Name:   copperline - Subject:   Copperline Date:   12/30/2012 12:40:17 AM

Here’s how i see it.  i (and my wife) worked all our lives, saved our money, avoided debt and it worked out just fine because we did.   We’re safe, well-fed, able to afford the important safety nets of our time like medical insurance and such.    So i do agree about the need for good fundamental money management whether on a private or government level.   i’m no economist, but i do believe that running an entire nation is not exactly the same in every respect.   For instance, the government has a different function in society.  it’s purpose is to serve our collective needs not just me and a few relatives.    And when the government has to, it injects capital into the economy by way of taxing and spending on strategically important tasks like public safety, healthcare, the military, education, energy, research of all kinds, and infrastructure development like transportation, communication, or regulation of industry.     This can also mean the govt can ‘prime the pump’ of an ailing economy or bring it completely down with economic errors.     Conservatives would leave any pump priming to corporations and the free market, and hope those private interests would do the right thing for society.

As far as cutting programs and federal budgets go, i'm pretty strong in supporting public welfare programs, but my real POV is that we are ALL much more dependent on government functions than we think about.... and when you really start cutting federal programs in a meaningful way, you are going to surprise people with the changes it brings in their lives.   Yes, we have to keep government spending in line with GDP over time. This is going to mean accepting changes in all sorts of government activity.   i agree with that.

A fellow i know was bitterly complaining about how intrusive government was into his business, how the taxes were beyond reason because they were being wasted on deadbeats, …. And, he added, the worst kick in the pants was that the government loan he was wanting for his business was being delayed by a very inattentive agency he was dealing with.   in my view, his anger is going to get worse because he already depends on the government in ways he won’t acknowledge.  He thinks there is an easily identified group of cheats & bums that are causing the problem.

A final example, i read that it is possible… even likely… that the cost of a gallon of milk could double as a result of the fiscal cliff debacle… because tax supports to the dairy industry that are designed to keep that cost low to US consumers will be taken away.    Now that seems like a good use of tax dollars to me, and represents one of the functions that i expect our govt should continue to do.   i do not want to see us continue to fail to solve the economic crisis, but i imagine that if we do, you’ll start hearing more people complaining about the lack of services that come from tax dollars & government programs shortly after Jan 1.