Rumsfeld Say's - "Pentagon Lost $2.3T"

[JohnyMac]

This YT is rather interesting. Look at the date Rumsfeld made this statement.

9-11 Pentagon missing $2.3 trillion Rumsfeld Exposed 9/10/2001

Small government is the answer not larger government.

[Burt Gummer]

Ok Jmac. Justify the functions of your ideal small government.
Ill play devils advocate.

[Grudgie]

Sorry to thread jack your post Jmac but I feel Burt is tackling the root cause of government inefficiency.

Burt do you mean morally justify small government or justify the practicality of it?

I think we all agree the government that rules best is the government that rules least. And some say the government that rules least is the government that doesn't rule at all. Me being one of them.

To me, you can't have small government without big government. It's a contradiction. Government is a seed. It's like saying you want to plant a sapling, but you don't want big trees in your yard. It's like saying you want to have sex and have a baby, but you don't want to raise a teenager. The American experiment may have been the best and most genuine attempt at containing government, and it resulted in one of the most violent and massive empires the world has ever seen.

[JohnyMac]

I think the best government is local government.

When you have elected politicians that are seen and interact everyday with the people they represent, you have a clear case of government knowing whom they are working for.

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." -T.Jefferson

IMO, we need to return to the original seven Article's of the US Constitution which outlined the responsibilities of our Federal Government. Over the past 223 years we have moved away from the original intent and purpose of the Constitution. This has been done in part to ignorance and laziness on part of the Electorate.

Let us hit the "reset button" and go back to a clean Federal slate who's responsibilities are outlined in those seven Article's.

     

[Burt Gummer]

I think the best government is local government.

When you have elected politicians that are seen and interact everyday with the people they represent, you have a clear case of government knowing whom they are working for.

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." -T.Jefferson

If there are these people working for me why can't I fire them? Are they like Comcast? can't quit their service? Heck i'll just not pay them then, credit be damned. But they won't just try and hurt my credit will they.

IMO, we need to return to the original seven Article's of the US Constitution which outlined the responsibilities of our Federal Government. Over the past 223 years we have moved away from the original intent and purpose of the Constitution. This has been done in part to ignorance and laziness on part of the Electorate.

Let us hit the "reset button" and go back to a clean Federal slate who's responsibilities are outlined in those seven Article's.

Imagine me a genie (and this all in Robin Williams's voice)

You found a magic lamp and through your love of our nation's history you wished to be part of the original revolution and play and play a seminal role in the conception of this current government. You are the only one there not blessed with the innocence of ignorance. You alone bear the crushing weight of the knowledge of history on your shoulders. Because you know the things that will transpire if you agree to continue.

Centuries of forced and ever increasing asset confiscation, "taxation" & "Tarriff's"  - Look at this as lives lived in poverty, mouths not fed, houses not built, diseases not cured. Trades not made, international relations damaged, wars primed.

The decades of government sanctioned slavery.

The the wars with, displacement and holocaust of the native indian. 34,000 deaths (incomplete)

The conquest of Hawaii a non threatening republic.

Imperialism in the Philippines - 25,000 to 487,000 deaths

A ridiculously bloody and avoidable civil war. - 546,000 deaths only military

The World War part I and II. No clear US attributed death numbers.

The bombing of civilians in the WWII German heartland. - 600,000 deaths

The nuclear bombing of two mainly civilian cities. 199,000 deaths

The support for the USSR and it's genocides. - 61,911,000 deaths

US assistance then sanctions and war on Iraq. - 2,900,000 deaths

I apologize for the events I've left out but at a certain point no more is necessary.

Would you still put on that tricorn hat pinned with a red white and blue ribbon rose, and vote "Yea"?
Or perhaps do something else?

This is a mental exercise intended to put into context the likely repercussion of creating and justifying a "small" government.

[JohnyMac]

  Thanks Burt for your response. Let me chew over it for a few days as I am beat.

Cut up an Ash tree into 10' logs on a 45 degree angle I might add. Then with the help of a friend dragged about 1/3 of it up the incline with a "skider" (IMO it's a small forklift with wheels that all turn when you turn the wheel and is a 4x4). Then cut up that third and took it back to the cabin for future splitting. The logs were 30" in diameter I might add. Ever try moving a 22"x30" piece of wood (L x  W).  I know...I know. But I will be warm and toasty this winter 

All good stuff folks jump in here as this isn't just a discussion between Burt & I.