My faith in humanity has been restored.
Typically, when you talk about politics on Facebook, your chances of getting cancer go up exponentially. It counter intuitive, actually. You’d think people would not go out of their way to publicly prove their political ignorance in such a public forum. But you’d be wrong.
C-SPAN publicly asked it’s followers a simple question, “Your ideas to streamline federal government?”
I expected the common political drivel involving the use of force to punish your political enemies. Jail the Democrats, Jail the Republicans, etc.
Instead they hit a vein that goes beyond Left-Right Politics. People want smaller government and government that is effective and not wasteful.
For example:
“Shut down 80% of the federal departments. Set up GoFundMe pages and allow people to give their dollars to programs they value, voluntarily.”
“Stop taxing us for more services than defense. The federal government’s only job is to protect us from threats. Not buy up land, regulate business, hand out entitlements, etc. That is the state’s job. Enact term limits and prosecute politicians when they commit felonies, espionage, etc. “
“Pare back to just the essential duties outlined in the constitution, leave the rest to the states, and you’ll reduce it by 75%.”
“Actually this is an idea stated in jest by Ben Shapiro, but I think it might work – bring our representatives and senators back home to their districts/states to actually live with their families/constituents and face the consequences of their decisions with those they are supposed to be representing. They can vote with an app. They do everything else with one. That would end hired lobbying, make the legislative branch, at least, truly accountable, and clean out the swamp big time”
“Fire half the federal employees, do away with the Department of Education, the Energy Department, The Airport screeners. If you’re working for the Federal Government and you’re classified as non-essential you shouldn’t be there!!!”
“Pass a constitutional amendment that specifically says “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”.
Oh wait never mind it’s already in the bill of rights. So let’s just follow the constitution then.”
“Get rid of 75% of the agencies, Dept of Education, BLM, EPA, etc. Cut back IRS and tax laws and make it an agency that provides tax advice and helps people know how to pay taxes, House and Senate have six months each year to get the job done (no lifetime salaries and benefits)…then they have to go home and are subject to the same laws and benefits all citizens have to live by. Supreme Court Justices must retire at the age of 75 or sooner if they fall asleep during hearings.”
“No more increases in military budget until the Pentagon can fully account for the trillions of dollars it has “lost”. Congressional pay should be reduced to the average income of the state that each Representative and Senator represents. Drop all health care coverage for Senators and Representatives. Shutter ICE. End corporate welfare, using the savings to ensure solvency for both Social Security and Medicare. Oh, make it illegal for Senators and Representatives to work for lobbyists and enact term limits for Senators and Representatives (3 terms in Senate, 6 terms in the House).”
“Stop the congressional lifetime pay check and benefits. (Congressional welfare…)They have all become millionaires….they don’t need the lifetime pay check. Give some of that money to our disabled veterans.”
“The government has specific powers and duties under the constitution. Bring it back to the original purpose to serve the people. It was this way in its writing to prevent exactly what it has come to now, a cash cow of corruption to those in DC”
“1. Congress passes a law making it illegal for federal employees to collectively bargain or lobby. Bureaucracies use political power to grow themselves. 2. Get rid of the federal retirement system and replace it with 401K or some other portable pension. High wages and early pensions draw slackers and keep non-performers and mediocre performers on the job. 3. Immediately cut 15% of federal positions. Agency directors and supervisors have no financial incentive to reduce payroll. Conversely, an easy way to currently justify a promotion in the federal system is to add subordinates, not to produce results. Forced to do the job with fewer employees, supervisors would be forced to get rid of the dead wood. 4, Substantial cash incentives paid to federal employees who discover ways to improve efficiency. 5. Congress passes balanced budget and creates law requiring all future budgets to balance. 6. Abolish Department of Education and return education management to states.”
“Eliminate all government pensions, move half of our military bases off foreign soil, make food stamps (EBT) only used for basic foods (ground meat, oatmeal, etc), simplify law (as opposed to exponentiation) and enforce diligently such as “run from the police in a motor vehicle: 5 years minimum in jail, privatize what is failing (ie schools, prisons), and legalize anything involving consent (drugs, prostitution, etc).”
Faith in humanity restored, indeed!
