Rasmussen Report: 64% of Americans Prefer a Government With Fewer Services and Lower Taxes
100 replies, posted
They are stuck in the thought that removing something will result in a better life.
Cutting the militairy budget in half would be a good start. It's not a public service and it leeches more that it should and it helps noone but already rich people.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;36034198]My hospital and doctor's office doesn't deny service based on ability to pay. If you're broke and need an X-Ray, you can still get one, even if it's not an emergency. They will still give you a bill and try and arrange a payment plan or charity care, though.[/QUOTE]
And that's why medical bills are so high, to compensate. It's two means to the same end really.
[QUOTE=DaysBefore;36033792]I never really got that mentality. I'd gladly pay higher taxes if it meant the government does it's job, which is protecting and providing for the citizens, better. If I pay higher taxes, more people will be saved in the hospital, police forces will receive better training, the armed forces will be better equipped, our infrastructure will be better maintained and life will be made easier for the citizen. The reverse side is I have more money to spend on petty goods.
Oh fuck I just realized I'm a socialist.[/QUOTE]
I think a lot of it is that Americans don't trust their government. When you pay higher taxes for those reasons you actually have to trust that your government is going to put it to good use.
It's also more difficult to maintain high quality of those services when dealing with such a high population country compared to say, Canada.
I don't trust the government but I trust the private sector far less.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;36034198]My hospital and doctor's office doesn't deny service based on ability to pay. If you're broke and need an X-Ray, you can still get one, even if it's not an emergency. They will still give you a bill and try and arrange a payment plan or charity care, though.[/QUOTE]
Well part of the problem with not having nationalised healthcare is that hospitals actually [I]lose[/I] money this way. By law, a hospital has to treat anyone that comes into the emergency room, or anyone that needs vital treatment, even if you're a homeless man without a penny to your name. They do not have to hold you and care for you, only get you stable before they can kick you out. The problem with that is all those people who can't afford the treatments they're given, meaning the hospital has to pay for it instead.
[QUOTE=Venezuelan;36034441]I don't trust the government but I trust the private sector far less.[/QUOTE]
Well you could argue that because of competition, private companies must strive to have a higher quality service where if the government was in control, they wouldn't have that pressure.
But that kind of goes back to "Do you trust your government to put your money to good use?"
i would prefer a government that doesn't suck corporations dicks
[QUOTE=lavacano;36034187]My cell phone number has never been put out to the public (and in fact is on the Do Not Call list) and I still get political survey groups calling me. They've always been robots too, never actual humans.
I think they use a random number generator.[/QUOTE]
political campaign calls don't apply to the do not call list
[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;36034527]Well you could argue that because of competition, private companies must strive to have a higher quality service where if the government was in control, they wouldn't have that pressure.
But that kind of goes back to "Do you trust your government to put your money to good use?"[/QUOTE]
the pressure the government is supposed to have on it is 'if we fuck up we're out of a job' except the two party system kinda fucks that up. i think time and time again though we've been shown that competition doesn't cause higher quality, rather it causes either cooperation between rivals or just shady business practices to cut corners or eliminate competition. virtually all the increases in quality of goods and services are due to government regulations. i think you can trust the government more than the private sector because what's good for the country is good for the government so you can imagine they SHOULD be striving to improve things, the private sector on the other hand is out for only one thing and that is to line their pockets and they don't give a fuck who they gotta shit on to do that
[QUOTE=Lick;36034126]I would be interested in seeing how people above and below the poverty line answer this question. I'm sure that people who are economically comfortable want fewer services.
also this questionnaire is poop[/QUOTE]
You would think that, but the majority of the Republican base are the uneducated bible thumpers who are simply too stupid to recognize that their party is entirely based around helping the wealthy AT THEIR EXPENSE.
The elegance with which the Republican party has done this is...okay pretty much non existent. They have blatantly done it again and again. People are just fucking stupid. Democracy sucks.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;36034525]Well part of the problem with not having nationalised healthcare is that hospitals actually [I]lose[/I] money this way. By law, a hospital has to treat anyone that comes into the emergency room, or anyone that needs vital treatment, even if you're a homeless man without a penny to your name. They do not have to hold you and care for you, only get you stable before they can kick you out. The problem with that is all those people who can't afford the treatments they're given, meaning the hospital has to pay for it instead.[/QUOTE]
My hospital goes above and beyond. It doesn't matter if you are just going in for a checkup, you cannot be denied service. Coincidentally, my hospital "chain" has the best medical record sharing system in the state. I actually really love my doctor's office.
[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;36034132]To be fair, many people don't ask to be put on these lists, their number just makes it out to the public by some means and it occasionally put on these lists by people who find it.[/QUOTE]
except if you participate in the survey you aren't really doing anything to get your number off the list, are you
oh no a majority of americans prefer lower taxes what a shock
[QUOTE=Lambeth;36035327]oh no a majority of americans are idiots, what a shock[/QUOTE]
All this proves is that 64% of Americans are dumb.
Just because people believe something doesn't make it true.
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;36035392]All this proves is that 64% of Americans are dumb.
Just because people believe something doesn't make it true.[/QUOTE]
Make what true? This is a question about preferences.
Still a dumb question, though.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;36035327]oh no a majority of americans prefer lower taxes what a shock[/QUOTE]
Such a shock that Facepunch is compelled to declare statistical error amok.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;36035414]Make what true? This is a question about preferences.
Still a dumb question, though.[/QUOTE]
I mean it doesn't make "smaller government" better.
[editline]20th May 2012[/editline]
People's preferences don't matter unless you're trying to get elected or something.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;36035431]Such a shock that Facepunch is compelled to declare statistical error amok.[/QUOTE]
But the part about getting different results by simply changing your wording is absolutely true. Even my Prob/Stat teacher says this.
For example, the question "Would you support larger taxes if it meant increased government investment in education, infrastructure, medical care, and the military?" sounds positive as fuck and would generate a much different result than Rasmussen's while still being as "honest."
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;36035431]Such a shock that Facepunch is compelled to declare statistical error amok.[/QUOTE]
How dare we!
[QUOTE=DarkMonkey;36033863]This mentality assumes that the government is competent with its money. When every year you witness the county lay down reflective bumps on the road in the fall just in time for the snowplows to scrape them off, or you hear anecdotes about wellfare queens that may not even be true, or you hear about the gross idiocy in the school system, or a host of other things, it's very easy to not trust the government with a lot of things.[/QUOTE]
Yes, the government is sometimes incompetent. Let's gut everything. I ran into a police officer who was an idiot, so I think we should cut down on the police force. Sometimes our soldiers do something crazy, so let's cut the military.
People who say that we should significantly cut the government because it makes mistakes is like saying that you should live on the street because you have found flaws in the houses that you've come across.
[editline]21st May 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=yawmwen;36034198]My hospital and doctor's office doesn't deny service based on ability to pay. If you're broke and need an X-Ray, you can still get one, even if it's not an emergency. They will still give you a bill and try and arrange a payment plan or charity care, though.[/QUOTE]
Actually, under Obama's/Romeny's plan, they government slowly takes that money back over time.
64% of Americans have never been to other countries.
[QUOTE=jeimizu;36037325]64% of Americans have never been to other countries.[/QUOTE]I've never left the country and I think we need to expand our social programs and ramp up taxes.
[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;36037373]I've never left the country and I think we need to expand our social programs and ramp up taxes.[/QUOTE]
I've never been out of the Northeast and I agree with you.
Alright. I disagree personally but they have a right to their opinion.
[QUOTE=Lord_Ragnarok;36036801]Yes, the government is sometimes incompetent. Let's gut everything. I ran into a police officer who was an idiot, so I think we should cut down on the police force. Sometimes our soldiers do something crazy, so let's cut the military.
People who say that we should significantly cut the government because it makes mistakes is like saying that you should live on the street because you have found flaws in the houses that you've come across.[/QUOTE]
Gotta love it when people put words in your mouth.
Reform is the word, not gut. When someone is wasting money you don't give them more and try to make them spend it better.
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;36035000]the pressure the government is supposed to have on it is 'if we fuck up we're out of a job' except the two party system kinda fucks that up.[/QUOTE]
That only applies to elected officials, and only in election season really. Recall votes are extremely unwieldy.
Generally whenever I hear the phrase "Laissez Faire" I keep thinking it's French for "We don't know what to do".
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;36033756]Not only is it a really random series of questions, it doesn't ask what the persons perception of 'levels of services' is, it's also leading the individual by directly stating 'do you want to pay less tax!?!?' without quantifying what they do or don't want.
This is a terrible questionnaire.[/QUOTE]
Like, presumably, ANY questionnaire that doesn't support your OPINION, emphasis being on OPINION. :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=Strongbad;36039341]Like, presumably, ANY questionnaire that doesn't support your OPINION, emphasis being on OPINION. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
"I have no idea who you are but you aren't agreeing hard enough with the conservative results so you MUST be a liberal who doesn't like what's being said and MUST be trying to lie!1! Any criticism of this survey is purely opinion and nothing to do science!111"
Really? Grow up.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;36039952]"I have no idea who you are but you aren't agreeing hard enough with the conservative results so you MUST be a liberal who doesn't like what's being said and MUST be trying to lie!1! Any criticism of this survey is purely opinion and nothing to do science!111"
Really? Grow up.[/QUOTE]
"I have no idea who anyone who voted in this questionnaire are but they aren't agreeing hard enough with the FACTUAL INFO that the OTHER SIDE is CORRECT in EVERY WAY and OBAMA is the COOLEST PRESIDENT EVER! Also I know how learned in politics EVERYONE who voted(lol everyone = conservative faggot gunwankers) is so I can make sweeping generilizations! cause im smert! cause i read science adn darwin!!1 hey I can make quotes about people reading things into what they said that they didnt actually say too!~!11"
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