I'm a conservative. I'm a liberal. What's the compromise? Less government.

You've probably seen me on these boards - Bernie Sanders this, Liberal ideology that, and today it's hit me that I haven't been thinking this whole thing through.

Government involvement only hurts us, the people. Supporting or being against any particular legislation means there's LAWS and RULES about how we conduct our lives... About how we live our personal, intimate, non-intrusive lives. When we argue over abortion or drugs or marriage or any of it - All we do is feed this beast. We allow another agency to form, we allow the government to hire more workers, to get more money, to "represent us" even more. We pay them more taxes to represent our cause, we argue more about who the best candidate is to represent those causes... This whole process is only stripping away freedoms left and right. It isn't partisan, we are are the losers, and there's only one winner here.

The Government.

The answer is to live according to your own morals, ethics, code - Whatever, and STOP WORRYING ABOUT OTHERS.

Is public worship and statues in buildings and such really so damn important to you that we need the government to grow bigger, stronger, to represent this group?

Is a womens health really so damn important to you, that you want more and more federal workers on the payroll to represent this specific cause?

Don't like what's on TV? Turn it off!

Don't like gays marrying? Don't be gay, and don't marry a gay!

Don't like drugs or alcohol? Don't drink, don't do drugs!...

Your life is only impacted by such things as much as you allow them to be. Let me live my life, I'll let you live yours.

Don't like the guy who's praying in public? Voice it! Sing it! I don't care - You have the freedom of speech. YOU DO NOT have the freedom to legislate others freedoms.

And therein lies our problem - It is now seen as a "right" to legislate how others live. It is now seen as a right to prop something up, or push something down - And every time we want to enshrine one idea, or reject another, only one group wins.

You can be accurately represented in a majority of your wants if you became active in local politics. At a local level, an individuals ideas can be heard, voted on, etc. No growth would need to occur in these governments because the power? It's in the hands of the local people. Just ensure term limits on the higher positions - But also make sure no position is all-ruling and authoritative in the first place... Solving issues at a local and state level, we could have somewhat diverse policies and areas yet still function as an entire nation.

Now, obviously there's conflicting ideas that are more broad than our personal everyday lives. Our healthcare system is a joke - Some want the government to pay for it ( via taxes ), some want free market capitalism to be the future - Guess what, that's why we have STATE and LOCAL governments. I imagine all types of communities could exist and flourish if we adopted this mentality - Focusing on the power of individuals and communities, while minding our own damn business ( when it comes to law implementation, that is.) is one of the only laws.


I mean look at our economic situation, how many wars we are in, how much we favor the rich and elite...

Government involvement is why such big entities in the first place - So many regulations, so many rules, so much restriction that only very specific people can thrive in this economic environment.Big government is also why wars continue - I mean we are literally killing ourselves by feeding this beast.

I say cut out the infection. Get rid of the rot, clean out the wound.

Let me know what you think - I've been on different sides of different arguments but this is where I end up.

I hope everyone is enjoying/will enjoy their weekend! Thanks for reading!

-Deadlyhope

a reply to: deadlyhope

Yes! Yes! And YES!!!

I have thought of it -- and described it as -- some folks using government and the barrel of a gun to force one's will on others...

But you have perfectly described that process. Bravo. And thank you.

Good read, but I still think we should not think of ourselves as Dem or Rep, I am an American that refuses to live in a Country called 'Federal Gov of America'

a reply to: manuelram16

Right. I was pondering the issue and I thought.. Well, no, these democratic candidates, these republican candidates DO NOT represent me, or anyone I know. They act like they do, they talk like they do.. But no one benefits from their support other than them. Some of our looked up to presidents of the past admitted this outright.

We should all be independents!

Not the party, the concept!

One of the best post I have seen here for a long time!!! I do not visit much anymore and will not participate due to the hatred of people that you may not agree with. I feel the same as you even though I have family working within the government. Our Government is the enemy, not each other and until we stop the attacks on each other there is no way we can stop our government from controlling every aspect of our lives.

I had to give you a flag and star for this post.

a reply to: deadlyhope

The Government IS the problem. The less of it we have the better.

People deserve to be free. Sometimes they will make bad choices, but that is THEIR choice. That is how we as human beings learn and grow. The Government takes those choices and freedom from us.

I have found only the Libertarian philosophy fits me. More freedom, less Government and no wars. I honestly don't understand why everyone isn't a Libertarian.

They are the ONLY pro-freedom party.

a reply to: RunForTheHills

I wouldn't point at your family and say " You're the problem! "

We are all participants in this problem - It's simply the government that gets all of the benefit. Senators and congressman and the like. We have to know our part in the problem, but then also take steps to solve it - Placing blame on any one individual, whether or not they have an official government job, will do nothing but divide us in such a cause.

a reply to: Metallicus

I figured you'd jump onto this thread, as I know your thoughts on our problems are shown in my OP.

It's true though that more government means less freedom - The libertarian party does represent this mentality, though labels and people are not of concern to me. Ideas are.

If each person pondered this, and came to agree with me ( which some will ,some won't ) I don't think party, person, or anything would matter as much as the idea. The desire to lessen government, by whatever reasonable means possible - Whoever represents this mentality would naturally find their way into office, but that is less important than us.

Thanks for waking up and smelling the situation we're in- now if we could just get another few hundred million people to open their eyes.

a reply to: deadlyhope

One question....

Is Govt. really the problem....or the military/corporate/industrial/banking/ neocon oligarchy cabal that writes the scrip for all the political theater and the characters that put on the play. Who controls the controlers? They don't answer to anyone....

a reply to: lordcomac

www.conventionofstates.com...

It's happening on a smaller scale, but the COS is a promising step towards and for more freedom.

a reply to: olaru12

Does it matter whether we slice our swords at the throat or the head, even as low as the chest?

Right now, we are swinging our swords at the feet of this beast, if at all.

Reputation matters. The American dollar is only based on it's reputation... If the Government is seen as having much less power, and the state and local governments seen as having more power... The elite can hardly fill the office positions of every city and state, every 4 years if we used such term limits.

I think the big issue is where our tax dollars go also. We know we're going to get taxed. We all want lower taxes and less taxes. We see Sander's proposals and think, great more taxes, but in reality the issue is tax revenue allocation.

If we could just control where are taxes went, that would solve all our problems. I want less on military and alphabet agencies. That would save us Trillions of dollars each year. Our constitution only calls for defense of our country, not invading other countries and having bases all over the world. That's just one example.

Just adding that--Why can't we vote for where our tax moneys go? But that on the ballot. We get that a little bit by proxy, but not really. I vote for Sanders and think that my Tax money will go to healthcare and education. You vote for Trump and think your tax money goes to our military. But then we have all the morons in Congress that get in the way and Budgets are negotiated and blah blah blah. By the time it's said and done. OUr Tax money never goes to where our candidates say it will.

It would be simple. Every year, the American public votes for where a percentage of tax revenue goes. That should be our right.

a reply to: deadlyhope

I would never point to any of my family as the problem, They aren't the problem they may work for them but they only know what is within their scope to know and I do trust that they would blow the whistle to warn me of any immediate danger if possible. Just because people work within the government does not make them the "government". They too have to follow the rules with sealed lips regardless what they think or feel.

I looked back over my statement and no where do I see where I pointed at any individual government personnel as being the problem. With the way you are looking at this, would it not also include that our military is a problem.

Please re-read my statement. I love my family and I have trust and faith in them. They are not the ruling class of the government and even they do not have the answers as to who is.

a reply to: amazing

Reducing the size and scope of the government and reducing their ability to regulate and interfere would naturally reduce the 3 letter agencies by a large amount. Reducing government power and federal taxation would also reduce wars. I think the ideas presented within the original post would solve most issues you are talking about - And you DO get to vote where your taxes go - Locally.

Federally it would cover relief efforts - Food stamps, medicare and the like. Which could also be taken back to the drawing board to be more efficient, and perhaps even optional.

a reply to: RunForTheHills

Sorry if my tone came off as anything different than what I meant.

I do not blame your family.

I do not blame individuals within the government, including military.

I do blame the executive, judicial, and legislative branches, and most of the individuals within. ( congressman, senators, judges, white house executives, secretary of state, president, etc. ) But not everyone who works for them, or the government workers in general.

My apologies if it seemed I was saying anything different.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Okay, here's probably a stupid question: why can't people just support and vote for whomever will, in their eyes, do the BEST job?! Why does their vote have to depend on a candidate being a member of a specific "party"? Pretend you're trying to explain it to a five year old, which is pretty much my brain on politics!!

Thanks to anyone willing to tackle my question!!

a reply to: Rubicon3

I think my original post tries to tackle this idea.

A right-wing conservative believes the candidate that is pro-life will " do the best job "

A left-wing liberal thinks someone pro-choice will "do the best job"

Neither person gets what they want - Abortion is still a grey area, yet the government got bigger, because they said they would represent those opinions. The only winner is the government.

There happens to be hundreds of issues, and thousands of government workers... It's big, it's inefficient, it doesn't represent us accurately, it isn't meant to.

a reply to: deadlyhope

I guess you hit it on the head, let us live our lifes without all the laws that restrict us from enjoy the short time we are on this planet, besides most of the laws written in the past 30 or so years don't benefit the people but benefit corporations and special interest groups and the people pay for it.


Just leave me the f alone and let me live my life the way I see fit.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Amen.

My name is mud and I endorse this message.

Really though, great mind, good thought. Keep on keeping.