What should the government pay for?

[lomiller]

Well, the problem with that is that almost anything that the government does sounds good if you're vague enough about what it's doing and how much it's spending. Who can argue with "economic development," especially in the middle of a recession.

Of course, if it turns out that what "economic development" really means is paying for some lunatic in Wyoming to grow rice and bananas on the taxpayer's dollar, most people will change their minds.

While this does occur it seem anecdotal rather then systemic. remember McCain was going to eliminate earmarks and save a grand total of $18 billion? Essentially a paltry amount given the size of the the US budget, and it's still far from conclusive that something is wasteful just because it's an earmark.

In other cases it only sounds silly in partisan soundbytes. "Volcano monitoring? what a wast of money why do we need that"

 

[Cain]

Statists.

 

[commandlinegamer]

Who the hell in their right mind thinks national defense is not something taxes should fund??

Jesus, Gandhi, other people who believe in turning the other cheek?

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Who the hell in their right mind thinks national defense is not something taxes should fund??

Jesus, Gandhi, other people who believe in turning the other cheek?

Did you mean this Jesus?

 

[commandlinegamer]

Did you mean this Jesus?

That's what so great about the Bible: always a contradiction you can rely on.

 

[Darat]

This was close to my reaction. I think the question would be better phrased something like, "What services should we as a nation provide?"

...snip...

I think that is the best way to put it (I'd usually put it more as "What services should the society that I choose to belong to provide?"). It may well be that for the provision of some services the most effective (which does not always mean the most cost effective) way is to have a national body (i.e. government) directly provide that service. For other things it may be for the society via a national body to pay "private" enterprise to provide the service. It should be on a case by case basis.

 

[Fishstick]

Sorry, I don't see Gay Abortions on this list?