Quote from: error on July 15, 2011, 06:36:34 PM

I will say that I grew up poor. So I've seen much of this firsthand.

For the purpose of this discussion, I want to note that the only thing which has stood in the way of my own "upward mobility" has been the government.

I understand that sentiment. As a small business owner, it seems like rule and regulations hamper me ever step of the way. I can't put signs up without a permit, and when I do get a permit they can only be so large. I can't drop off ads in peoples mailboxes so I have to run ads to people's doors which takes much longer. I can't pass out flyers on the streets without paying a vendors fee. I can't put flyers on windshields parked in public places. It seems that every cheap and easy way for me to advertize is prohibited to me. This allows companies with higher advertizing budgets to outdo me even though I'm willing to put in more time and effort. So I really do understand what you are saying. And then, of course, there is self-income tax.

But, on the other hand, did you get a public education? If you were raised poor in a third-world country, you may not have had any education, permanently limiting your upward mobility. Did your parents receive any public assistance? Foodstamps, welfare, ext? This may have helped them get by at a slightly higher standard of living, providing you with more opportunities. Did you use public libraries? Access to information, even if it is just fiction, helps broaden your horizons and integrate you with mainstream society. Did you go to a public college or receive public scholarships or get publicly backed loans? I myself, would not have been able to go to college if i had needed to pay the cost of private tuition out of pocket, and I think many would be in the same boat.

So perhaps the government has stood in your way, and perhaps the issues and items you are concerned about do need to be addressed. I'm not saying government should be given a free pass to do whatever. But failure to acknowledge where the government has succeeded is shortsighted. Lets figure out what the government does right and reinforce that, and figure out what the government does wrong and eliminate that. I simply will not accept the over simplistic answer, 'they do everything wrong'.

PS - I'll try not to hijack the thread anymore.