Let's bottom line this

[Roy Pitchford]

Over the last few months, since I showed up here and I feel like I've mixed things up a bit. It has ruffled some feathers but that tells me I'm on the right track. I didn't expect to agree with everyone...in fact I was surprised to find as many as 5 or 6 people that I do frequently agree with.
I've talked health care, unions, rights and probably plenty of other topics I can't think of right now. When you boil it all down, everything I've talked about comes to one main topic:
Freedom.

So, tell me, do you dislike your freedom?

Freedom to choose your doctor?
Freedom to choose to have no doctor at all?
Freedom to save well?
Freedom to blow your entire life savings in Vegas?
Freedom to eat what you want?
Freedom to speak without fear of retaliation?
Freedom to work?
Freedom to not work?
Freedom to learn?
Freedom to succeed?
Freedom to fail?
Freedom to fail and pick yourself up?

Or, would you prefer the bosom of the State?

When you allow the government to step in, you lose freedoms you'll never get back...

"No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!"

When you allow the government to step in, you've admitted to the government that you don't believe you are capable. It must care for you. It must provide for you. It WILL make decisions for you.
Maybe its health care/insurance. Maybe its food. Maybe its education, finance, property, your job or any of a myriad of other reasons. Regardless of what those reasons are, you grow the Nanny State.
However, the State's resources are finite. There's no such thing as a free lunch. It WILL get a...return on the investment it made in you or it will cut its losses.

[ryan costa]

which government bureaus and programs do you want to reduce in size?
name them.

can we get rid of medicare? just let the old and the sick finish dying. it is small government. put that on your party platform. it is about freedom.

NASA? The DEA? Yellowstone? Guantanimo Bay? South Korea? Israel? Taiwan? Okinawa? the ATF? the USDA? ARPANET? DARPA? the Libraries? Ohio State University? DARPA? The Nuclear Missiles? Highways to Stow, Hudson, Gates Mills, Westlake? Do we need the USMC? we already have army rangers and navy seals.

[Jim DeVito]

I'll help!! Department of Education, IRS, ODOT, SEC, Department of health and human services.... The list goes on and on and on. We could eliminate the USMC and the regular army. Just beef of special forces and send them around the world disregarding sovereignty and straight up killing terrorist. Not your run of the mill "how do i light this bomb" terrorists, start at the top. The national guard could defend this country from all those folks just itching to invade the mainland USA. (Note the last part was not a joke.)

[J Hrlec]

IMO, I suppose no or less government is fine and dandy until you need assistance which no one else can offer. As with everything else in this world, freedom can be defined in many ways (unless you strictly go by what others tell you - dictionary, etc etc).

I think people need to realize their view of things is usually based on their own sphere of influence. I never needed much government financial assistance, I can afford healthcare although it is overly costly, I pay taxes without issue or worry...but.... I don't make judgement strictly on that. Everyone is not me and others will have hardships that cannot be overcome without proper assistance.

So, based on this I am not sure what would be a good cut in government. Just because its good for me does not mean it's good for the country as a whole, plus I don't think the wealthier people of this country would ever step-up to assist the needy as the government does.