Gallup: Americans Name Government as No. 1 U.S. Problem

[Moonbeam]

There are two things the rational and the insane can agree on. The rational see that republican government is destroying the nation, and the insane blame democratic government.. Add them up and you get a majority of people who see government as the problem

 

[Jhhnn]

Of course government is viewed a a problem. Republicans have been tearing it down in word & deed for over 20 years. When in the minority, they obstruct & talk trash. When in power, they're incompetent to govern in the interests of the people, governing instead in the interests of the financial elite because, you know, it'll all trickle down.

It's self fulfilling prophecy on their part.

 

[Jhhnn]

There are two things the rational and the insane can agree on. The rational see that republican government is destroying the nation, and the insane blame democratic government.. Add them up and you get a majority of people who see government as the problem

Thank you, Moonbeam. Made me laugh.

Too bad it's really too harsh to be constructive.

 

[Atreus21]

It's funny. None of us are dumb. It's just "most other Americans" who are dumb.

 

[Jhhnn]

It's funny. None of us are dumb. It's just "most other Americans" who are dumb.

It's not about intelligence. It's deeper than that. It's about emotions, attitudes & beliefs.

A person doesn't have to be dumb to be mistaken. We all just need to keep in mind that we might be more of both than we'd like to think & that we're easily manipulated at an emotional level, often in the worst ways. We forget that we need strong facts before we can form strong opinions no matter how emotionally satisfying they might be.

 

[BoberFett]

One thing people in Europe have that Americans greatly lack is perspective and a far better philosophy regarding how to live life. Americans have long been poisoned by the "work, work, work!" philosophy and it is frankly disgusting that people working 60+ hours per week, never taking vacations, missing important milestones in their kid's lives, etc. wear it as a badge of honor.

I'd say it might be more the "Consume, consume, consume!" philosophy that's to blame. The average American has more cars, bigger homes, and more stuff than the average European, but it's still not enough. Everyone in the US, right and left alike, believes that if everyone else would just vote for the correct politicians that we would all be rich.

 

[BoberFett]

There are two things the rational and the insane can agree on. The rational see that republican government is destroying the nation, and the insane blame democratic government.. Add them up and you get a majority of people who see government as the problem

I'd tell you that you're a horrible person, but you already knew that. Your posts just ooze of self hate.

 

[Jhhnn]

I'd say it might be more the "Consume, consume, consume!" philosophy that's to blame. The average American has more cars, bigger homes, and more stuff than the average European, but it's still not enough. Everyone in the US, right and left alike, believes that if everyone else would just vote for the correct politicians that we would all be rich.

False attribution isn't much of an argument. It merely expresses your attitude.

 

[pcgeek11]

You're a brainwashed joke.

And you are an asshole. But it has nothing to do with the subject.

 

[Vic]

You're a brainwashed joke.

It's important that people hate their savior, lest they realize what they're trying to be saved from

 

[Vic]

I'd tell you that you're a horrible person, but you already knew that. Your posts just ooze of self hate.

Of course, whose posts here don't?

 

[Vic]

I'd say it might be more the "Consume, consume, consume!" philosophy that's to blame. The average American has more cars, bigger homes, and more stuff than the average European, but it's still not enough. Everyone in the US, right and left alike, believes that if everyone else would just vote for the correct politicians that we would all be rich.

And it's beautiful. Because it works.

 

[Moonbeam]

And you are an asshole. But it has nothing to do with the subject.

Not at all. I only told you because you are so full of shit that you have no idea so some kind person has to tell you or you won't have prayer one of ever ceasing to be such a gigantic fool. I figure it might as will be me since what you think of me means absolutely nothing. You have most likely never been across the street much less lived in Europe. Yours are the kinds of opinions one acquires by snorting them up your nose with a straw off a Fox News countertop. You're nothing but chump who fell in a big bucket load of propaganda.

 

[Moonbeam]

I'd tell you that you're a horrible person, but you already knew that. Your posts just ooze of self hate.

Doubtless you are right. Only a person who hates himself could possibly love you, right. So please, let it all out. The sick always feel better when they vomit. It's just fertilizer to me, for my garden.

 

[poofyhairguy]

How come people in northern europe have bigger govt and higher standards of living plus they are happier?

Who? The Danish who raped a large colonial empire for decades to be ahead in life? Or Sweden who also once had a colonial empire that put the wind in their sails? Or the Swiss who hoarded a ton of Nazi gold? Belgium whose King Leopold took everything worth a damn from the Congo? Or the fact that all these former imperialist powers cut bait on their own empires when the cultural expectation of of the time was lower, unlike a Britain or France who carried their empire well into a 20th century with modern sensibilities that demanded they spend some of their resources trying to help those in the empire at the end rather than leaving them in the proverbial ditch like the Belgium's and Denmark's of the world did.

It is pretty easy to have an artificially great government when you support it with the resources from others instead of just what your population can produce. That is why I wish America would treat its empire more like and empire and less like a way to spread freedom across the world.

 

[schmuckley]

I'd say it might be more the "Consume, consume, consume!" philosophy that's to blame. The average American has more cars, bigger homes, and more stuff than the average European, but it's still not enough. Everyone in the US, right and left alike, believes that if everyone else would just vote for the correct politicians that we would all be rich.

If there were 1/3 less politicians and taxes, everyone would be rich(er).
W.Bush expanded the government exponentially;and Obama has been keeping on keeping on as well.
Tsars..
Sometimes there's like..5 different agencies that are supposed to do the same thing and it still doesn't get done.
Why do these people get a paycheck at the taxpayer's expense?

 

[Jhhnn]

Who? The Danish who raped a large colonial empire for decades to be ahead in life? Or Sweden who also once had a colonial empire that put the wind in their sails? Or the Swiss who hoarded a ton of Nazi gold? Belgium whose King Leopold took everything worth a damn from the Congo? Or the fact that all these former imperialist powers cut bait on their own empires when the cultural expectation of of the time was lower, unlike a Britain or France who carried their empire well into a 20th century with modern sensibilities that demanded they spend some of their resources trying to help those in the empire at the end rather than leaving them in the proverbial ditch like the Belgium's and Denmark's of the world did.

It is pretty easy to have an artificially great government when you support it with the resources from others instead of just what your population can produce. That is why I wish America would treat its empire more like and empire and less like a way to spread freedom across the world.

Remarkable how you've found a way to lie to yourself. Danish & Swedish colonialism wasn't a pimple on the ass of the British, Spanish, Portuguese & French Empires or on the ass of America's westward expansion. Other than small outposts, their colonies didn't even endure into the 20th century. Ancient history.

You construct a false narrative to bolster existing belief, even in the age of the internet where facts are right at your fingertips. Yeh, facts are often inconvenient to right wing belief.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_overseas_colonies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_colonial_empire

 

[compcons]

It's not about intelligence. It's deeper than that. It's about emotions, attitudes & beliefs.

A person doesn't have to be dumb to be mistaken. We all just need to keep in mind that we might be more of both than we'd like to think & that we're easily manipulated at an emotional level, often in the worst ways. We forget that we need strong facts before we can form strong opinions no matter how emotionally satisfying they might be.

This is the most insightful thing I have read in a long time. In short: set your beliefs aside, get your head out of your ass and look at the facts. Emotions get the best of you and force you to interpret facts incorrectly.

This is serious stuff. Unless you are able to be objective, your bullshit political views are worthless and you will make decisions that may well be against your own best interests.

 

[Moonbeam]

This is the most insightful thing I have read in a long time. In short: set your beliefs aside, get your head out of your ass and look at the facts. Emotions get the best of you and force you to interpret facts incorrectly.

This is serious stuff. Unless you are able to be objective, your bullshit political views are worthless and you will make decisions that may well be against your own best interests.

You are staring into the face of the conservative brain defect. It is completely invisible to those who have it and totally obvious to those who do not. This has been tested and confirmed by neuroscience. Those who have the CBD are blinded by motivations to avoid any pain to their precious egos. The notion that they can't be reached by facts is profoundly distressing to them because they have a gut certainty they are always right, and seldom are. These are the people of "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh No"endlessly, because 10,000 years ago they were a real threat. At the first sign of trepidation, they grab for their spear or run. For them the sky is falling every day.

 

[soulcougher73]

It's funny. None of us are dumb. It's just "most other Americans" who are dumb.

Oh their are plenty of dumb in this very forum.

 

[crashtech]

Oh their are plenty of dumb in this very forum.

Oh, the irony.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Remarkable how you've found a way to lie to yourself. Danish & Swedish colonialism wasn't a pimple on the ass of the British, Spanish, Portuguese & French Empires or on the ass of America's westward expansion. Other than small outposts, their colonies didn't even endure into the 20th century. Ancient history.

You construct a false narrative to bolster existing belief, even in the age of the internet where facts are right at your fingertips. Yeh, facts are often inconvenient to right wing belief.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_overseas_colonies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_colonial_empire

Sweden once ran a chunk of the USSR, I didn't specify their overseas colonies. The Danish empire gives them claims to things (like Arctic resources) into the modern age. Each was a significant part of the history of each nation. Heck still is, hello Greenland.

You act like I can't search Wikipedia. All those other nations you mention rode the imperialist world to the end and paid a price for that in destructive wars and the costly aid that was required by a modern sensibilities. That was my point- Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden are the Mark Cuban's of the European world. They got in and out when it was good to do so, just like Mark sold before the dot com bust.

Therefore Denmark, like Mark, is an exception and not a rule.

Just like America would be an exception in the same discussion. Unlike the rest we are the ones that have to spend the money needed on the military force the world needs to run smoothly. Every modern European power has skirted that responsibility so much recently all of their social programs basically have an American subsidy by default. I hope Putin forces them to chip in more soon, France and Britain splitting an air craft carrier is embarrassing.

 

[marincounty]

If there were 1/3 less politicians and taxes, everyone would be rich(er).
W.Bush expanded the government exponentially;and Obama has been keeping on keeping on as well.
Tsars..
Sometimes there's like..5 different agencies that are supposed to do the same thing and it still doesn't get done.
Why do these people get a paycheck at the taxpayer's expense?

Sorry, you're wrong. The Federal govt has actually shrunk under Obama, unlike the growth under your heroes Reagan and Bush.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikepatton/2013/01/24/the-growth-of-the-federal-government-1980-to-2012/

during Obama’s first term, the population increased by 3.0% while the number of government employees fell by 7%. This is the reason for the decline in the GE/P Ratio shown above.
Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama? http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickung...isenhower-would-you-believe-its-barack-obama/

Amidst all the cries of Barack Obama being the most prolific big government spender the nation has ever suffered, Marketwatch is reporting that our president has actually been tighter with a buck than any United States president since Dwight D. Eisenhower.

 

[Jhhnn]

Sweden once ran a chunk of the USSR, I didn't specify their overseas colonies. The Danish empire gives them claims to things (like Arctic resources) into the modern age. Each was a significant part of the history of each nation. Heck still is, hello Greenland.

You act like I can't search Wikipedia. All those other nations you mention rode the imperialist world to the end and paid a price for that in destructive wars and the costly aid that was required by a modern sensibilities. That was my point- Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden are the Mark Cuban's of the European world. They got in and out when it was good to do so, just like Mark sold before the dot com bust.

Therefore Denmark, like Mark, is an exception and not a rule.

Just like America would be an exception in the same discussion. Unlike the rest we are the ones that have to spend the money needed on the military force the world needs to run smoothly. Every modern European power has skirted that responsibility so much recently all of their social programs basically have an American subsidy by default. I hope Putin forces them to chip in more soon, France and Britain splitting an air craft carrier is embarrassing.

So you're not talking ancient history, but ancient, ancient history, right?

And you're not very good at Wiki, otherwise you'd know that Switzerland never was colonialist. Like I offered, you began with mistaken belief & now stre-e-e-tch whatever you can find to justify it. The same applies to your take on Greenland. Norse colonies in southeastern Greenland predate Eskimoes in that area. In the euro-centric world view, nobody else ever claimed the place, so Danish claims held even when there were no European inhabitants.

Perhaps you should start again, set faith aside & examine reality before forming opinions.

Our military might is an interesting study in contradiction. It's big gubmint like nothing else can be, in case you hadn't noticed. And while we have been a stabilizing force in different times & places, that's not true of recent Neocon adventures at all.

None of that has much of anything to do with the subject, anyway.

There are 3 centers of power in the human political realm- Organized Religion, Wealth, and the upstart, Democracy. Our govt is an expression of all 3 and the only expression of democracy, so when we tear it down we just make room for the other two to encroach on the power of the People. Which is, for sure, the rationale of Oligarchical conservative leadership in this country, at least when they're out of power. When in power, their govt serves the interests of wealth better than any other.

 

[soulcougher73]

Oh, the irony.

Oh, the irony.