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Kris Rosvold

Commercial Services Specialist, Central Oregon Heating & Cooling

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Do we need to have a discussion with our Governments about the proper roles and, duties of government?

In the USA alone, I have watched the Federal Government take us off the gold standard resulting in my buying power being reduced by over 1/2 dollar for dollar. I have watched "our" congress remove the Glass-Stegall Act which had prevented financial melt-downs for over 45 years. I have watched our regulators ignore the fact that our food supply system is so broken that I must cook all food to well-done in order to prevent food-borne illnesses. I have watched our government mandate the food (corn) be turned into fuel with millions starving. I have watched our government start, support, and force us to pay for wars which are morally wrong, and based on lies. I believe that government, in the USA, as we now know it, is broken. So the questions are:
1) What are the PROPER roles of a government?
2) Has our (US) government over-stepped those boundaries?
3) What are the duties of a government to its' citizens?
4) How can we act to require our governments become moral (ie congruent)?

Related Talks:
Topics: Geopo government history philosophy politics social change sustainability
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    Krisztián Pintér 200+

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    TED Translator
    Apr 16 2012: we have five questions, one in the title, another four in the text.

    to the top question: no. we appoint the government. we don't any discussion with it. we should be able to simply tell them what to do. they don't have a say.

    1. in the most general terms, anything that people let them to do. if most people are convinced that bombing iraq is an acceptable idea, they can do that. there is nothing any more moral or fundamental than this.

    2. not sure, and you will observe within months how the current president gets reelected.

    3. same as 1.

    4. vote according to your principles. never vote to someone who severely violated them. teach others about the issues. don't let them get away with it.
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      Kris Rosvold

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      Apr 16 2012: Krisztian, In your answer you say that we should be able to simply tell the government what to do...In theory, I think you are correct in that assessment. In practice, the problem is that in the USA all of our "mainstream" media is owned or controlled by the very corporations who have bought our government "representatives" through campaign contributions, and most if not all so-called "news" is actually spin-control by those corporations. The other problem in practice is that the US has a little thing called the "Patriot Act" under which the president or his designee may lock up someone without trial (or an attorney) on the basis of an allegation that s/he is a threat to national security.

      My intent in the questions is to draw some of our best thinkers (TED) into a discussion of "where do we go from here?" and " how do we get there?"
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        Krisztián Pintér 200+

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        TED Translator
        Apr 16 2012: if the government is not willing to accept instructions from us, it will also not engage in honest conversation.

        my solution is as i stated: teach others. and of course, think.

        • Dustin McKnight

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          Apr 18 2012: I agree with your solution Krisztian. The people must be awakened from their slumber of apathy and ignorance. That means teaching others and questioning everything.
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          Joanne Donovan 30+

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          Apr 20 2012: Krisztian. 'teach others' do you mean indoctrinate them with your world view and sense of ethics? I thought you were against that? Think? Chance would be a fine thing, where some people are concerned however, that is a very patronising comment. You are assuming those who do not agree with you, do not think. I do not agree with you, and yet I also think. Can you accept that fact that other people/tribes/cultures do not share you world view, and that you do not own the only solution to the human dilemma?
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        Krisztián Pintér 200+

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        TED Translator
        Apr 20 2012: joanne, no i don't mean. why do you ask if you had the impression that i'm against indoctrination? why is that a natural thought for you that i advocate something i condemn? it sounds weird.

        i claim the right to argue. i claim the possibility that i'm right. i will continue to argue as long as i'm not proven wrong. you are advised to do the same, and not hide behind "culture" or "tribe". these are just excuses for the intellectually lazy or those in the denial phase. you are either right or not. culture does not change it one bit.
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          Joanne Donovan 30+

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          Apr 21 2012: So you deny you are the product of culture? Your inner drivers, your reasons for doing things your ideas, are completely devised through your powers of reason? Before you answer, I use the word 'culture' in a broad sense, nothing to do with national identity or skin colour, but instead a set of belief paradigms acquired through proximity. A set of subjective ideologies, not absolute truths.

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