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Re: Government and GDP
Davin L. — (archived)

Well, I think we are not debating the same point. Again, my point is that: "It is not the case that the gov't always grows when we take growth as relative to the GDP". And, in general, I agree with you and your points.

However, just for shits and giggles, lets debate something you said;-)

I would suggest that the reason costs of social support and infrastructure go up is BECAUSE the GDP grew. The GDP rising means we 'define-up' what we (the people) mean by acceptable minimum care in, say, health. Also, since COL and GDP tend to rise together (no causal claim made), we need to bump up Social Security.

The heavy machinery needed to pave a road is more valuable as our economy increases, as those machines and the expertise to run them is *worth* more in the free market... Gov't afterall has to compete in the free market... IE it has to agree to pay reasonable (bidded, hopefully) contract rates.

So, while I am not *defending* Gov't waste, which we both accept as bad, I am saying that it is not counter-intuitive that as our GDP goes up so must our spending on infrastructure and social welfare. Thus I suggest a link between the size of the GDP and the pure dollar amount sucked up by Gov.

Look, on background: I refer to myself as an FDR Liberal. For me this means that I see Government as a means to an end, the end being improving the lives of americans, NOT legislating them into boxes. I look at taxation and Gov't spending as a tool for social reform and I 'Define-up' what I consider basic rights... All children should have a right to education, all people have a right to basic infrastructure needed to live (warmth, food and clothing). In general, I am MUCH more upset about the 'in general' rise in military spending than I am about big Gov't.

And yes, I also am well armed. Thats part of the diff, for me, between an FDR liberal and a Mondale Liberal ;-)

Any reasonable person is against 'pork' and governmental waste. Where the wheat is knocked away from the chaff (or the id from the iots) is how people determine what is pork. A huge greasy slab of pork is in the military budget, but the average right-winger will shit bricks if you try to cut defense to FORCE them (as Clinton did ) to budget what is important. Targeted budget cuts eliminate waste without the damage that blanket cuts cause, IMHO.

Remember, the military we have now is Clintons military, and last I looked it was lean and kickin-ass all over the near-east. ;-)

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