MoreLuckThanSkill wrote on Apr 12, 2020, 18:15:

Drath71 wrote on Apr 12, 2020, 17:15:
Right, because the last administration totally took care of the stockpile during his 2 terms. NOT.
And I agree, the current administration is making stupid decisions all around, as did the LAST one. Hence my lack of confidence overall, why give the government any more power than you have to. The big government you love one year may become the monster the next, so why give it great power over your life?

A functional, fair government is the only defense citizens have against for profit corporations. End of story.

I disagree that it's "big government" when it comes to dealing with things like global pandemics... what for profit corporation would you suggest we let profiteer off people dying? I don't think anybody loves the idea of government, it's just the least worst option available to human civilization. Time and time again, history proves to us that for profit solutions DO NOT WORK FOR ALL PROBLEMS. Unregulated businesses immediately cut corners in safety and pollution levels, world wide, let alone the US. The free market does not encourage benevolence or even honesty.

A strong, fair government, with an honest press constantly examining its work, can mix with regulated corporations and actually improve human life.

Of course the reality is our current government in the US(and many other countries) is full of complete pieces of shit, determined to destroy government and give everything to billionaires and their companies, and all attempts at honest media are combatted with organized propaganda, but that's a separate set of problems.

Everybody throwing their hands up in the air and saying "no government!" is childish and will just speed up the downward spiral to corporate kleptocracy. What do you think an average person can do even now, against any of these corporations? Sue them? Be reasonable. The only defense is working to repair the government we have, and getting corporate money out of politics in the future, as soon as possible. This will be diffcult, of course.

Odd, I don't recall saying "no government", so why take it to that extreme?. And I agree a functional fair government is great, but ours has gotten so big, it exists to further itself, and the citizens are seen a vital resource for consumption to keep right on growing.
And nobody but corporations want to be monopolies, the average person certainly doesn't. But like BIG government, there is a balance in there. I'm as much against monopolistic, controlling corporations as I am a monopolistic, controlling government. They're the same thing, but one can force you with a gun to your head, so that makes it even worse.