Hi,

I don't know about any of the rest of you, but I have been noticing more and more often that when I'm on the computer, or doing stuff around the house or whatever, and the TV's just on - mainly for background noise, I guess - anyway, I'm usually not really paying attention to it, but somehow when some newscaster or someone mentions the word, "Government", I suddenly seem to hear that word when I haven't heard any of the others.

That word seems to just instantly cause a sort of internal reaction that is a mixture of disgust, fear, I almost would say "hate", but I have never actually hated anyone or anything. Anyway, I hope I am making some sort of sense. The last time I heard that word on TV tonight, it was about some state - I forget which one - that is still having debates over whether the school system should put the kid's weight, body mass, etc.. on their report card.

I mean, how humiliating for the kids. And what a blow to the self esteem of young children. I just felt outraged that time. Not only at what I just mentioned about what it would do emotionally to the kids, but the idea that now the government is actually starting to worm their way into our meals. Trying to tell us and even worse, telling us what to feed our kids!

And I have the feeling that it is just this sort of propaganda that so easily seeps into the heads of otherwise people of average intelligence, to where they soon just take it in stride.........well, the government says......., etc......

O.K. enough rant. Just wondering if any of you have any similar feelings get stirred up when you hear that word.

CyberKat

When I hear the word government, the first word that comes to mind is DISTRUST. Sad that is the case, but true nonetheless.

Can you clarify something? Do you mean the faceless, unelected bureaucrats who actually run the government. Or the slimy, dishonest, cheating, unethical, goobers who we apparently keep electing to public office?

Not

what comes to mind when I hear the word "Government" huh??

distrust, dishonest, greedy, manipulative, condescending, evasive, threatening, belittling, corrupt, evil.

does that say how I feel??...yes It does.

Originally posted by NotClever
Can you clarify something? Do you mean the faceless, unelected bureaucrats who actually run the government. Or the slimy, dishonest, cheating, unethical, goobers who we apparently keep electing to public office?

Not

Unfortunately, I mean both. I think that the faceless, unelected bureaucrats who are running things behind the scenes are the ones who nominiate and put on the ballots the same slimy unethical goobers who are willing to be "figureheads"/puppets for those in the shadows.

It is scary no matter how you look at it. Sometimes, more than sometimes actually, I feel as if something really terrible was actually happening - not that I don't think it is already, but I mean right there in our face, that there would be NO place that we could go that would be safe.

I think that as bad as Bush looks to many, stupid or not, it takes more than one man, more than one government/country to have plunged the world into the state that it is in right now.

[edit on 3/6/2006 by CyberKat]

Originally posted by NotClever
Can you clarify something? Do you mean the faceless, unelected bureaucrats who actually run the government. Or the slimy, dishonest, cheating, unethical, goobers who we apparently keep electing to public office?

Not

Nice call, remember when we cared about our elected leaders? They kept them in check. Not happening now, they've even thrown in the towel, AND WE'RE TAKING IT!!!!!

When I think of the government bureaucracy, I think of the poor schlubs working the windows at the DMV, copying humongous meaningless documents, rubber stamping applications for dog licenses...the people who were looking for a job and lucked into a lifelong sentence of drudgery with a pension.

There's a lot of people in the bureaucracy simply doing a job.

Its politicians that make my stomach roll. Bunch of lyin', cheatin'....

What are the odds one man's opinions just happen to agree with the majority of eligible voters. Zilch. Ergo...he is adjusting his words in order to convince people to like him. In other words...lying.

I have to stop here, I could go on and on and on....

Originally posted by intrepid
Nice call, remember when we cared about our elected leaders? They kept them in check. Not happening now, they've even thrown in the towel, AND WE'RE TAKING IT!!!!!

And we're taking it up the 'yahoo', (hint: joke about shootin' pool)...

Its dehumanizing, and demoralizing to see so many politicians (fat, rich, white dudes) who apparently have no clue...continue getting paid!!!!

I'll quote the latest issue of Playboy,
" The U.S. Senate voted 57 to 42 in October to reject an amendment to a bill that would have raised the minimum hourly wage from $5.15 to $6.25. It has been a decade since the Senate last raised the minimum wage; over the same period, senator's own annual salaries have increased by $28,000." (Playboy, March 2006, pg 25.)

OH FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!

Take a deep breath...

Not


[edit on 6-3-2006 by NotClever]

Well honestly, nothing, unless I really actually start to think about the government, when I hear the word, I don't feel or think anything, just like any other word if It's not directly related to what I'm doing.

I feel much like you explained, Cybercat, although there are many words that come to mind that I have agreed not to type here. But Complete Control of the Government over the people is probably the one idea that sticks out in my mind.

Fear, anger, distrust, evil, Nazi Germany, hatred, hopeless...

TAXES!!!!

Probably because it's that time of the year and I OWE the state of Maryland 750 dollars, even though I havent lived there in 5 years.

Maryland

[edit on 7/3/2006 by SportyMB]

Originally posted by CyberKat[/I]
Hi, I don't know about any of the rest of you, but I have been noticing somehow when some newscaster mentions the word, "Government," I seem to hear that word when I haven't heard any of the others. That word seems to cause a reaction that is a mixture of disgust, fear, I almost would say "hate", but I have never actually hated anyone or anything. Anyway, I hope I am making some sort of sense. I have the feeling that this sort of propaganda so easily seeps into the heads of otherwise people of average intelligence, to where they soon just take it in stride . . well, the government says . . etc. O.K. enough rant. Just wondering if any of you have any similar feelings when you hear that word. CyberKat. [Edited by Don W]

Before 1933's New Deal, the U.S. government was very small in numbers. Our population was around 120 million, too, which in itself would make the number of “public servants” fewer. Then came the advent of modern government. The Department of Labor was created. It included the Wage and Hour unit, and the Unemployment Insurance unit and so on. Did you know strikes were ILLEGAL in America before the passage of the Wagner Act of 1933? Roosevelt was NO socialist. Did you know unemployment insurance is paid by employers? A tax of 3.2% on wages up to a COLA adjusted limit. Any employer which has a positive balance pays a lowered tax rate until it reaches the minimum of 0.6%.

Did you know before 1933, that if your bank went “belly up” you lost your deposits? You lost your money. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was created. FDIC. Roosevelt was NO socialist. The FDIC was funded by a ½% tax on bank deposits to establish a fund to pay depositors of failed banks. Banks had to conform to rules, and someone has to examine the banks to be sure they follow the rules. Joining FDIC is optional. I rarely see a financial institution that has not joined.

Before 1933, it was the “rule” that banks would not loan more than half the value of a house. Buyers had to have 50% of the purchase price. And 10 years was the preferred pay-back time. The New Deal created the Federal Housing Administration - FHA - which would guarantee a home loan with only a 10% down payment. Again, FDR was no socialist. The money to guarantee mortgages was obtained by adding ½% interest to the loan, which provided the funds for paying off any mortgage going into default.

Perhaps more importantly, the FHA set home building standards - closets - ventilation - spacing between supporting joists and so on - number of outlets per room - all of which had to be inspected. More staff needed. These rules made the quality of new housing uniform around the country, facilitating the easy mobility of Americans from place to place.

The Federal Power Commission regulated the price of natural gas in interstate commerce. The Tennessee Valley Authority took one of the poorest regions of America and turned it into a veritable paradise! The surplus electricity the TVA dams produced made it possible for the U.S. to build Oak Ridge and the uranium atom bomb. The Columbia River Authority built the Grand Coulee and Bonneville dams, making Hanford and the plutonium atom bombs possible. Say thank you Corps of Engineers.

We could not have an America in 2006, with 300,000,000 people spread over 3.6 million square miles, without the bureaucracy. I could go on, how the Department of Agriculture checks our eggs to see they are really Grade A, and our milk, and so on. How our Department of Transportation has made UNIFORM rules for highways design and construction across the nation, so we can travel easily and safely. The National Parks Service. Map making. Bureau of Standards. And etc. None of this happens by chance.

America has been able to achieve the best and most competent large bureaucracy EVER in the World. Yet, we allow and often indulge in endless bad-mouthing of the FINEST bureaucracy on Earth. For cheap political demagoguery and because of our own ignorance, we are putting that fantastic bureaucracy in jeopardy. NOT SMART.

[edit on 3/7/2006 by donwhite]

What comes to mind?

"What did they do now?"

Why do I assume it's bad? Because I can't recall the last time 'they' did anything benificial for the society they are suppose to serve.

Many of the threads on this link all start with the same vein, Dishonest , mistrust almost vergeing on the corrupt, however if we spare a minute to think of subliminal messages, you would have thought that by now one of the NWO governments would of been able to put a possitive spin on the exploits of that government.
As I am English I personally wouldn't trust my present government as far as I could throw them ( into the nearest pit).
So how come the Bush administation are making such a pigs ear of media contact at the moment .
Such as Bush being seen being briefed on Katrina

Don,

You're comments are right on the money, and they demonstrate how the bureaucracy and not the politicians actually perform the day-to-day functions of our government.

However, your examples appear to be from events and programs that took place 60-70 years ago. As the song goes...What have you done for me lately? (Not you personally...).

Unless I've missed something, I can't recall much in the way of major legislation in the past 20-30 years that has had a dramatic effect on the citizens of this country (U.S. Sorry, sometimes I forget the international thing.). Certainly not with the impact of The New Deal or TVA.

Do I have a blind spot and am just not seeing it?

It may be my perception, but I seem to notice the government more when it is represented by politician's bickering, pork-barrel legislation, and general partisan nonsense.



[edit on 7-3-2006 by NotClever]

[edit on 7-3-2006 by NotClever]

Originally posted by Not clever[/I] Don, Your comments are right on the money and demonstrate how it is the bureaucracy and not the politicians who actually perform the day-to-day functions of our government . . your examples appear to be from events and programs that took place 60-70 years ago. As the song goes...What have you done for me lately? Unless I've missed something, I can't recall much in the way of major legislation in the past 20-30 years that has had a dramatic effect on the citizens of this country. Certainly not with the impact of The New Deal or TVA. Do I have a blind spot and am just not seeing it? I seem to notice the government more when it is represented by politician's bickering, pork-barrel legislation, and general partisan nonsense. [Edited by Don W]

Well, N/C, you may have guessed, FDR and the New Deal along with WW2 were the greatest events in my lifetime. I was 11 when FDR died. People mope’d around, for days, unable to accept that FDR was dead. No, the New Deal did not end the Great Depression, but it made it possible for Americans to survive it. Perhaps the greatest single thing FDR did for America was to give us Eleanor! And him a paraplegic.

I was too young to know the significance of the AAA, or the NRA, or WPA and PWA or the TVA and REA and so on. Government by alphabet Republicans labeled it. Let me recall that fewer than 10% of America’s farms had electricity in 1933, but by 1945, 95% of America’s farms were electrified. The Rural Electric Authority was the New Deal agency tasked with taking electric power to the farms. This one fact, more than any other, changed life on the farm. For the better.

So you ask, what has the government done for us today? Or lately? Well, for the most part, since the Ronnie Reagan era the elected politicians have been hard at work dismantling the New Deal. I don’t think that is an IMPROVEMENT but it seems to make a lot of people think they are happy. Someone here mentioned the minimum wage. It has not been revisited since 1993. 13 years. You could say, for all intents and purposes, the Republicans have REPEALED the minimum wage law. Say thank you, Newt Gingrich and your Contact for America. I’d like to hear Congress squeal if somehow I could restore their pay to 1993 levels.

Republicans hated the New Deal in the 1930s. They have not changed. Republicans voted against the 1935 Social Security Act and had it in their every four years campaign platform a promise to repeal Social Security until 1952, when Eisenhower thought it best to take that promise out. But hard core Republicans have not reformed. As you saw in Geo W, the GOP is still trying to REPEAL Social Security. Or kill it.

Who said, IF you don’t know history, you are doomed to repeat it?

Let me rephrase one thing; I can't recall much in the way of major legislation in the past 20-30 years that has had a dramatic positive effect on the citizens of this country.

We can spend days pointing out examples of divisive, ill-conceived, or over-bearing political decisions.

I think the thread author was looking for the 'feeling' a person has when our 'representive' system is mentioned.

I think of two of Thomas Jefferson's quotes, "Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have ... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases." and "Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now." I wonder, how close is this to prophesy?

Sometimes I wonder if what we are seeing now is the way our society, culture, and government absolutely has to be.

Interesting question. I will not read what others say before I respond because I actually considered my reaction when I read the word in your question.
My immediate response was not positive. In my defense let me say that I have an excuse...I live in the USA.
skep

ok Cyberkat,

Here goes....

The word Government, makes me think of being Governed, of being Controlled...Government Institution. Of being in a sterile environment surrounded by automatons in suits. Of people not caring. I see a brick wall on top of a steamroller, that no one can get past, and that brick wall is rolling towards us trying to squish everything it can out of us!

So my main feeling is loss of individuality, and a feeling that our very survival is threatened.

Thanks that felt good to get that off my chest! Lol

~Deep

I can't even be botherd to vote