Some people have posted recently about the role of government. That is a huge question and one that needs to be debated.
One side thinks government should only do basic services - locally like fire and police, and utilities - nothing else. The other side wants government to work toward improving the quality of life.
Some time back, I asked commissioners this hypothetical question. "If the majority of people in town wanted everyone to have free soft drinks, and were willing to pay for it with more taxes, would you vote for it.?"
Got some interesting answers but I don't remember who said what now. Suffice to say it would not pass with the current commission.
Usually both sides are so focused on their side they don't bother trying to understand the other side. Often you just get labeled if you don't agree with someone on this question. Its something that needs to be thought about seriously, and debated seriously.
It is a huge question for Arkansas City, and for the nation really. Its one of the fundamental differences nationally even, and with the conservative-liberal divide.
(An aside, I see myself as a moderate. This means I don't think either side has the answers, which generally gets me labeled instead of understood. By moderate I don't mean a Kansas Democrat. Neither side is right. The real value of both sides is that they keep either side from getting too much power. I'm really ready for some third-party options.)
I said that in order to suggest that in the debate of the role of government, neither conservatives nor liberals are right. :)
The government is not some entity in a vacuum. We all are the government. We do have leaders and representatives, but the people still have a voice. If our reps don't listen, we can turn them out of office at the next election.
I do think government should be involved in some quality of life issues. There can be too much of course so we need people who will say whoa! when needed. Just exactly where that line is, is hard to define.
Id rather decide on the role of government on a case by case basis, instead of just being blindly conservative or liberal about it.
What do you think.
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"Gummint rolls"
Is that a pastry or a new version of gummy bears?
How about gummy commissioners? sour grape flavored!
In theory, your case by case argument sounds right on. However, I think we have been doing this on a national level for so long that we can not create any more laws without effecting others. We have micro-managed things to death and created this complicated web of government which just stagnates the whole process.
At what point do you just get back to keep it simple stupid? Ok, that is an exageration, but why do we make things more complicated than they already are? Why can't we give the people some responsibility and credit. Why does the governement have to take care of everything?
They don't need to take care of everything, they just like the control. Most of the time "money" is the reason they do more everything.
i agree with the post above, most of governments decisions are money based. What is sad is when they are money based to benefit the people in power and not the people they represent (which is more and more these days it seems). The war in Iraq is a good example- sure has benefited a lot of friends of the president. The city here trying to annex more people when they can't take care of the ones they have now is another good example- if you admit you don't have the money to take care of the streets, water, sewer, etc that you already have, then why would you try to annex yet another area that you would in turn have to also provide these services??? because they only see and want the tax dollars it will bring in- after that they can just use the same excuses about what they can and cant provide after they annex them. Parkerfield was smart to do what they did, they could see what they were in for if Ark City took them over. Too many top dogs in government are too busy making sure they get their share and more on top of that, instead of what they are really in governmnet to do. Sheriff's should be appointed like police chiefs, it's the city manager job that should be put to a vote instead. At least then we could oust him if need be...
With 25% of the income revenues in Ark City coming in from federal and state non-employment funds, this is an important issue.
This number is way higher than other communities and I wonder why.
With 25% of the income revenues in Ark City coming in from federal and state non-employment funds, this is an important issue.
..............
It is an important issue
but where did you get those numbers?
course a lot of it could be retired people.
but give me a source, id like to look into it.
Government at all levels is out of control. We cannot throw enough money in the machine to do all for everyone.
Read Politics Lost, Somebody's Gotta Say It!" and Nanny State for a perspective. Slanted, no doubt, but no more so that the main media.
Jean Snell
the 20/20 report
Ok, but yall are still going to the extreme that I talked about.
It cant just be one or the other ... can it?
Nobody wants anyone else to benefit from governmental aid.
Lord Macaulay said the Puritans "hated bear-baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators."
Yet, nobody gets too upset when they "receive" governmental aid. Tax refunds, new highways, grants that pay for events in the park, all of those dozens of people who play office in town in the numerous agencies that provide pre-school, transportation, food, medical care, etc. etc. etc. That part of government aid is considered good.
Someone else receiving benefits from it is bad.
It is the puritan's opposition to bear-baiting. It isn't about themselves, it is about "all those other bad people over there".
It isn't about themselves, it is about "all those other bad people over there".
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Good point. And there is the fear that they might actually be enjoying it, also makes them opposed.
The oil companies are getting billions of dollars every year in corporate welfare even as they rape the American public and ransack our economy.
With that in mind, i dont worry much about some guy or lady getting a few bucks off the till whether they "deserve" it or not.
I saw on one of the news stations last week where Exxon oil is making $1,846 per/second just off gasoline sales!
I bet we would not be complaining if we owned shares of their stock. Some argue that if we cut out their profit, drilling in the US will come to a standstill and all of the money we pay at the pump will go to foreign oil and foreign owned companies. Just like everything we buy made in China. I'm not sure what to believe anymore.
"all of the money we pay at the pump will go to foreign oil and foreign owned companies."
Don't look now, but.......
I'm not sure what to believe anymore.
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It is hard to know. Such disinformation flying around.
But we need to realize that even the idea of "foreign oil" isnt really true. It is true that the oil lies in foreign lands, but the oil companies themselves are either international or U.S. based and ran.
Sure the oil stock owners are happy, why would they be complaining when they are making a killing off other peoples misfortune. I know of one such person that is estactic and doesn't give 2 cents that people are struggeling to pay for gasoline.
Well I can see why some of the oil producers are excited. They have seen $17/barrel in the past!
I think the domestic producers were a little skeptical and reluctant to get cranked up as they have seen the price drop in the past. Also alot of the equipment for drilling and repair was scrapped when oil was low and steel was high!
I know someone who poured $10,000 down a well plugging it and that was when oil was alot lower! So its not all profit all of the time!
Sidenote: You need to check into the SemGroup Bankruptcy. It is having an effect locally. Just how bad remains to be seen!
I placed a post yesterday. It ws there later on but has now disappeared. Is there ex post facto editing? It was about just what the Ark City Industries is and inviting you all to attend the Zoning Board meeting tonight (too late) and the Planning Commission meeting tomorrow. I also complemented the production at Wilson Park Friday evening.
I placed a post yesterday. It ws there later on but has now disappeared.
Your post about that is on a different string of posts.
I did delete one by accident.
But I believe yours is someplace else.
No defacto post editing here :)
Sorry if i did delete you though
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