Why do we as Americans think we have no power and let the government do whatever they want?

Question

This country was built on people like ourselves standing up for what we believe in, and fighting for what we thought was right. What happened to us? Why are we so beaten down that we take everything the government dishes out? They have grown too big and too powerful. Soon we will have no rights at all. Isn't the government in place to keep order? NOT to run our lives?

See... some have proven what Im saying already. If I want to take on the government.... Im on my own. Like the poor shmo in N.H. Of course that won't work. You can silence one person with ease.
The point was that WE THE PEOPLE have the power as a group! Yes we CAN boss the government around. They are supposed to be representing us, but they are more repressing us and restricting us because we ALLOW it!
And organizing people isnt all that hard, the government is doing that now. Everyone just smiles and nods, having no idea why. Most people need to follow something.
I guess as long as we maintain our first ammendment, and can complain from the comfort of our living rooms, everything is great, right? I don't think so.

And I never said we were powerless. I said we have all the power, if only we would take it.

A lot of great answers out there. I knew everyone wasn't oblivious. Isn't being aware of the problem the first step? Why can't we take a second? Why do we sit back and watch everything happen and shake our heads saying "thats not right"? I think we should stop taking our medicine like good little kids and fight back.

Nobody owns anybody. Slavery was abolished by the Emancipation Proclaimation in 1863, if my recollection of history is correct.
I for one am not owned by the government.

Answer 1

Human nature is to be lazy. People have demanded that the gvmt free them from responsibility and the politicians are willing to respond.

We have handed over the most important aspects of our lives to politicians and we demand that they take care of us.

No longer do we wish to be bothered with saving for our retirement, too complicated.

No longer do we wish to bother with our health. Just make sure that the gvmt keeps giving us cheep pills. Hell, pills are easier than exercise.

Work to keep our job? Why? Just have the gvmt force employers to keep us on the payroll.

And why should we work to improve ourselves? The gvmt just has to keep raising the minimum wage!

Answer 2

I am going to mainly address the president because I have a feeling that when you say "government" that is what you are refering to, correct me if I am wrong.

In my opinion the president has been a great deal of help to the majority of americans. Look what he has done for the school systems. Oh ya thats right.... the media only shows one side to everything so you probably dont know. I have no trouble being over in Iraq, and I am in the military. We should be helping those in need who cant heplp themselves, and killing terrorists is always a bonus. There are some things that could be improved by the president, but take a stand againts him, I don't think so. In reality there are probably only about 2% of americans that voice their opinions about the President and particapate in those stupid polls you see on the news all the time, so do you really think that you are in the majority, when you say "lets take a stand!!!" No. The only reason you think that is because 2% of all Americans is a large #.

The only thing the President needs to do differently is come up with a different way to controll Iraq without senting 21,500 more soldiers over there, and I am not saying to bring them home. Because that is not what needs to be done.
The second thing he needs to do is concentrate on solving global warming, because that is a huge problem. He has put minimal effort into that and it is not a minimal issue. He said that it is not going to be good for the economy. Well who cares about the economy when there might not be an earth in the next 10 years.
The president has not made bad decisions, and is not defying what the people of America want. If he was really making that many mistakes and pissing the majority of Americans off, He would be in the impeachment process.

Maybe the American people need to take a stand against you and your kind. Because of your heartless, corrupt attitude that would rather know about thousands of people suffering in another country and mind our own business then stop the violence and have a few soldiers die in the process.

One more thing, once there is a majority of americans who think like you and decide to revolt, I will lay down my arms and pitch in. Because I feel that America belongs to the people, and the government works for the people. And once there are enough people that agree the government is corrupt, it is there right to take action against it. But I dont think that that will happen for many many years, because I think your in the minority.

Answer 3

I understand your point but we are not at the mercy of the government. The reason the government can do what they want is because Americans have it so good that we dont pay attention to what is going on until its too late. We are too distracted by our reality shows and spending money to pay attention to what the president is doing. It isnt until something like 9/11 happens that people wake up and say "hey, whats going on here?" But we are not at the mercy of the government. We have rights in this country that people in other places would die for. In some countries you would be killed for asking this question so we cant complain too much. So we are not beaten down we are uninformed, which is just as bad.

Answer 4

Good point lady, yeah the government is evil huh? Well they sure are running things. Unless we are all going to band together and overthrow the government I guess the government will keep on doing what they want to do.

LOL somebody said the government owns us??? No they dont. Any of us can leave this country and get citizenship somewhere else.

Answer 5

Good question, but I'd like to see that corrected by action with a backbone. Most of what passes for government in fact is tied in with the Spooks. There you dovetail seamlessly into organized crime and possible treason since they're supposed to be about national security ( B.S. ) then their actions are supposed to go unquestioned. Not just the foot Spook. Those bums on the technology. All I see is a bunch of weird oh freak misfits playing footsie internationally with hoods.

Answer 6

I think that there is a generalization among Americans that we let the government have all the power. The government is made up of powerful individuals whom are backed by large groups whom are backed by more powerful groups with money. We all have a certain amount of power. The ability to gather it, direct it, and pay for it is what seperates the powerful from the powerless. Don't blame the government for being what it is, we are getting exactly what powerful individuals want us to get.

Answer 7

Because we elect them,and corporations send lobbyist with bribes. They corrupt the people we voted for . Its all money. No Government has every lasted,look at history. Man is greedy.
Beside everyone is so busy trying to pay bills,because we spend like the government,what we don't have. Nobody is willing too,because everyone is trying to out buy,cars,houses,boats,clothes,ect... more than their neighbor.

Answer 8

I think that the 2006 elections show that we still do have the power to fire our leaders.

The truly abysmal response to Bush's nomination of his personal council to the Supreme Court showed that we can alter their decisions.

The people's outrage over the southern border prompted our government's grudging response.

Furthermore, the marketplace is beginning to severely punish the liberal media. Ratings are dropping like rocks, and newspapers like the LA Times and NY Times are suffering cutbacks in staffing (the NY Times has cut back twice in 3 years). This will serve to remove one of the players in politics, thanks entirely to people power.

Answer 9

one voice is all it takes. if one tells another and another and everyone speaks out as one the voices will be heard. Don't give in to the people who say we have no choice our lives are all about choice and fighting for our freedoms is what this country is founded on its time to start fighting the tryanny that poses as our government

Answer 10

The Dems make to many new taxes and Reps go and make war and new laws that are just stupid (No child left behind is one of many!) I always hear people say that we vote for the people that makes laws and such. I think big brother is getting too big myself, and this is why 100's of years ago people came to America to get away from the same thing.