by Dave Roberts » Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:29 am
Ed, I don't always disagree with you as much as you think. I certainly don't think that government is (or has) all the answers to the issues facing our country. There are numerous messes made by government, and there is plenty of blame on both sides of the aisle. My greatest upsets come when conservatives ignore the purposes of this country in "promoting the general welfare" for all citizens. There is an abiding form of class warfare that is being waged. It will continue unless we find ways to rebalance the economic equation.
The loans made to many people in the sub-prime lendings of the late 1990's up through about 2006 were often foolishly done. Bankers knew what was afoot long before the defaults hit, but not all the defaulting loans were created through the sub-prime lending efforts. I have watched neighbors and fellow church members trying to keep homes when downsizing or corporate restructurings sent their jobs overseas or they were caught in the pains of seeing their investments go down the drain in the market crashes. I'm also aware of lots of folks in my generation (baby boomers) who will not be retiring anytime soon because up to 25% or more of their retirement investment (that some have been making since the age of 25 or so) is suddenly gone. Others have found that the pensions promised them have never been fully funded because government allowed companies to postpone or divert the needed funds. Even in the state in which I live, the governor and legislature balanced the state budget last year by postponing necessary contributions to the state retirement system. Now they are talking of increasing the shares required from each employee because they, like much of corporate America, has been allowed to defer or ignore the support promised to workers.
I don't want big government looking over my shoulder every day, nor do I know anyone who does. There are certainly foolish regulations that every politician who wants an issue can find. At the same time, there is a need for meaningful regulations that have teeth in them for those who do the things that are harmful to others.
I am weary of do-nothing government by stalemate when people are hurting and need a government on their side, not just one responding to the whims of large political contributors. Both parties have done enough of that to leave us in the mess we are in for a long time. I reposted a sign on my FB page this week that said, "Politicians and diapers should be changed often, and for the same reason."