Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
¶ … inaugural speech in 1981, his first term of being President of the United States, Ronald Reagan famously stated with bold irony, "government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." While mismanaged government agencies and bloated bureaucracies are problematic, government itself is not a "problem," and should not be perceived as such by one who has been elected to its highest office. Dismantling government institutions that provide for the common defense and welfare of the people would defeat the real objectives of government, which is not to protect the wealthy from taxation but to promote happiness, freedom, and safety and maintain law and order.
Reagan did go on to clarify what he meant in his statement, and noted, "it is not my intention to do away with government. It is, rather, to make it work-work with us, not over us; to stand by our side, not ride on our back." On this count, Reagan is correct. Government should serve the people and avoid being an impermeable, tyrannical monolith. Yet good government requires good institutions that pool resources and channel those resources to meet common goals. Identifying shared goals can be difficult, which is why some government issues are left to the states and smaller geographic entities. At the federal level,...
Were it not for government-mandated education, for example, there might still be child labor. Until Obama's health care reform, millions of Americans remained uninsured and unable to afford preventative care because of the anti-government stance assumed by Reagan and those who think like him. Universal health care can be considered necessary for the preservation of human life and happiness, which is why universal health care is considered an ethical obligation of a government. All government organizations and functions ideally promote the ideals embedded in the Declaration of Independence, which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The purpose of a government, according to Reagan, should be limited to very basic skeleton functions. If this were true, then the private sector would assume many of the functions, roles, and responsibilities of the public sector. Reagan's love affair with privatization is dangerous and infringes directly…
References
"The Federalist Party." PBS. Retrieved online: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/duel/peopleevents/pande05.html
Reagan, Ronald. "First Inaugural Address." 20 Jan, 1981. Avalon Project. Retrieved online: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/reagan1.asp
"Thomas Jefferson Quotations." Retrieved online: http://westillholdthesetruths.org/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson
status of federalism within the U.S. It is the thesis of the paper that the President, the Courts and Congress have assumed influential and significant roles in the shaping of federalism in recent decades. Initially, a conceptualization of federalism will be offered as established by the founding fathers. Current literature will then be used to identify factors associated with and the role assumed by the presidency, the Courts and
Further bolstering our cost argument is the Senate's regrettable decision to add several pork items to the bill, including the construction of a figure skating hall of fame in Maine. We could convey our dissatisfaction that Congress has played politics with what was supposed to be border security legislation. This message should resound well with the public and will help establish your credentials as a fighter of government waste. A also
A micro considers the interests and rights of the individual company as the primary concern. Both of these views are valid depending on the lens that one wishes to use. The problem arises when the government is forced to develop policies regarding procurement in this volatile debate. The government must decide whether to take a micro view, favoring the rights of companies, or a macro view that places the
Government Subsidized Student Loans Have Economic Costs but Political Benefits Higher education has become increasingly important in the contemporary world scenario today where globalization has led to a higher need for a skilled labor force that is mobile and that is well-versed in the academic disciplines followed all over the world. In fact university education is starting to be seen as a hallmark for success, even though there are college drop
What they did not anticipate was the levees breaking nor were they aware of the level of immediate need of the people. He also says that with Hurricane Andrew, about two million residents were evacuated and only about 10% we left homeless whereas with Hurricane Katrina approximately the same number of residents were evacuated yet over 90% were left homeless (Halton, 2006). This was much more of a burden
President Bush's War On Iraq President Bush feels the United States should launch a preemptive strike on Iraq, rather than waiting for sanctions by the United Nations. He has received support from some political groups while facing opposition from others. Each side presents valid arguments on why they believe the U.S. should or should not go to war with Iraq. Sanctions In 1990, the United Nations imposed sanctions on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait.