.  

Cecilia Lewis
Ooltewah  

* * * 

Ms. Lewis, 

Mr. Lynn has given nothing but facts.  Unfortunately, he is 100 percent correct. 

Our government is so broken, I'm afraid it can't be fixed in our lifetime. 

Jim Rosenbloom
Chattanooga 

* * * 

A wise man said, “we will recover from what Obama has done to this country, but what we will not recover from are those who voted for Obama.” 

Tom Nickell 

* * * 

Dear Mr. Gobble and Ms. Lewis,   

You got it right. 

President Obama's only transgression is being elected President while being black. If he were to singlehandedly develop a pill that would magically cure all forms of cancer in an instant, the Tea Party and their ilk would accuse him of trying to destroy the chemotherapy industry.

Brandon Baines
Signal Mountain

* * *

Tim Gobble, can't you see what this administration has been doing? You praise Obamacare. Every word spoken to the people of this country by Obama about it was a flat out lie.  Pelosi. How dare her tell the nation we have to pass the bill to see what's in it. Every bill should (maybe shall) be scrutinized fore and aft, every period, comma, and everything else in the bill. Especially one that has such a dramatic impact.
 
We saw what happened when sequestration took place. Who was favored. Obama had people barricading the Vietnam Wall and other Memorials, where the heart and soul of this country comes to visit, yet pays for a big demonstration and party for those people that don't belong in this country.
 
This administration has spit on our military and veterans. The senior officer ranks in our military are being decimated (deliberately, I might add).
 
As for oil (and coal), the administration is fighting tooth and nail preventing our country from using its own natural resources. The glut of oil is coming from private land, not federal, so don't give this administration credit for low fuel prices.
 
On race relations, you how the administration sided on two, clear self defense situations, and the DOJ is still hounding Zimmerman, no matter where he goes.
 
The list goes on and on. Your country is being destroyed by design.
 
Former submarine sailor,
 
Brian Foley

* * * 

Recover from Obama has done to this country? Saving the country from recession, stock markets at all-time record high, unemployment the lowest in 10 years, ending of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, capturing of Bin Ladin, saving the car industry, healthcare reform, low gas prices, low interest rates, deficit cut in half from his predecessor, just to name a few.

Yeah, Obama, what a jerk.  

We do need reforms though. Tax reform is long overdue. Gerrymandering should be stopped altogether so that voters pick representatives, not the other way around. Also, If you don't like government don't use the roads, utilities and infrastructure, or count on the fire and police services to protect you. 

John Fricke 

* * * 

Mr. Cobble, Ms. Lewis, and Mr. Baines,

Mr. Lynn is spot on. Only if you're from a cult in South America that drinks Kool-aid, and I mean lots of Kool-aid, can you believe the government is not broken.    

Brandon Layne
Chattanooga 

* * *

Mr. Gobble is absolutely correct and Mr. Lynn is wrong. Our government is not broken in the least. 
 
Ask yourself - Can you spend $158 billion per month above your receipts? 
 
Ask yourself - If you started in 1960 with 22,877 pages of regulations could you end up with 174,545 50 years later?
 
This takes a lot of effort and only a well-oiled efficient machine can accomplish this type of result - not one that is broken.
Our government is doing only what any government can do when we give to it responsibilities that it is not supposed to have - confiscate resources from its citizens that create inequality in the name of equality, create monopolies in the name of fairness, create war in the name of peace and create scarcity in the name of plenty.
Unfortunately for us, our government is better at these things than most governments. It has done its job well. It worked hard and now it is hungry for more of our resources. Listen to our politicians - our government at all levels is looking for new sources of revenue - gas tax increase, Obamacare tax, income tax rate increase, deduction eliminations, etc.
 
Government worked hard for us as Mr. Gobble showed us in his piece. Are you ready to pay the worker his wages? Or, are you not satisfied with the results produced by government activity that Mr. Lynn accurately documented in his response and are ready to try another way?

Rob Bower

* * *

Mr. Gobble,
Thank you for setting the record straight.
History will ultimately judge President Obama and I have no doubt that future historians will judge him, along with Washington, Lincoln and FDR, as one of our greatest.
 Not only did President Obama rescue our nation from the precipice of economic ruin - brought on by the reckless policies of the two worst Presidents of my 79 years, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush -  he has proven an effective bulwark against the neo-fascist  impulses of the Tea Party; who along with their direct ancestors, the Know Nothings, Ku Klux Klan, and John Birch Society, represent nothing more than anti-American attempts at sedition.
As a committed Christian, an educated and informed citizen, and a real American - one who doesn't feel compelled to don a silly tricorne hat or act a fool by waiving around a Gadsden flag - I thank God for President Obama every night.
 
Lonnie Hatmaker

* * *

Is the government broken?  To all of those and Mr. Gobble too it is imperative that we look at the long view of government and not just to blame whoever is in office at the time of the blame game. This country did not accumulate 17 trillion in debt during the Obama administration nor the Bush or the Clinton or the..... even Reagan is not to be dismissed as some sort of fiscal savior.

Our federal government is huge and the cost of maintaining such is huge. Let me use that huge again.. just one senator and one Congressman with full staff complement costs the federal government $2,500,000. That is 2 1/2 million dollars. Did I just read that a new fighter plane that won't be built after all was one trillion dollars.

Folks, let me share with the readers that the size of government is the fault of you and I and brothers and sisters all across this country. We don't vote; we don't get involved; we don't really know what goes on in government. Obama didn't make this mess. Silly folk that think there is a modicum of truth in that statement. We are to blame. Get out and vote and change things .. the only way.. the right way.

Robert Brooks

 


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