why do we put up with all the governments decisions even if we don't agree?

Question

we pay outragious taxes on our incomes which are barely enough to live on due to the fact after paying taxes on our wages we then pay tax on our food, drink, services, tollbridges,car tax, tv licence, holidays, petrol, cars, basically every thing. the majority of our incomes are given back to the government. an they exploit the addictive things like cigerettes an alcohol knowing too well people addicted will pay. its a joke an the joke is on us because we are putting up with it withou complaine? why?

by the way im irish?

i understand y we need a government, that was not my question, it was if we are a democracy y r we still being pushed around? an the llagh of it is we dont even question decisions? like the outragous prices hikes in certain addictive products to make fast buck, the employment of traffic warden companies with quotas to make? the money spent on the stupid things like the dublin spire! or the emmigraton sculptues in cork 150,000 EURO? an they still have mile long waiting lists in hospitals an people dieing on trollies? not enough social housing yet they rise the price of housing so that the average joe soap cant afford it.

Answer 1

I understand where you are coming from, but, Governments are elected by the people, to act as their representatives in governing the country. Aren't you confusing the democratic process with how well you think this particular government is carrying out its duties? During the term of a Parliament, we have to let them get on with the running of the country, even if we don't agree with everything that they do. It would be anarchy otherwise. The TV media are fond of holding mini referenda on every subject under the sun. But our democracy doesn't work like that, it encourages dissent and anarchy. If, on balance, the electorate doesn't approve of a particular government, then it gets voted out. Or it should.

I think, quite rightly, that you are angry about being taxed to the hilt, and then watch as the government, and the inefficient public sector, wastes it. Are you angry about this Government in particular, or all of our Governments? This Government is taxing us heavily, nannying us, has removed our borders which could destabilise society, and wants to hand us over to a foreign entity known as the EU. Your question needs a long discussion which is not possible in this sort of forum.

Answer 2

Think about the fact there there were NO taxes at all in the U.S. prior to about 1900 (the first 120 years). The problem is that government is huge (4 million employed) and there are a lot of programs which basically exist to keep people employed rather than provide a service. Even the Post Office runs as a zero dollar itme in the budget, it has to run on the cost of sending mail.

There are also huge entitlement programs out there for research, education, highways and transportation and all that where taxpayers are the only incoming source of revenue.

When they wrote the constitution, the government was made responsible for just a few things:
1) To secure our borders
2) To manage trade through tariffs and incentives
3) To communicate with foreign governments
4) To enforce the laws and rights written in the Bill of Rights
5) To ensure the stability of the government through fair egalitarian operation.

All the other stuff that has been added has been fluff that comes at a huge cost. Of course, other countries tax more and may provide more direct services but look at the valuation you are given:
a) Social Security only gives you about a 2% annual return on your investment. The lifetime average of the listed stocks on the Dow Jones is 12% annual return.
b) Your lifetime Medicare payments cost about 3 times as much as what private insurance will cost you when you are ready to retire. Since you get NO return you are actually losing money.
c) The average salary of a government employee is like $15,000 higher than the national average, but noone I have every known can get a government job. Why do they deserve more pay than anyone else? I feel that elected officials should take NO salary whatsoever.
d) Congress has elected to remove themselves from Social Security and have their own pension plan. Why is the current system good enough for us wee folk, but not for them.
e) Why the heck to we pay millionaire presidents a yeary stipend even AFTER they are not in office?

Answer 3

It is because people are unwilling to take the time to study the underlying causes and become informed on the issues. I hear the poloticians rant and rave pointing the finger across the asile and blaming the other side for the debacle of the day. The truth is that there is not one hairsbredth diffrence the two major parties as they each have their own adgenda and their own constituancy that they are going to take care of first and the general public be damned.
Somewhere we became enamored with the idea that we only elect the best and the brightest to represent us. All you have to do is look at the record to know that that is a lie. Yet every election we buy into it sending this human debree back to our state and federal offices as if it were ordained by some higher power.
I remember the bald little fatman beating his shoe on the desk and screaming "We will burry you!" and since the "fall" of the Soviet Union look how much our society mirrors what that system once was, how much longer before you have to have travel papers to move from state to state?
If the "Patriot Act is still in place when the next Democratic administration takes office it would not surprise me to see internment camps established in some of those Alaskan preserves that they don"t want opened to relieve the oil crisis.
I don't doubt the current administration would if they thought they could get away with it but the oposition is better at painting their enemies as morally bankrupt and character assination but then they have had almost 40 years to practice with impunity.

Answer 4

otherweise there would be anarchy, and we would have nothing. Government can suck but it's better then the alternative. And also many other countries suck more, so you have to take what you get and settle for it.

In the old days there would be an uprising possibly a revolution. Revolutions are good, they promote change usually in a positive direction.

But were all to selfish and complacent with our wireless internet, our imported foods, solid mahagony furniture, our cars and televisions to ever unit to have another revolution.

Even though some taxes are complete bull shi+.

Some things should be offered as part of citizinship and not have to pay for them. Our taxes should go towards water purification and supply. Everyone should have free water

Hell, they would charge you for air if they could...

In the words of The Wu Tang Clan "cash rules everything thing around me, it's the money, dolla-dollar bill yall."

Answer 5

Because many people don't bother to vote when they should. But even then there isn't a decent party to vote for. I'd like to demonstrate outside no.10 (I gather you're a Brit) but most of us are all mouth and no action! Something needs to be done because how is it fair that the decent taxpayer has to struggle to survive but there are lazy toads (like my neighbour and many more I know of) who claim benefits and get everything free? It's a disgrace. Come on guys let's stop whining and protest!

Answer 6

We put up with it because, when you get right down to it, most Americans are quite well-off, especially when compared to most of the rest of the world.
You don't have rebellions or revolutions in countries where a large percentage of the citizenry has cars, TVs, computers, homes, lots of clothes and more than enough to eat.
Oh, we complain, but that's all we'll ever do unless our situations get a LOT worse.

Answer 7

I complain all the time! I write letters - which may or may not go unheeded - I have no clue. They don't talk with me about my particular problem. It's the only system we got! Deal with it. I bought land far away from anything remotely resembling a "built up" area. And I'm glad I did it in the good ol' US of A!

Answer 8

Did you go to public school? Do you drive on the roads? Do you enjoy clean water to drink? Where do you think the money comes from to pay for these things? Try living in another country and then you'll see how much you like what you have now. You'll beg to return. Oh yeah, don't forget VOTE!

Answer 9

because not enough people stand up and stamp there feet together and do something about it... if someone knocks your door to sell windows hoovers etc or preech the good word of the lord whatever lord they may be preeching we generally dont have the time of day to listen, so imagine trying to get a petition that requires a hundred thousand signatures to get the result you require/would like, youve got to get all those names etc etc, its not easy, and guaranteed your local mp says he's doing this he's doing that but basically sat on his/her fat bottom doing sweet fa... what can ya do... and good luck

Answer 10

And we have the cheek to expect to see a GP when we are ill and get treatment without paying for it. We expect to have local libraries and swimming pools and we expect to have our bins emptied and we expect fire engines to come along if our houses catch fire.

I for one write to my MP when I am not happy about something and vote against the party which does things I don't like. What do you do?