I say the best possible government is the least possible government

No it doesn't. I simply puts dollars into the economy.

But that is something the people advocating for what will quickly become anarchy and chaos just cannot see that.

Okay. That happens.

We can get past that mentality.

 

Government is civilization, community, law, and order.

But...some people want anarchy.

We will defeat them.

 

The nation and its people survived just fine for 154 years before the formation of the FDA. Now it has 14,800 bureaucrats telling me not to eat too much bacon?

 

From Jefferson's first inaugural address:
"still one thing more, fellow citizens. a wise & frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, & shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. this is the sum of good government; & this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities."

From Jefferson's Summary View of the Rights of British America:
"the god who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time".

Jefferson in a letter to Adams:
"all the world would gain by setting commerce at perfect liberty."

Jefferson in a letter to Archibald Stewart:
"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniencies attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it."

Jefferson to Isaac Tiffany:
"of Liberty then I would say that, in the whole plenitude of it’s extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will: but rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will, within the limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’; because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual."

Jefferson to Madison:
"I own I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive."

 

A government can be used to engineer a society... mostly to the detriment of the members of said society.

 

And a booming economy... and double digit 401(k) growth... and record low unemployment... and illegal aliens living in fear. Seems to be working out just fine. Presidents should play as much golf as possible.

 

If government is civilization, how did civilized people create government?

Some people want liberty.

Are you an automaton?

 

The government has been telling us to eat more bread and less fat since about 1980 and they have been entirely wrong about that, causing the current epidemic of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

 

Trump criticized Obama at least 27 times for playing golf.

Trump plays way more, and now that's a good thing.

Well that figures, don't it.

 

Obama didn’t play enough golf.

 

tell us why do we even need 'government' other than a way to collect 'dues' for losers...

 

Where is the Jefferson quote about his love of ****ing other humans he owned??

Of course Jefferson hated big government, he didn't want anyone telling his slaves they didn't have to suck his dick or be beaten to death.

 

100-250 years ago, most people had a sustainable life...for example what percentage of Americans were farmers? If they needed something they created it themselves. They had simple lives mostly lived out on the property they owned or within a few miles. In 1900 the population was 76 million and today it is 327 million and for today's population a gigantic infrastructure is required; roads, trains, airports, seaports, healthcare, water and electric distribution, industry, education, etc. And there is the international involvement from wars to trade to immigration. I think the federal government cost today per person per year is around $12,500 and who can say if this is too high? I can' really see government costs being reduced since too many Americans depend on some form of government involvement...

 

Let me know when you cut our military budget.

 

Well I do think it would be good if Trump resigned so he could play everyday on his own nickel.

Do they have golf in prison?

 

The Big Pharma revolving door.

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance." - Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence

 

You mean the $1/2 billion+ each year used for genocide and other human rights atrocities, some of which goes into a black hole where the Pentagon just can't account for $21 trillion? Nah, don't cut any of that, it would be used to provide health care for everyone and likely end poverty. No one wants that, endless bloodbaths serve a much better moral purpose.

 

Government was what made slavery legal and supported its continuance. Is this agreement that less government is better?

 

So, you're in favor of smaller government?

 

What an excellent argument against big government.

 

That's what's funny to me about the right and Trump supporters...

they pretend to be against big government, yet they hang their hat on a phony like Trump...only Trump can cure their ills.

 

Isn't this thread about those who oppose big government? How does Trump figure into this?

 

Oh, yeah....he doesn't.

 

Exactly. Trump has nothing to do with small government.

 

There was no anarchy before government became bloated. America grew exponentially and prospered.