How much government do we need, anyway?

[kentuck]

Right now, government is spending over 20% of the GDP but is only taking in enough revenues to pay for 15% of the GDP. Therefore, the huge deficit.

Republicans argue that we are spending too much and need to cut some of that spending whereas it is more in line with the revenues we are taking in. But is that enough government?

Do we want to keep Social Security for our citizens when they retire? Without SS, many would have nothing when they reach 65 years old. They simply did not make enough money in their lifetimes to save for any type of retirement, not even enough to survive on.

Do we want to keep Medicare? Do we want our parents to have healthcare when they get older? Or do we want to throw them to the mercies of the marketplace?

Do we want to keep a strong defense around the world? Do we want to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on Homeland security and satellites and intelligence and military bases on every continent?

Do we want to still give unemployment to those that lose their jobs? Do we still want to give food stamps to the poorest amongst us?

How much government do we need? If it is more than 15% of the GDP, should we be willing to pay for it? Where do the Republicans get the figure of 18% as the magic number for how "big" government should be? How come they get to decide how much we will spend and what we will spend it on? Shouldn't the people be the arbiters of where our tax dollars are spent and how much we really need? What if they said we need to spend 30% of the GDP on our government to take care of needs of our people? What would be wrong with that arbitrary number? Why would it be any less credible than the 18% that the Republicans arbitrarily choose??

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[dkf]

1. Normal is considered to be 20% for both revenue and spending.

Spending is closer to 24% now with 15% revenues iirc.

This is why they are talking about doing both cutting spending and increasing taxes. If we go back to Bush revenues we are at 19%. Then that leaves 4% of GDP for cuts.

[kentuck]

3. Why 20% ??

Population grows. People's needs grow. Why is that a constant?

[dkf]

5. Why should they grow more than GDP?

And those are historical norms and what is considered do-able.

Nadin clued me in to this and then I started noticing it in a lot of the government reports. We are quite a bit over the normal now.

[The Magistrate]

2. You Need Enough, Sir, To Break The Power Of The Wealthy Over The Rest

[fivepennies]

4. Unfortunately they do the reverse.

We need government to the degree that we do not self govern.
We need regulations to the degree that we do not self regulate.

Apparently we're not very good at either.

[Modern_Matthew]

6. Whatever it takes to put all modes of production under public control. nt

[Fire1]

7. I need enough government so they don't have to privitize

the big 3! I want all the government I can possibly get! I don't know what YOU need but I know what I need!