Does anyone actually trust the Federal Government?

[lilelvis]

Interesting article and overview of government abusing it's right to secrecy and skirting the FOIA pretty much from day one.
Over the years there have been many heinous exposures, some due to the FOIA, others from whistle blowers who are usually discredited by (what appears to be) a corrupt media.
Anyone with some life experience, some common sense and smidgen of logic knows that things aren't always what they appear to be.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/27/government-secrecy-secrets_n_3512665.html

Excerpt:

"There may be a reason for that. There is a point at which the government has so abused its power to keep secrets that the legitimacy of that power begins to corrode. And there is a point at which the government has been so careless with its power to classify information as secret that the stigma for exposing that information begins to fade. We may have reached that point."

For me personally, the tipping point into "Zero" trust of the fed's was reached many years ago. Mainly from growing up with elder veterans from WWII and the Korean conflict. Some of the shit the military has pulled over the years is appalling.

How do you feel? Do you believe that the FOIA, some of recent exposures of media/gubment collusion and the long, long history of conspiracy rumors has finally eroded the Fed's credibility to a point of completely undermining it's legitimacy?

 

[Rational Poster]

I think Donald Trump being President of the United States certainly hurts the credibility of the US Government.

 

[snakedafunky]

Not American but I certainly trust the German government. I always thought it strange how Americans consider the government something separated from the people themselves.
Like some club or something. I don't consider the "government" something outside of the people themselves.
The government is just part of the people. I could be part of it right now.

I also don't have any problem with the government having access to my data as long as there are clear rules in place when they can use them to prosecute me.
But I think in general people vastly overestimate their own importance. People like to think they are so important and that's why the government want their data when in fact it's just to benefit you.

 

[lilelvis]

I think Donald Trump being President of the United States certainly hurts the credibility of the US Government.

 

[Jack V Savage]

Not American but I certainly trust the German government. I always thought it strange how Americans consider the government something separated from the people themselves.
Like some club or something. I don't consider the "government" something outside of the people themselves.
The government is just part of the people. I could be part of it right now.

I also don't have any problem with the government having access to my data as long as there are clear rules in place when they can use them to prosecute me.
But I think in general people vastly overestimate their own importance. People like to think they are so important and that's why the government want their data when in fact it's just to benefit you.

I think there's a language thing going on here. When Americans--particularly right-wingers--say that they dislike or distrust the federal gov't, they mean "the federal gov't," which is something very different from the actual federal gov't.

 

[TapoutforSprawl]

Delete

 

[EZShrimpn]

Not American but I certainly trust the German government. I always thought it strange how Americans consider the government something separated from the people themselves.

Like some club or something. I don't consider the "government" something outside of the people themselves.

The government is just part of the people. I could be part of it right now.

You could be a part of it's day to day operations. But it's operational agenda is at least in America mostly defined by the interests of the very wealthy oligarchic few. Who may or may not have some sense of Noblesse Oblige depending on the way the wind is blowing. YMMV.

 

[lilelvis]

I think there's a language thing going on here. When Americans--particularly right-wingers--say that they dislike or distrust the federal gov't, they mean "the federal gov't," which is something very different from the actual federal gov't.

That's correct Jack. I thought it was clear in the title

Not that i trust the state, county or cities either.

 

[Jack V Savage]

That's correct Jack. I thought it was clear in the title

Not that i trust the state, county or cities either.

It explains how you see people who simultaneously claim to be "anti-gov't" but nevertheless blindly support everything the gov't does. For example, look at supporters of the tax changes. It was rushed out specifically to avoid any analysis, and even most of the legislators that supported it had no firm handle on what it did. Models universally show bad results from it, but some people like it anyway. There's no reason for that other than very, very strong trust in the federal gov't.

 

[lilelvis]

It explains how you see people who simultaneously claim to be "anti-gov't" but nevertheless blindly support everything the gov't does. For example, look at supporters of the tax changes. It was rushed out specifically to avoid any analysis, and even most of the legislators that supported it had no firm handle on what it did. Models universally show bad results from it, but some people like it anyway. There's no reason for that other than very, very strong trust in the federal gov't.

I somewhat agree, but how does it explain those people? Since that behavior happens from both sides, no matter the legislation, the more complete question would be "how does it explain partisanship"?

 

[Jack V Savage]

I somewhat agree, but how does it explain those people? Since that behavior happens from both sides, no matter the legislation, the more complete question would be "how does it explain partisanship"?

I don't think it's a both-sides thing. People on the left are suspicious of authority by definition. Liberals have more trust in the institutions of gov't and less in the individuals that make it up; while people on the right are the opposite.

 

[lilelvis]

I don't think it's a both-sides thing. People on the left are suspicious of authority by definition. Liberals have more trust in the institutions of gov't and less in the individuals that make it up; while people on the right are the opposite.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.

Clapper lied to Congress (therefore the people) about collecting info on the public's communications. Not a damn thing happened. That's a big red flag to me. Especially when they've shown they'll go after baseball players lying about shit far less important to the country.

 

[lilelvis]

Just the tip of a gigantic iceberg here. For the really crazy stuff check the FOIA website. Most of the juicy stuff is buried in the huge pile of fodder.


https://listverse.com/2013/06/27/10-people-who-blew-the-whistle-on-the-us-government/