Liberals, how can you still stand for unending government involvement when the major progress has always come?

Question

from the private sector?

1. Microsoft was started by Bill Gates and crew.
2. Wal Mart, the biggest retailer in the world was started by Sam Walton.
3. Most of the health care improvements come from the US and the private sector.
4. Henry Ford invented the car.
5. Cell phones and technology was created by the private sector.

And on and on and on. What evidence do you have that government involvement works?

I am honestly trying to understand where you are coming from.

If private enterprise creates our progress, what leads you to think government can create progress?

"Government creates the conditions under which progress occurs. Did you know that Henry Ford and Microsoft were/are both awarded more patents every day?"

THIS IS PATENTLY WRONG. GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PROGRESS OCCURS, IT PROTECTS IT. HUGE DIFFERENCE

The internet does not count because it was private enterprise that made it take off. The internet as we know it grew because of private enterprise.

Answer 1

No doubt much progress comes from the private sector. However, there are plenty of examples of the government's successes in that area. The Space Program in the 1960's. Winning World War Two. The Marshall Plan. The Interstate Highway System. The Panama Canal. Pure Food and Drug Act. Child Labor Laws. Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act of 1964.

Answer 2

WalMart is horrible. Runs mom and pop businesses out of town, and increases the homogeneity of America lessening our regional charms. Also really bad business practices/enviormental ones/basically screwing the working poor.
America's healthcare is dominated by the private sector.....and we have some of the worst health in all of the industrialized nations. (Medicare has a less than 5% overhead where as private insurance ranges from 10-30% overhead)

Cell phones were actually invented by the military, same with the internet.

Answer 3

Remember all the research done by NASA in the early years led to many of the technological advances that "came from" the private sector and in fact this was how the expense of the original space program was sold to us.

In real life you need a combination of government and private sector working together.

Answer 4

Government creates the conditions under which progress occurs. Did you know that Henry Ford and Microsoft were/are both awarded more patents every day?

Answer 5

The Internet is a good example of government involvement. Computer controlled machining is another good example. National transportation, the interstates, are a great example.

your claims are bogus

Microsoft has slowed computer development, and windows sucks.
walmart enslaves thousands of people, and destroy small business here at home.
health care in the u.s. is great but only a very small percentage of Americans have any acess.
cell phones are not strictly a private sector invention, many phone calls go threw space satellites which is a purely state/military development

Answer 6

Capitalism NEEDS government regulation to keep playing fields level, to keep markets in line, to keep up investor confidence, to protect workers against exploitation, to protect consumers from anti-competitive actions which are contrary to capitalist theory.

Didn't you ever study about the robber barons and head-bashing anti-union actions? Ever hear of the Great Depression? That's what lack of government regulation gets you.

You mention Microsoft. What about Enron?

Answer 7

If the government gives tax breaks to small businesses to stimulate growth and employment is that an example of government involvement that doesn't work?

Answer 8

How about the internet.

Started out as a DARPA project -- or doesn't that count as a government intervention?

----

I'm confused -- my answer doesn't count because private enterprise was involved in making it happen.

Microsoft's early years were heavily vested by government contracts, and they are your first choice for an example.

You're preaching a double standard. Couldn't it be that both are necessary?

Answer 9

Government involvement works!!! look an Russia,Cuba,Korea,China,Etc.

Answer 10

There is a need for both - not one or other. Where one fails the other steps in.

Every democratic socialist and even right wing capitalist knows and accepts this...

So whats your point?