ABC Poll/Cato: Growing Support for Smaller Government

[Matt Collins]

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/01/17/growing-support-for-smaller-government/

[Bruno]

"The poll also shows how much ground Obama has lost during his first year of trying to convince the public that more government is the answer to the country’s problems. By 58 percent to 38 percent, Americans said they prefer smaller government and fewer services to larger government with more services. Since he won the Democratic nomination in June 2008, the margin between those favoring smaller over larger government has moved in Post-ABC polls from five points to 20 points."

progress...

[MelissaWV]

"The poll also shows how much ground Obama has lost during his first year of trying to convince the public that more government is the answer to the country’s problems. By 58 percent to 38 percent, Americans said they prefer smaller government and fewer services to larger government with more services. Since he won the Democratic nomination in June 2008, the margin between those favoring smaller over larger government has moved in Post-ABC polls from five points to 20 points."

progress...

In all fairness, the Government has gotten MUCH bigger since the previous poll, so maybe "the people" want something in between then and now! :p

Polls are pretty silly things. They say whatever you want them to.

[LookingForward]

Is there a list on the internet of wasteful government programs? For example, I heard of a train that the government runs that costs something like $500.00/passenger, yet the actual ticket prices are under $100.00. (I heard this a while ago so I’m not sure if I have the pricing correct). I heard that families with children who are in our country illegally get free school breakfasts and lunches (in addition to free education for the children) and medical care. Is there a trustworthy site that lists where our tax dollars are being wasted?

What do you all think would be the best way to reduce the size of government?

Cutting entitlement programs would help but which programs should be cut? Are there private solutions that could replace these programs? Is there a way to smoothly transition people into private solutions?

What would be some other realistic ways to reduce the size of government?

[gls]

What would be some other realistic ways to reduce the size of government?

There are a lot of ways to reduce the size of the federal government. First and foremost look at all the waste in the military. Does the U.S. really need to maintain large bases in Germany, Japan, South Korea, etc? Not to mention the very expensive ongoing occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also there are many nonproductive and counterproductive federal bureaucracies that could be eliminated or greatly reduced in size. Departments of Education, Energy, Agriculture and Commerce come to mind. Oh, and of course they could stop wasting trillions on corporate/bank bail outs, and the failed "stimulus" spending.

[Texan4Life]

I heard of a train that the government runs

AMTRAK

dunno about the numbers... but every time i see a amtrak train their haulin ass with 8 cars and like 12 passengers.

i'll have to admit taking a train ride would be cool kinda like a novelty... tho the free market offers all kinds of cross country train rides (kinda like cruises) and even short local hops using a steam engine to pull the passenger cars (even cooler). Like 6 or so years back my dad I helped maintenance ASTA's southern pacific 786 steam engine before the trips. I was like 14 yrs old i think. I even got to 'drive" pull levers, turn knobs. totally awesome never went on one of the trips though. I will one of these days. http://www.austinsteamtrain.org/

[gls]

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/oct/27/amtrak-still-losing-money-most-passengers/


System-wide losses ranged from about $5 to $462 per passenger. The average loss per passenger was about $32, four times the $8 per passenger Amtrak computed using different methods, according to the study by Subsidyscope, which reports on how federal subsidies are used.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Everything the Government does hemorrhage's money. Monopolists tend to not be very efficient, especially when they get paid regardless. USPS, Amtrak, Roads, etc. Internal improvements always are inefficient and most times are very corrupt. Why people still support this stuff is beyond my comprehension....

[LookingForward]

delete

[Aratus]

my scott brown & purple shamrock
late afternoon bounce and bump!!!
i am now going off-line given that i
was following the coverage last nite!

[lester1/2jr]

aratud- wait you've been online since last nite??

[Aratus]

oh no... only earlier today... at around nine
i was AWAKE ALL OF LAST NITE even though the
maddening race was over at about 9:25 p.m and then
i was trying to guess at which media maven KNEW about
his totally buff COSMO "lack of cover" from a very reaganite 1982
i REALLY want a three or four or fiveway debate
with him in 2012 if i run... as a g.o.p person
i want to run tidy a campaign like
JOE KENNEDY (I) for he did
get into the debates!