Thursday, September 10, 2015

Dysfunctional Government?

I love this piece by Steve Chapman over at Reason magazine. He addresses complaints of dysfunctional or corrupt government. While not exactly disagreeing, he points out things kinda work the way they're meant to:

"Actually, the American government does a good job responding to the desires of the electorate. Sanders, Cruz and many citizens assume they don't get their way because the system fails. 
But sometimes they don't get their way because most people don't agree with them. Sometimes they don't get their way because it collides with constitutional principles. Sometimes they get their way, but what they want is contradictory and—what's the word I'm looking for?—dysfunctional. "

One common complaint he doesn't include is the old "..government is bought and paid for by special interests", although I suppose Sanders' accusations of corruption might suffice. I probably hear that more than anything else. I've wrote here before that special interests include pretty much everybody. 

Unions, environmental groups and pro- choice organizations are special interest groups. As are gun rights groups, tax watchdog groups, anti- abortion advocates, manufacturers associations and what have you. They all represent interests of any number of different people.

I fail to see anything fundamentally wrong with any interest group assembling for representation with government. I may not agree with them, but they all have a right to organize and lobby government on behalf of their interests.

2 Comments:

At 12:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

So are you saying all special interests have the same influence? I would hazard to guess big oil has rather more monetary clout -and therefore more laws passed in their favor-than even the wealthiest pro-environmental group.
Our problem is greed vs concern for the planet.
IMO.

 
At 2:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Most people do agree with Sanders. Only the people who don't want the boat rocked at all (wall street and old money mainly) oppose his ideas.

His ideas are old school American and he speaks cleary and passionately. Just wait till the debates. My guess is that Bernie Sanders attracts way more conservatives than Donald Trump attracts liberals.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home