What is the government's responsibility to you? (poll)

[FearlessLeader2]

This is something I haven't seen before as far as polls go. Below I am going to list a series of poll options, ranging from hands-off near anarchy to iron boot of ultra fascism. Your vote in this poll is where you think the authority of central government stops, and personal choice takes over.

I have seen lots of political threads come and go, and it is clear that a lot of people expect a lot from their government. I'm kind of curious as to how much...

 

[FearlessLeader2]

Well, I didn't finish the poll in time, so never mind.

There's a conveinient feature...

 

[Dann]

I don't expect much. Only:

1) Provide an environment that allows people to earn a living safely and securely.

2) Provide infrastructure and services that give people a comfortable level of existence.

3) Be aware and far-sighted enough to be in the black financially.

Oh and 4) Don't tax us too much.

 

[Scuffer]

Do what I say in return for me paying their wages (collectively speaking)

 

[A'AbarachAmadan]

The constitution has a good list: Provide for the common defense, Promote the general welfare. Of course, the devil is in the details.

 

[JohnRM]

The Government's job is to protect its citizens from enemies, foreign and domestic, and from fraud.

 

[Mise]

Broadly speaking, the government should protect its citizens from tyranny. When power is concentrated in the hands of a few, tyranny follows. So the roll of the government should be to limit the amount of power a small group of people can have. This means that the government should limit union power, corporate power, and, of course, its own power. Thus, individual liberty will be maximised.

 

[Yom]

The government should, as A'AbarchAmadan said, "promote the general welfare" and protect its citizens, i.e. enforce the law. Such a government must have some support from the people, but, in return, the people must support the state (they shouldn't capitulate blindly to its demands, as that's a surefire path to tyranny, but revolution against a popularly supported government is not the way to go).

 

[crystal]

In my opinion, the government should enforce contracts voluntarily established between individuals. But it should intervene on the content of contracts as little as possible. That means, police and national defense should be handled by the state. (note: anarcho capitalists want to completely dismantle the state and transfer the power to multiple competing law enforcement services, but I doubt that would work very well on practise.) That's almost the only thing where publicly funded services are needed. The free market can handle better the rest. But I've also thought whether the government should provide basic social security (e.g. negative income tax) for the citizens, but it would be a step toward socialism and the emphasis should always be on private charity.

 

[IglooDame]

Enforcement of law, defense from foreign enemies, provide public services/benefits only when suitably justified. And naturally, my view of what is justifiable is narrow than most other folks'.

 

[luiz]

I agree with crystal and Igloo.

In my ideal world there would be no government, but that is impossible so I want it as small as possible.

 

[Rhymes]

- Business regulations
- National security
- Provide a legal system
- Administrate and redistribute taxes the best they can.

The free market can handle better the rest.

Hasn't anyone learned at all from history that free market CAN NOT handle itslef, it is not even a theory but a fact! It leads to a huge gap betwen clasees, unemployment and overinflation.... The question is now to know how much the government should step in.

 

[nonconformist]

- Business regulations
- National security
- Provide a legal system
- Administrate and redistribute taxes the best they can.

Agreed.XCL.

 

[Ramius75]

I expect them to do what they promised.

 

[newfangle]

I want to pay the government to protect my life with its guns. I want nothing else from it.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

I agree with crystal and Igloo.

In my ideal world there would be no government, but that is impossible so I want it as small as possible.

How do you decide who gets to own the land and resources? Is it just whatever Portugese family came in and kicked out the natives first? (same goes for Canadians and Americans).

Government has to have some role in deciding allocation of natural resources. It isn't enough to merely have been the first person to have "morally" conquered the territory.

But beyond that, I think very little interference is necessary.

 

[luiz]

How do you decide who gets to own the land and resources? Is it just whatever Portugese family came in and kicked out the natives first? (same goes for Canadians and Americans).

In my view, land belongs to the first one to put it to use, be them native, portuguese or otherwise. And they lose it if they abandon it.
That's why I never bought the notion that the portuguese stole Brazil from the natives, since they actually occupied very small pieces of land and did nothing with the immense rest. I acknowledge that some land was stolen, but not the whole country.

Government has to have some role in deciding allocation of natural resources. It isn't enough to merely have been the first person to have "morally" conquered the territory.

But beyond that, I think very little interference is necessary.

I think that the government has the important role of defining property rights when they become blurry, such as the case with land. I don't believe that they have the right to actually allocate natural resources, though.

 

[Rhymes]

I want to pay the government to protect my life with its guns. I want nothing else from it.

You dont want roads to be able to go where you want? You dont want to have fresh water that comes out of your sink? Or a legal system that deals with criminal? Or firemen that comes to your rescue if your house catches on fire.... the list is long...

 

[Mescalhead]

I think the government should stop people from being physically assaulted or injured by another, to maintain a standing army to meet foreign and domestic threats, to maintain a system of taxation which is used to better public works and services(NOT WELFARE!), and to make sure that business, commerce, and the livelihood of all people are maintained by a code of ethics enfroced by the govt. It is important that the govt. maintains quality control for all info and products in the country. Other than those points I don't see where else the government is needed or wanted.

 

[blindside]

I agree with crystal and Igloo.

In my ideal world there would be no government

So you're a communist?!