- Oct 11, 2007
- 69,662
- 35,330
- Thread starter
- #41
I thankies you for the compliment, foxfyre. That was high praise indeed.
Seems to me, one issue that gets lost too often is that any government solution creates a government work force and a new power base for some bureaucrat, etc. I'd argue that under the old welfare system, it was the welfare workers and their bosses who caused more harm than welfare recipients. And I think we all know, HUD's public housing projects have been a disaster...one step up from concentration camps built by the Mob. I can go on like this all nite.
Perhaps some solutions that should be governmental should nonetheless be local or state, and not federal.
I don't have as much problem with some limited government services at the local level. If the city, for instance, has some spare cash, it can be a blessing to help out agencies who provide assistance to those who can't pay their heating bill in the middle of the winter when the alternative is busted pipes and over crowded shelters. City run senior centers, handicapped transportation, parks programs, zoos, aquariums, museums, hospitals, special events, etc. in cooperation with local citizens who provide funds, hands on assistance, etc. can all contribute to the quality of life as do state fairs, state parks, state reservoirs and water conservation projects, etc. all without being corrupting influences. The people vote bonds for most of this kind of stuff and all can enjoy and participate in it.
I have problems with programs at any level, however, that encourage dependency and/or irresponsibility or develop a shelf life of petrified wood so that they go on and on, year after year, decade after decade long after any measurable benefit has ceased to exist.