Follow up - What is the single purpose of government...
The single word for the purpose of government turned into a fun discussion with many ideas and good thoughts. Thanks to all who participated. I decided to re-post in hopes that it would make it easier for all to see where I was going. It is my hope that I am not breaking a gulch rule.
I believe you can apply the word “control” to everything that government deals with at every level of government known to man. Government is not necessary to make things move because that will happen without force. I’m not advocating for more control and IMHO we have been run over with control. I’m just saying that there is no need for government except for the purpose of control.
That being said, I believe this country became so incredibly prosperous because our founder limited our governments control over the people. Unfortunately since our founding, government does what it is naturally inclined to do. It grows and consumes power.
Would love to hear more thoughts & comments
I believe you can apply the word “control” to everything that government deals with at every level of government known to man. Government is not necessary to make things move because that will happen without force. I’m not advocating for more control and IMHO we have been run over with control. I’m just saying that there is no need for government except for the purpose of control.
That being said, I believe this country became so incredibly prosperous because our founder limited our governments control over the people. Unfortunately since our founding, government does what it is naturally inclined to do. It grows and consumes power.
Would love to hear more thoughts & comments
Previous comments... You are currently on page 3.
Well, I am wondering, have things not changed?
Anyway, I thought "defense of the realm" was a pretty good objective of government!
This reminds me of "Game of Thrones" where many of the characters do what ever is necessary for the greater good of the realm.
None have the Objectivist virtues, although Daenerys Targaryen is close, except she wants to rule the realm.
The court has twisted and "found" rights and prohibitions that do not exist. The SCOTUS was never envisioned as being the Last word, only another power to balance against the other two. Marbry v Madison changed it all - biggest power shift in US history. Now, the SCOTUS can write any law they like (as above), make us buy anything they want (O'care), spy on us (Patriot Act) whenever they want without a warrant, etc., etc., etc.
Would that the Prez could understand this as well.
That should be a starter for thinking about government.
I don't believe the concept originated from the bottom up, with the common people saying, "We really need someone to rule over us, and tell us what to do even to the point of demanding our life, and take as much of our money and property as they want." I think government had to start with a group of malevolent looters, who thought of a method and excuse to gain and maintain power over others. And their purpose in creating government was to have control of the masses. That's my opinion.
Also notice that there are two parts to the First Amendment that refer to religion: the establishment clause2 and the free exercise clause3. Today much is said about the establishment clause but there is very little mention of the free exercise clause.
At the very heart of Jefferson's idea "Wall of Separation", is the notion that the government will not interfere with people's right to worship God. The very fact that the government has ruled to regulate religious practices, indicates that the government has crossed that "Wall of Separation."
While Congress has never passed a Law that Prohibits Prayer in School, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it is Illegal for children to Pray in School because it violates the "Separation of Church and State" which is not in the Constitution. Their faulty reasoning is that Praying Establishes a State Religion, but in fact, this is really Citizens Freely Practicing their Religious faith in God. The Government would be establishing a State Religion if it forced all the children to pray to a God of one type of Religion or Denomination that they did not believe in. However, Prayer in School was always voluntary and students were free not to be a part of school prayers. Ruling that students can not Pray in School violates the Constitution of the United States by interfering with the Free Practice of Religion. Thus the Supreme Court rulings on School Prayer and Bible Reading are illegal as they violate the Constitution. Thus when the Supreme Court forbids students from praying before a football game asking God to protect the players in the game, the Court is exercising the very tyranny of the minority that our Forefathers tried to stop. The Highest Court in the land has failed to Safe-Guard the Peoples Right to Worship without Government Interference.
Shrugged.
As for me, I've always claimed, words are not the reality, the map is not the territory, and the information is not the thing. And, of course, subjective experience is not objective reality.
Franklin, of course, warned a female friend, when she asked exactly what king of government our constitution had founded: A republic, madam, if you can keep it.
How you got to the SOLE interpretation that government shall not establish a state religion is beyond my powers of comprehension.
But most emphatically, religion must NOT impose itself on government! Man has spent millenia attempting to deduce this one simple fact: religions allied with government is tyranny of the mind!
Paul had to stand on the Cointhian Church's proverbial necks in order to bring them past their carnality.
That's what I mean by out-of-context.
In the realm of the Spirit, it is the pure-of-heart who lead.
The proper purpose of government is "serve". The reality that results, unless you plan very carefully, is "control".
Load more comments...