Government to Takeover the Internet

[ScottM]

Because the discourse of American politics today has become so polarized by media, political and private interests on ever side, it's much more difficult to argue a middle position and not be universally misinterpreted. It's also a lot more work! ️

I want less regulation. I do, really! I want corporations to play the long game and do the right things for their shareholders, employees and the public resources the depend on so that regulations aren't needed. I want personal liberties to expand. I want more freedom of religion as long as it doesn't violate other's rights for the same. I want innovation in every sector imaginable. I want full, gainful and productive employment for all. I want soldiers to get paid more for the insane level of sacrifice they endure. I want basic, fundamental health care because we're better than a clan of tribesmen who let neighbors die. I want military and moral superiority so we can protect ourselves AND those who want to be free like us. I want Crocs and Comic Sans outlawed in all 50 states.

[ScottM]

And you're right Knkali, a lot of times the government regulation pill is worse than the disease. Often it creates unintended consequences. But often it doesn't either. OSHA has saved a ****-ton of lives in the mining industry. If we didn't have health and safety regulations, little would dissuade companies from poisoning our water, air and earth. Without the FDA, drugs would be of dubious quality and public health at risk.

But the thing is, anti-government rhetoric has taken over the right. Anti-corporate rhetoric has taken over the left. And both to such extreme degrees that common ground is nearly impossible. That's why we have today's dysfunction and a large part of why political parties are depending on dirty tricks to get their way. It just creates more and more mistrust from either side. The only ones winning are the media bobble heads, their networks and their investors.

[Bawanna]

More a sociological observation. I am glad that we agreed on that point. I am not sure what you were driving at in the latter part of your post. What is "it" that you refer to? Corruption? if so, there is no argument that corruption is a real force to be reckoned with. However, if you think the Gs role is to protect us from same, you and I are at that aforementioned impasse yet again. The G can only take by force something and give it to another. Somewhere in that transaction, someone is left short handed. Don't get me wrong, when it comes to the equal share to natural resources, the G is necessary. After all, I don't want ScottXYZ to pee in the river upstream from me that I bathe in. I need a 3rd party to reconcile such problems.

Not really. It's common sense for ScottXYZ to NOT pee in the river so you'd be fully justified to go whup ScottXYZ's ass every time he does it until common sense prevails. It's like common sense dictates that one judge the wind when burning trash or leaves or weed. If the wind is blowing towards you neighbors house, you shouldn't burn because that would justify your neighbor to come over and kick your ass.

You let the government police the pee in the river thing and most likely they won't ever know it even occurs and/or your complaints will go unattended too. If they are attended to, they will give ScottXYZ a big fine which he will probably ignore since he's probably on food stamps and government assistance since he can't afford an outhouse to pee in.
The government will spend huge amounts of money (ours) to try and get ScottXYZ to pay his fine which will pay for about 1/5th of 1 % of the agency created to police the river peeing in the first place.

The ass whupping is far more effective, cheap and a real time saver.

The trouble now days is the severe lack of common sense, integrity and honesty in the general population.

What the hell am I doing in the politics arena.

[knkali]

And you're right Knkali, a lot of times the government regulation pill is worse than the disease. Often it creates unintended consequences. But often it doesn't either. OSHA has saved a ****-ton of lives in the mining industry. If we didn't have health and safety regulations, little would dissuade companies from poisoning our water, air and earth. Without the FDA, drugs would be of dubious quality and public health at risk.

But the thing is, anti-government rhetoric has taken over the right. Anti-corporate rhetoric has taken over the left. And both to such extreme degrees that common ground is nearly impossible. That's why we have today's dysfunction and a large part of why political parties are depending on dirty tricks to get their way. It just creates more and more mistrust from either side. The only ones winning are the media bobble heads, their networks and their investors.

really? OSHA is that much of a savior in your opinion. You don't need to answer this publicly but I bet you do not own your own business that has more than one or two employees. The FDA is a good entity in your opinion? We are truly at in impasse. While these entities have done good things, the price we pay for that is heavy in regulation and has cost us far more that the benefits we reaped. This is coming from a man who has his own business and buys his meds from Canada which are often times manufactured in India. In fact, I am able to get affordable generic meds from Canada way before they are availbale in the U.S thanks to the FDA.

[JohnR]

Bawanna for President! Amen, brother!

[deadeye]

I would like to make a statement. Before retiring I worked 35 years in management for a major processing company. My job was overseeing building and machinery maintenance. As we had government contracts we were subject to all the regulations and rules of the federal government. One bright day 2 gentlemen showed up in our main office and said they were OSHA inspectors, and they were. Because of my position it was my responsibility to escort them on their inspection. Our company was/is extremely safety oriented. We had 10 years with not a single lost time accident. During their tour they wrote up over 2 pages of safety infractions. I was dumbfounded at some of the items they wrote up. During our closing meeting they asked for an executive of our company to be present. Our plant manager came immediately. This is what the inspectors said. " We just wrote up over 2 pages of nonsense. We are aerospace engineers who were laid of because of budget cuts and have been kept on the payroll because they didn't want to lose us. This inspection is just one of the odd jobs they have us doing. We know nothing about your processes or anything you do. They just told us to write up a bunch of stuff and leave. We are asking you to contest this inspection. A judge will throw it out. Please." A judge threw it out. On their follow up visit their first question was "Did you contest the inspection?"
We said yes and the judge threw it out. They said thank you, now we don't have to waste time doing a followup.
Your tax dollars at work. I can tell similar stories about dealing with FDA, USDA and EPA. After 35 years of dealing with the federal government and their minions, yes, I am a little jaded about believing anything they say or do. If you are ever in a position to deal directly and daily with the feds I feel sorry for you. If you come away completely unjaded I admire you.

[Bawanna]

OSHA was a pain back in my vertical construction days. Had a lot of fun with them but what a joke.

[ScottM]

Through 15 years in the financial industry I periodically dealt directly with OCC auditors. Some were disappointing, some dogmatic, some quite reasonable and some sharp as hell. They're people, getting paid less than their private counterparts in most circumstances with varying levels of support from their home office.

[getsome]

I read Scottm's article so if you are of a mind to, read mine.....I'm not a huge fan of Rush but in this case he hits this "Net Neutrality" deal right on the head.... This is a 300+ page rule package that nobody has been able to read until the FCC passed it....If you think that Net Neutrality is about the Government riding in on a white horse to save the little people from abuse by big business ISP then you have been lied to.....

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/20...n_obama_s_plan

[Longitude Zero]

I read Scottm's article so if you are of a mind to, read mine.....I'm not a huge fan of Rush but in this case he hits this "Net Neutrality" deal right on the head.... This is a 300+ page rule package that nobody has been able to read until the FCC passed it....If you think that Net Neutrality is about the Government riding in on a white horse to save the little people from abuse by big business ISP then you have been lied to.....

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/20...n_obama_s_plan

Precisely. Net Neutrality is a bill of goods just like Obamacare is. Virtually all government agencies were instituted to right some wrong, many just perceived wrongs with no actual wrongdoing at all. Now the overwhelming majority have morphed into monsters that exist only to maintain themselves. Each agency should have there budget reduced 2% a year each and every year until they get 50% of what they got this year.