Originally Posted by
rbedgood
Personally the government has my permission to listen to whatever phone call, read whatever e-mail or scan any other communication I might have. They won't find anything illegal. However I don't like the principle of the Patriot Act as it is currently devised. I do feel that their needs to be more judiciary oversight of wiretaps, etc.
I am a conservative (not a Republican)...I do like small government. Every time the federal government tries to solve a problem outside its domain, we end up with 2 or 3 new problems. The federal government should stick to security, immigration and military. Everything else should be as it was designed a STATE or LOCAL government issue. The design of the founding fathers creating a united republic of individual states was largely a check and balance on "big government" which most of them had fled from back in England. The idea is that if each state can govern itself within the foundation of the Union, then the idea of say "social programs" could fly in California, and if you don't like paying for it, you can head to Nevada, or Arizona. Conversely if you feel that it is the "right thing for the government to do" then you flee to California. However when the Federal Government started getting into these types of issues back in the early 1900s (largely FDRs New Deal era in the 30s) the option to protest such concepts became minimized.
I'm all for state governments having the right to create welfare programs, or retirement programs, disability programs, subsidized education, etc., etc. However when the federal government steps into this arena, not only do they historically mismanage funds and run inefficient programs, but they also over extend the budget and either run up national debt, or worse they increase taxes and stiffle the economy.