The Obama Administration has one notable success that can’t be denied them. They’ve convinced more Americans that the federal government is a threat than ever before:
PRINCETON, NJ — Seventy-two percent of Americans say big government is a greater threat to the U.S. in the future than is big business or big labor, a record high in the nearly 50-year history of this question. The prior high for big government was 65% in 1999 and 2000. Big government has always topped big business and big labor, including in the initial asking in 1965, but just 35% named it at that time.
It’s a keen sense of the obvious. The feds got the atom bomb.
The one thing I wonder about is how people are distinguishing among Big Government, Big Business, and Big Labor. I don’t think the lines are that sharp these days.
“The one thing I wonder about is how people are distinguishing among Big Government, Big Business, and Big Labor. I don’t think the lines are that sharp these days.”
Hey, that’s my line…..
At the risk of repeating myself: Big Business = Big Labor = Big campaign donations —> Big Government can be manipulated = Big Trouble for the Little Guy.
I totally understand Drew’s equation showing the ties between big government/labor/business.
As to why more think the federal government is the enemy — IMO it’s because people’s individuality, inalienable rights, self-expression (1st amendment), ability to sink or swim (unfettered by weighty laws or infinitely large safety nets), are all being erased by the intrusion of the “biggies.” We are becoming kind of a pre-fabricated society, constructed by cultural bias and fads (thrown at us via marketing), and regulated by what government deems best for us (such as HC mandates, energy choices, American traditions, religious beliefs). Not only does government attempt to control greater swaths of our lives, but they trespass on our privacy, by every means available through advanced technology, coupling up with tech giants like Google to mainstream political agendas/policy, as well as anchor tentacles of seeing/hearing everything everywhere. Ironically, the language in recent court rulings are alluding to such an Orwellian trending, indicating a judicial unease over what is seen as an unprecedented overreach of power by the executive branch of government.
However, for some reason, people on the left seem desensitized by the tidal wave, of what many are calling, an expansion of an “imperial presidency” kind of government in this country. Instead, social progressives caw over PC misdemeanors and/or any attempts to strengthen voter ID (which 70% support doing), while simultaneously dismissing NSA intrusions, a politicized IRS targeting, DOJ getting in the face of the press, the WH wall constructed to exclude independent photojournalists, the mismanagement of unions in education, job creation — the list of “biggies” and government power mongering is exponentially growing, and the left only rubs their eyes and self-righteously chastises the right. It’s like we’ve become a nation handicapped by a massive growth of cataracts! Perhaps, though, this latest poll might indicate the general public has become aware of this sight-impairment,, and some have sought treatment to restore their vision.
There is essentially no voter fraud of the kind that could be solved by voter ID. I dont want my tax money going towards problems that do not exist. OTOH, if you want to go after real voter fraud, absentee ballots and problems with those running the polls, I am all for it.
Steve