Did Not Expect THAT in the Inauguration Speech!
Subtitle: Call for the End of the Most of the Federal Government
Quote, direct from the speech:
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
Name a single federal program not riddled with bureaucracy, that works efficiently and as intended. It simply does not exist.
If we are to take the President at his word, the makeup of the federal government is about to change, and drastically. If we are to take his words as the measure of whether or not a current federal program continues or does not…this simplifies the work amazingly well.
The question, though…is CAN we take him at his word?
Subtitle: Call for the End of the Most of the Federal Government Quote, direct from the speech: The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is…
He didn't say efficiently. I think there is a difference between something that works, but could be made better and something that is broken.
You missed the key part of that quote: "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small." No conservative asks if government is too small (except maybe Bush). No liberal asks if it is too big. "Whether it works or not" is in the eye of the beholder. With the liberal eye, both the size of government's growth and its efficacy are equivocable terms.
Scott–appreciate the comment. Disregarding my use of the word efficient…he did give some very clear measures by which we can know whether a program fits: Does it work? Does it help families find jobs at a decent wage? Does it help families get care they can afford? Does it aid in families gain a retirement that is dignified? While we may disagree with whether some of those are purposes of the government, these are the standards he set. And yet I would say it is still difficult to find many programs that do not fail.Monk…you may have discovered the loophole. But I still hold to the standards the President set.
I thing that made me the most nervous in his speech was "restore science to its rightful place." Coming from such a seemingly liberal man that just made me nervous!