While I'm a liberal democrat, I have a large conservative family. A recent e-mail discussion with a family member left me pulling out my hair in frustration because of her two questions, "tell me one good thing government does" and "why do you trust goverment?"
It's not that I couldn't come up with an answer, but I honestly felt like I was going to have to write a book in order to come up with the majestic response I so desired. (Not that I think I will change her mind, but I like to at least feel satisfied that I fought the good fight.)
I have literally been putting off this project for several weeks now until a new e-mail from my cousin convinced me it was time to get to work...and then I found the Holy Grail...exactly what I was looking for
Government is Good
I wanted a majestic response and I found it...learn more below the fold.
There are many gems on this site, and I feel that I've only scratched the surface, but the following gives a sense of all of the areas that the site explores in depth.
Conservative Criticisms of Government and Rebuttals, with links to long, detailed arguments...
Government is inept and most government policies fail.
A look at the record shows that most government programs work well and have helped considerably to mitigate society’s problems and improve our lives.The Forgotten Achievements of Government
Bureaucracies are immensely wasteful.
Studies show that most government bureaucracies are not very wasteful. The Case for Bureaucracy
Government only interferes with the efficient operation of a market economy. Capitalism would be better off without government.
Free-market capitalism could not exist without an active government that provides the extensive legal infrastructure that creates and regulates markets and that enables corporations to do business. Capitalism Requires Government
Government is the problem. Its programs create more problems than they solve.
Government policies are the source of few of our serious societal problems. Problems like poverty, pollution, and lack of health care have their sources in the private sector – not the public sector.
Why Government is the Scapegoat
The more government programs we have, the less freedom we have.
Most government programs – such as fire protection, building roads, food stamps, public education, funding scientific research, and Social Security – do virtually nothing to restrict our individual freedoms. More Government does not mean less freedom
The main threat to our civil liberties comes from big government.
Government can sometimes threaten our civil liberties. But on a day-to-day basis, most of us face more serious threats to our civil liberties – such as our rights to privacy and free speech – in our workplaces in the private sector. Government as the Primary Protector of our Rights and Liberties
The less government we have, the more liberty we have.
Government institutions, like the courts, are the primary way we protect our rights and liberties. Government has also been the main way to expand our rights and freedoms.
If the function of government is simply to provide services, we know that the market is much better at doing that.
Government is not simply a provider of services, it is a collective moral endeavor that enable us to promote the common good. It is a public space in which we debate moral questions and try to decide on what is good for society. The market cannot perform this function – it is not an ethical enterprise. Doing good through government
Most Americans dislike government and would like to reduce it.
Polls reveal that large majorities do not want to cut back on most key government programs, including healthcare, environmental protection, education, retirement security, business regulation, etc. Many would like to see more government activity in these areas.
The Anti-Government Group's Radical Agenda
We’ve reached the limit of what government programs can do to improve the lives of Americans, so we should halt government growth.
The record of government programs in other Western democracies show that there is much more our government can do to make Americans safer, healthier, more economically secure, etc. Why We Need More, Not Less, Government
Most Americans hate paying taxes and want to see them reduced.
Polls show that most people don’t mind paying taxes; and instead of cutting taxes they would rather spend that money on education, defense, health, etc. What Americans REALLY Think about Government
Government is bad because politicians tend to be corrupt or incompetent.
While some politicians are certainly worthy of scorn, the institution of democratic government is not – it continues to perform crucial and valuable functions in our society.
Beyond Cynicism of Government
Government bureaucracies usually provide poor service to the public.
Studies show that Americans rate the quality of service from most public agencies as being on par with that of private businesses.
The Case FOR Bureaucracy
Churches and private charities could take the place of government in addressing many social problems.
The amount of money raised by churches and charities is not nearly enough to address wide-scale problems like poverty, hunger, lack of health care, etc. And in practice, only a small portion of the money these institutions collect actually goes to help those in need.
Doing Good through Government
Government taxes have been increasing at a precipitous rate.
Government taxes as a portion of gross domestic product have not grown at all since the mid-1970s.
Taxes are good
Most of the taxes that we pay go to programs that benefit others – such as welfare and foreign aid – not programs that help average Americans like us.
Welfare and foreign aid make up less than 3% of the federal budget. The government spends most of its money on programs like Social Security and Medicare that benefit all of us. (see above link)
Only a liberal would think that government is good.
Most Americans, including many moderates and conservatives, support important government programs like education and environmental protection. People of all political persuasions can appreciate what government does to improve their lives. Revitalizing the Public Sector
Government taxes are a large drag on economic growth.
Comparative studies show little relationship between a society’s level of taxes and its rate of economic growth. High taxes and healthy economic growth can go together. (see link on taxes)
The less taxes individuals pay, the more money they have and the more economically secure they are.
Americans are facing more economic risks than ever. Government programs are our main means for collectivizing risks and greatly increasing our economic security. (see link on taxes)
Government is inefficient and should be run more like a business.
We often don’t want government to act like a business and spend the least amount possible to provide crucial services like airport security, highway safety, etc. (See the Case for Bureaucracy)
Over the last thirty years, Americans have become increasingly conservative and wary of government.
Polls show that since the 1970s, Americans have not grown more conservative – nor have they become generally more negative about government and its programs. (See, the anti-government's radical agenda)
Government is inherently coercive, so it should be kept to a minimum.
Government coercion is often necessary to promote the common good and to create an ordered, prosperous, and just society. More Government Does Not Mean Less Freedom
Government just keeps growing by itself – to satisfy the needs of power-hungry politicians and bureaucrats.
Government has more often grown because citizens have demanded more services and better programs to solve society’s problems.
(see, the case for bureaucracy)
Government is the enemy of business.
Government provides billions in subsidies to business, both in obvious ways, such as tax breaks, but also in less obvious ways, such as in infrastructure investment. How Government is Good for Business
Americans are overtaxed and are in dire need of more tax cuts.
Americans already have some of the lowest tax rates among Western developed countries. (see, taxes are good)
Government regulations often cost more than the benefits they produce.
The benefits to society from regulations almost always outweigh their economic costs.
Limited government is the reason why we are more prosperous and better off than people in European countries.
In many ways, we are worse off than Europeans who enjoy the benefits of more active government. We have more poverty, less economic security, higher crime rates, no universal health care, less economic mobility, etc. And many of these countries have healthy economies that rival our own. (See, taxes are good)
Taxes are bad – and so they should be kept to a minimum.
Taxes are good – they are what enable government to solve problems and improve the lives of all Americans. (See, taxes are good)