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Showing posts with label Ron Paul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ron Paul. Show all posts

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Government Shutdown Simulates “Small Government”

The US Senate again set the stage for another governmental shutdown. The Republican's blogged the nominations of President Obama's nominee for the the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the nominee for the head of the Federal Housing Agency. This strategic move puts into play the potential of another filibuster and how far a minority party can thwart the majority party.  Today's post comes from guest author Kit Case, from Causey Law Firm of The State of Washington.

Every news program announces the ongoing shutdown of non-essential federal government services.  News articles delve into the possible consequences.  Republicans and Democrats fight over whether the other is willing to negotiate.  Members of the Republican Party bicker within their ranks about the shutdown. 

Everyone should take note that what we are experiencing with the current shutdown provides us all with a practice-run for the level of government desired by the Tea Party members of the Republican Party.

Wikipedia notes that the current "small government" movement in the United States is largely a product of Ronald Reagan's presidency from 1980–88. The Tea Party movement is a modern reflection of this belief in small government. 

They claim that in the past the United States had a small government, and that it has turned away from that ideal. Some members of the Republican Party advocate small government, especially its libertarian wing, which includes politicians such as Ron Paul and his son Rand Paul

The Libertarian party, a third party, supports small government. A 2013 poll showed that the majority (54%) of Americans think the government is trying to do too much.
We now have an opportunity to define “essential” services.
Although 54% is only just a majority, Americans can now ponder the concept of small government and what the effect of shrinking the government would have on federal, state and local jurisdictions.  The “non-essential” services now halted would likely have to be replaced by those jurisdictions, where possible, were the federal government to be stripped down to the vision of the Tea Party and Libertarian Party members.  We now have an opportunity to define “essential” services.

Cities across the country will feel the pinch of the shutdown, particularly if it drags out beyond a few days. Furloughs of non-essential federal employees won't just affect D.C. and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Cities around the country host full-time, non-Post Office federal employee populations. New York is home to 26,696 federal employees; Atlanta is home to 23,718; Philadelphia is home to 19,940; Chicago has 16,069; Houston has 15,530; and Los Angeles has 14,689. The list of the top 50 cities with the highest federal employment is here.1

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Corporate Empathy: A Race To The Bottom Of The Ladder

As the Republican Presidential primary race heats up, the candidates start to get tied, the debate becomes ever so more heated and raw, and the true colors of reality starts to show. Where the race will lead us and the movement to improve the nation's system of medical benefit delivery to injured workers' is really anyone's best guess. As of now the temperature of the debate and the emotion being generated portends poorly for the benefit of workers as the corporate mentality reflects no empathy for workers and the race to the bottom of the ladder continues.


For more read the NY Times Editorial today"The Corporate Candidates."
"Mr. Romney claims his background as a businessman provides him with an understanding of the economy and the ability to fix it. His opponents — particularly Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Rick Perry — say their political experience provides the same advantage. In truth, none have offered anything but tired or extremist economic prescriptions, providing little evidence that they can relate to those at the middle or bottom of the ladder."