Auchtoon!Don’t Ruin My Talking Points with Reality
Is it just me or is the whole “government always bad” schtick feel played out? I mean, it seems very much like the vaudeville “take my wife…please” humor that made its way into the TV sitcoms — maybe it was funny the 50s and 60s, but it’s certainly not today.
Ronald Regan had a nice run with all this 40 years ago.
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” <insert laugh track>
The thing is, it was hyperbole, a joke to get his point across, which was the desire for a more limited role of government. Now folks (including the entire Republican Party) seem to interpret “government always bad” literally, which has taken it from kinda corny to fundamentally dangerous.
Let’s get on with the reality that our government does have a role. We’ve been blessed with this constitutional republic, and however imperfect, it’s ours to use to our advantage (or ours to ruin).
John Buursma said,
April 1, 2022 @ 7:28 pm
Good stuff, John… as always… thanks!
This strikes a chord with me for sure. As a a long time fed, I’m kinda sensitive to those comments/jokes I often hear at parties, picnics, or other gatherings. And, I’m quick to engage when I hear someone spouting from wrong hole about “the government” in this context. I try to approach it as an opportunity to inform and educate, as well as point out some of those roles. I really feel compelled to do so because, as you’re pointing out, we’ve heard the joke so much for so long, it really does seem that “gov’t always bad” is a reality for many.
My years in the D.O.D. (okay, the military might be a different conversation… or joke) and over a decade with the Department of the Interior provides me with some halfway decent perspective… at least enough to help keep the conversations civil and interesting for both sides, and perhaps promote some open-mindedness. After all, at least I don’t work for the Post Office or G.S.A… ba-dum-bum-tsss!
It’s been too long since we’ve had a pint together, my friend!
auch6963 said,
April 9, 2022 @ 1:02 pm
See? This is why I should check my comments section more regularly. More often than not, it’s somebody I don’t know suggesting I perform physically impossible acts upon myself, which I’ve learned to take in stride. It’s the occasional Unibomber-ish manifesto that can be unsettling. And so there is a delayed response to gems like your note.
We’re fully aligned on this. You and your career are definitely an antidote to lazy, thoughtless grousing about “the government.” I think, “Those people must not know somebody like you. Or they don’t realize they do.” (Or, most likely, they just need to step away from the cable news for a minute.)
Sure good to hear from you, Johnny. (Your crack about the Post Office and G.S.A. made me laugh out loud!) Any time you’re available for a pint, let me know!