Why Government Is Important: Big Brother = Big Bother??

Note:  Although I'm a registered democrat, my viewpoints are more independent and progressive (and skeptical).  I am open to debate and intelligent discussion, but NO vulgar language or finger pointing!!

Let's face it:  It's election year and the politics are charged.  No one likes being told what to do, I know that.  That's the idea behind making smaller federal governments and less regulation. 

However, I urge my readers to remember about human nature and extremes:  remember Communism (without the bad connotations)?

The idea of Communism (coming from "community") was that everyone supports each other.  A great example is a college dorm's fridge: everyone puts food in the fridge (without labeling) and then everyone takes whatever they want out.  The idea is good if everyone supplied their own product (one person only got milk, the other only got veggies, etc).  However, as we know, it didn't work that way in practice because it's precarious and risky: people fend for themselves and rarely have the larger interests in mind (at least according to today's status quo), and if one person forgets, doesn't buy, or just plain doesn't want to put something in the fridge, no one has that specific good available.

The same thing happens in American politics:  Correct me if I'm wrong, but the conservatism (possible correlation with republican parties?) ideal is small government complemented by neoclassical economics:  Capitalism is our blood.   Let the markets regulate themselves due to supply and demand and let the money filter through to the consumers.  Again, in theory, it's great.  However, as we can see today and in history, corporations are only out to make money.  Period.  This is not an ethics debate; we all need money to survive.  The income inequality and uneven distribution of wealth is ethically questionable, but I'm saying how the role of government is important:  Without legal regulation, I'm sure many companies would go to great lengths to get a short term profit even if it hurts in the long run because they need the money to continue functioning.  It's not easy.  I don't say that corporations are satanists because I can understand the hard decisions they have to make.  They need money today to function tomorrow.



As a result of these tendencies to make penny-wise, pound-foolish decisions, federal regulations are needed to set limits, regulations, and incentives to help corporations function efficiently to both profit, make long-term investments in projects that will make them last (like environmentally conscious protocols that will comply with future environmental regulations that will come due to public demand sooner or later), and properly contribute to our society as a whole.

Personally, I believe a hybridization of capitalism and socialism is the best way to go (this already seems to be happening in many European countries):  Long term public needs like education, medicine, public transportation, environmental regulations, and R&D should be nationwide (socialized) and covered EQUALLY with federal subsidies, taxes, and have national standards that are supported through non-biased scientific research.  The equal coverage is crucial so people understand the true costs of a product; if oil production wasn't subsidized, I'm sure renewable energies would look much more attractive.  We just installed solar panels on our roof yesterday because it will pay off in the long run (we did the calculations). 

I believe that political corruption through lobbying and money from corporations should be publicly shunned if not illegal.  Other products made to increase standard of living (in other words, "stuff" that isn't necessary for survival) like techno gadgets, entertainment, leisure, etc should be managed by MANY small, private firms to let supply and demand regulate their efficiency and competition so they don't have so much leverage against policy-makers.  

Consumers:  Remember that YOU control the prices.  The more of a product you demand (i.e. buy), the more the market will make of it.  The less you demand it, the producers (and eventually policy and regulation) will compensate (look at cigarettes as an example).

So when we go to vote in November, remember:  keep the long term goals in mind, be skeptical, and read both sides of the issue before casting your vote!