Why is it that Republicans trust the government?

[Ravenseye]

I mean..they don't trust the government...I mean...

Well which one is it?

They don't trust the government to handle the education of your children. They want to dismantle the department of education, and some have openly talked about privatizing the whole system, as a next step past school vouchers...

They don't trust the government to handle healthcare. They think they'd make a mess of it, that there'd be waiting lines, and all of a sudden, if we put the U.S. government in charge, we'd have the worst health care in the world...

They don't trust the government to handle welfare programs. They think things would be better off if it were all privatized and charity for the poor done through churches and other private organizations.

They don't trust the government to run our prisons and favor privitizing prisons.

They don't trust the government to do pretty much anything. The whole mentality is that the private sector can do it better and cheaper and with less corruption. Their argument is that government, particularly centralized government is always corrupt and worse than decentralized or privatized functions.

I disagree with that, at least on some issues....I do think privitization occasionally makes more sense, and sometimes centralizing things is better...

However, how do they jive that with trusting the government to have the authority to wield wiretaps without warrant (now overthrown) or to hold people indefinately without trial, all on the argument that the government would never abuse that authority...it's meant for terrorists...

I just don't get how they jive that in their heads. It's not consistent. Or is it? Can someone explain how you can not trust government to handle a million different things because of inefficiency and corruption, yet trust them with nearly limitless security powers including indefinate detention without trial based on 'their word'?

[kurth]

1. Big Government and Big Business know best

The ideal marriage for greedy fascist pigs.

[geomon666]

2. ....Because they control it.

Duh! :dunce:

[sgxnk]

3. a basic truism

republicans/conservatives tend to trust govt. as a father figure

dems/liberals tend to trust govt. as a mother figure

this is an old political saw, but it is largely true imo

i am reminded of the old pj orourke quip about republicans running on a campaign that govt. is bloated, inefficient and uneffective, and then getting elected and proving it :)

the more libertarian folks on the left/right tend to want neither a father or mother figure. but imo most dems and repubs want lots of govt. authority, just a different sort of authority (daddy vs. mommy).

[The2ndWheel]

4. You provided your own answer

Your question...

"I just don't get how they jive that in their heads. It's not consistent. Or is it? Can someone explain how you can not trust government to handle a million different things because of inefficiency and corruption, yet trust them with nearly limitless security powers including indefinate detention without trial based on 'their word'?"

Your answer...

"I disagree with that, at least on some issues....I do think privitization occasionally makes more sense, and sometimes centralizing things is better..."

[Ravenseye]

8. Having trouble wrapping my head around that

I've tried responding 3 times to this, and just can't think of what to say...

I see it as looking at each situation individually to determine what best acheives the best outcome for that situation, most efficiently, without abusing our basic rights and freedoms along the way.

Republicans, as far as I can tell, look at each situation generally and say that the private sector must be the better approach, no matter the evidence, aside from security, and in neither case seem to care about our basic rights and freedoms.

Is that it?

[VolcanoJen]

5. What's interesting is that they never used to.

They were always the party of "Less Government."

They were always the party that trusted the private sector over the public.

My, how times have changed. A little Bush Worship-Brainwash goes a long way, it seems.

[Ravenseye]

9. See that's how I remember it too

Like way back when....1999..2000..They were the party of small government, and flipped out when anyone's rights were trod on, or peopel suggested carrying around papers or identification, etc...they hated the menace of authoritarian governments....

It just feels like they've take a few strange steps towards authoritarianism, where before they felt closer to libertarianism...

[boolean]

6. Because they're assholes

Anything that benefits the middle class is not something to trust the government on.

But the rich? Hell, they trust them there!

[OregonBlue]

7. They trust THIS government to allow them to make money. Screw the

environment, screw the good of the nation, screw it all, it's about money and only money and that is their GOD.