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Originally Posted by theking
A question for you Colin...do you take a more than average interest...in your government?
I take a greater interest than the average bear...and I am sure that the staff of my Congressman have uttered more than a few expletives under their breath...directed towards me. I used to take a big interest in city and county government (less now than before as I become more disabled I get out and about less) as they usually have a direct influence upon my life...more so than the federal government.
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From most people's point-of-view, probably not. I do not hold strong opinions on the major issues that divide the parties. I often see both sides of the debate and don't see one side as "right " or "wrong" but rather see that there could be different outcomes depending on one's philosophical viewpoint of what the world should be like.
Raising taxes, for example, can have numerous effects. It can take money out of the hands of businesses and people and so shrink the private sector. It can also reduce the government's budget deficits. But it can also grow the deficit if private sector profits are reduced from having less operating and investment capital and in the end they may pay less taxes. It also grows the power of governments.
No simple answers.
As far as the Patriot Act. It infringes on many rights and liberties which I think are important. It may also help with law enforcement and in bringing dangerous people in to custody. I am not sure how much it helps. The government is notoriously unreliable in citing such statistics. If there is a nuclear terrorist act on US soil the people will demand much more than the Patriot Act. The question is whether the current Patriot Act will actually help prevent such an act or not. And no one knows how capable any would-be terrorists are of such an act though I think we understand there are plenty with enough motivation. Ideally, I would like to see the Democrats take the House or Senate and bring the political power equation a little more in to balance. Then such debates would be a little more interesting and the ability to rescind any such emergency acts as needed would be much greater.
I am intensely interested in history and how government works but as something of an outsider. I don't vote.