Federal Involvement - Funding
There has been a great debate, an ongoing debate, about governments role in funding certain elements of society. We all universally agree (for the most part) that there are areas in the Country where the government should use collective tax dollars to fund operations; roads, power, schooling, etc. However the government has fat fingers and politicians love to shove them in everyones pot.
The government has no role, none, in funding things that could privately fund them selves and are considered controversial. Examples: planned parenthood, national public radio, environmental 'initiatives', etc.. The previous list of areas where the government should get out completely, are extremely controversial. People will argue, generally, in favor of these with the comment that 'we' should help these institutions and that is generally followed by some extreme example of a failure on societies part. However, what is routinely left out is the fact that all of these areas can be funded entirely by donation and without your tax dollars, unless you personally choose to send money that way.
The United States has done everything possible to make sure that the government doesn't fund religion, yet has no problem funding areas that go against particular religions. The politicians also have a nasty habit of doing whatever keeps them elected and in most cases the electorates best interests are not in the forefront.
When it comes to Energy Policy, the United States Politician has failed miserably. Oil is, and will be, the definitive fuel source for decades to come. And whats more, we have the oil to sustain this. Politicians decide that it is more re-electable to look as if you're on the side of the 'environment' and that 'big bad oil' is the problem. Even if this argument had validity, they never draw out a clear path ahead. There is always some phantom 'event' that will occur to make things work. Instead, leave it to private industry and the consumer. What government should focus on is its own internal regulating bodies; the same ones that allow oil speculators around the world to raise the price of oil without ever taking delivery..simply making it more expensive.
To wrap it up, the United States is extremely generous in the form of donations and there is no reason for the government to focus tax money on areas that could be equally supported by private investments.
The government has no role, none, in funding things that could privately fund them selves and are considered controversial. Examples: planned parenthood, national public radio, environmental 'initiatives', etc.. The previous list of areas where the government should get out completely, are extremely controversial. People will argue, generally, in favor of these with the comment that 'we' should help these institutions and that is generally followed by some extreme example of a failure on societies part. However, what is routinely left out is the fact that all of these areas can be funded entirely by donation and without your tax dollars, unless you personally choose to send money that way.
The United States has done everything possible to make sure that the government doesn't fund religion, yet has no problem funding areas that go against particular religions. The politicians also have a nasty habit of doing whatever keeps them elected and in most cases the electorates best interests are not in the forefront.
When it comes to Energy Policy, the United States Politician has failed miserably. Oil is, and will be, the definitive fuel source for decades to come. And whats more, we have the oil to sustain this. Politicians decide that it is more re-electable to look as if you're on the side of the 'environment' and that 'big bad oil' is the problem. Even if this argument had validity, they never draw out a clear path ahead. There is always some phantom 'event' that will occur to make things work. Instead, leave it to private industry and the consumer. What government should focus on is its own internal regulating bodies; the same ones that allow oil speculators around the world to raise the price of oil without ever taking delivery..simply making it more expensive.
To wrap it up, the United States is extremely generous in the form of donations and there is no reason for the government to focus tax money on areas that could be equally supported by private investments.
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