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The Forum > General Discussion > Do governments actually do anything worthwhile?

Do governments actually do anything worthwhile?

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Dear BAYGON,

Just as I was getting my thoughts together
to further reply to you, CJ jumped in and
did it. He more or less said what I was
going to say. We can criticize our
Governments, however we can also vote them
out if we're not happy with their performance.

Where would many people be without our government
funded healthcare systems? The Australian Government
funds all sorts of medical services and pharmaceuticals
and gives financial assistance to public hospitals,
residential aged care facilities and home and community
care for the aged. Medicare was introduced in 1984.

The major source of funding for health research comes
from the Government and the Government provides support
for training health professionals and financial assistance
to tertiary students. Then of course there's funding
for public and private schools, universities, TAFE courses
and so on.

Where would many people be without the various pensions
and allowances?

Where would we be without our police, fire fighters,
and armed forces?

I agree with CJ - we're lucky in so many ways in this
country - and it's good to be reminded of it - every
now and again.
Posted by Foxy, Monday, 4 January 2010 6:21:13 PM
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I can't think of anything much more stupid than paying some bloke in the tax department to take money out of my pay, then paying some bird in the health dept, to pay my doctor.

I reckon, looking at how hard the public servants I have observed work, that it must cost at least 15% extra for every transaction.

However, when you see the mess that is the EU, where the bureaucrats appear to set the agenda, I think we'd better keep our pollies.
Posted by Hasbeen, Monday, 4 January 2010 6:39:32 PM
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Hasbeen very true.We are the Govt.They all talk about reducing it's size but it grows like an insidious monster enveloping our basic rights and freedoms under the ruse of protecting us.

We all suffer beaker frog syndrome,not realising what we have lost in the last 50 yrs.Be very alarmed at what is happening in the USA at the moment,since Kevin Rudd is an extremely weak leader and will make us subserviant to those evil forces that now have control.

The facism that is evolving in the USA right now will come here if we do not act.Make no mistake,this is Adolph Hitler under the guise of a trendoid Obama puppet.

See http://www.wearechange.org/ I spent a day with Luke Rudkowski it's founder in Sydney last Nov.He is passionate and is a seeker of true democracy and liberty.

Good to see CJ Morgan back on board.I hope he 's learnt some humility.
Posted by Arjay, Monday, 4 January 2010 8:11:32 PM
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Arjay: << Make no mistake,this is Adolph Hitler under the guise of a trendoid Obama puppet. >>

I didn't go anywhere, Arjay. Unsurprising to see you're still a conspiracy nutjob :)

Humility's my middle name... well, it would be if it started with J.
Posted by CJ Morgan, Monday, 4 January 2010 8:30:51 PM
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The role of Government - like the Armed Forces and Police - is primarily to protect the interests (and assets) of the so-called "ruling classes" of society. The remainder of the population are a source of income during peactime and cannon-fodder during times of war.

(Non-revolutionary) Governments are not meant to change things as much as they are expected to keep this pretty much the same to maintain those interests.

The real difference between political parties and political movements, whether they are Capitalism, Communism or Fascism, is the degree of interference in the affairs of those they claim to represent.
Posted by rache, Tuesday, 5 January 2010 12:10:59 AM
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It always fascinates me how many people think the Left fetishises government as a goal unto itself.

As Pelican notes, the current choices are inefficient, frustrating democratic governments that we can choose, or ruthlessly self-interested corporations that we can't. Democracy wins hands-down as the least-worst option.

Also, while it's fun to bash the public service, the fact is that over half of a public servant's time is spent maintaining accountability. Tony Abbott would explode with indignation if his staff found a lack of transparency in government documents, and vice versa when government changes. The PS would be a lot leaner if it could go ahead without quadruple-checking and auditing everything that comes off a desk, but who would want it working secretly?

I've particularly enjoyed watching the antics of American libertarians over the past couple of years. Before the financial crash they were screaming that government regulation of the finance industry stifles efficiency and prosperity, and after it all came tumbling down they started screaming, equally loudly, that of course government needs to keep a check on it or greed will destroy everything. Government wins again as the lesser of two weevils.

It's easy to criticise government inefficiency, but the Australian banking cartel with its charges for so much as thinking about your account is a good example of the free market paradise we'd live in without public accountability in roads, hospitals, schools and all the other institutions we enjoy.
Posted by Sancho, Tuesday, 5 January 2010 5:33:08 PM
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