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Federal government not as important as politicians believe
Pittsburg Tribune Review ^ | December 18, 2013 | Scott Rasmussen

Posted on 12/19/2013 12:30:51 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

Entering the world of official Washington is a bit like the mythical trip Alice took through the looking glass. Everything is upside-down and nonsensical.

This was highlighted most recently in a Wall Street Journal article about how the American people have “a deepening distaste for all Washington institutions” and “angst over Washington dysfunction.”

At the same time, the reporter noted that Americans were “surprisingly upbeat about their own lives.” Solid majorities were happy with their personal finances and “more optimistic about the economy.”

This disconnect is surprising only to those who have gone through the D.C. looking glass and believe the federal government is responsible for running the country. Fortunately, large parts of America work just fine regardless of how badly our political elites perform.

But it's important to recognize the depth and durability of the disconnect.

Earlier this year, official Washington was convinced that citizens would rise up in revolt against the so-called sequester. That budget gimmick modestly slowed the growth of federal spending but was reported by The Washington Post and others as “massive spending cuts.”

Rather than rise up in revolt, hardly anybody outside Washington noticed.

Smug in the worldview that the capital was the driving force behind the economy, many Beltway analysts expected the sequester to tank it. It didn't happen. The economy, while far from strong, continued to get a little bit better.

The fact that the economy could keep getting better while the federal budget was being trimmed shocked many in D.C. But not the rest of us. In America, most correctly anticipated that even a modest bit of budgetary restraint might be good for the economy.

To be clear, Americans weren't happy that Congress was so inept it couldn't cut spending in a more thoughtful manner. Nobody likes the political gamesmanship and petty partisanship that forced Congress to fall back on an across-the-board automatic cut. But expectations are low for elected politicians, and the sequester was better than nothing.

The same phenomenon played out over the so-called shutdown of the federal government. Washington punditry was full of confident assertions it would strangle the fragile recovery. They were wrong again. Following the shutdown, more jobs were created and the unemployment rate got a bit better. Voters disapproved of the incompetence that led to the shutdown, but they also recognized how little it mattered.

This is not to say that the dysfunction of official Washington is good for America. It's just that Washington isn't as important as the political class thinks.

The vast majority of Americans recognize a reality that is unseen in our nation's capital. We know that most jobs are created by small-business owners trying to grow their businesses and make a little more money by serving more customers. We know that most Americans want to work hard and provide for their families. We also know that most Americans aren't looking for special favors. They want to treat others fairly and be treated fairly in return.

Those are the attitudes that help America survive the antics of our political class.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: biggovernment; economy; federalgovernment; federalgovt; galluppoll; jobs; poll; sequester
WHY WON'T THE GOP RUN WITH THIS?

Gallup: Record high fear 'big government' [72%] ".....The recent wariness about the government could be partly due to troubles with the recent rollout of ObamaCare, as well as revelations about surveillance from the National Security Agency (NSA), Gallup noted.

Though Republicans have driven the recent trend and are more concerned about government overreach, they are not alone. The survey found that 56 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of independents also fear “big government.” ...........

1 posted on 12/19/2013 12:30:51 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

There is no ‘Pittsburg’ in Western Pennsylvania.


2 posted on 12/19/2013 1:12:26 AM PST by FredZarguna (Harry Angel: 'Cause you know what today is? Today is Wednesday. It's anything can happen day.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

The GOP in Washington will not act on it, because they don’t see any issue with it.


3 posted on 12/19/2013 1:13:24 AM PST by FredZarguna (Harry Angel: 'Cause you know what today is? Today is Wednesday. It's anything can happen day.)
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To: FredZarguna

I stand corrected. Thanks

Pittsburgh


4 posted on 12/19/2013 1:14:47 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: FredZarguna
I've never yet met a person in a taxpayer financed job claim their position wasn't important. Most the time at lunches, golf outings, vacations, and junketts. All of them were officially on the job while hard at leisure.

I remember living in Philadelphia where two counties shared the same zipcode, that being a small portion of Montgomery County and Philadelphia's 19118. All the city government employees moved to Wyndmoor in Montgomery County because it was a way to get around city law that workers had to be city residents.

During the daytime the driveways of block after block of homes were occupied with black city government vehicles with the city logo. A whole lotta no-show jobs exist in government at all levels.

5 posted on 12/19/2013 1:23:51 AM PST by blackdog (There is no such thing as healing, only a balance between destructive and constructive forces.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
... expectations are low for elected politicians ...

And that is an understatement.

6 posted on 12/19/2013 1:45:45 AM PST by kitchen (Even the walls have ears.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

The GOP won’t run with this because they benefit from the Crap the Democrats push off on everybody except the politicians. The Federal Govt. lost all credibility when they discovered that FDR could change America just by changing the Court.when they rejected the term adopted and began playing games with the “meaning” of the Establishment Clause— they lost all credibility all they have left is the strong arm of man -the threat of force. But lack all moral right.By their own acts they are judged.


7 posted on 12/19/2013 5:06:33 AM PST by StonyBurk (ring)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Federal government not as important as politicians believe

Au contraire! Washington's VERY important. Look how they effed up health care! Look how much damage the lunatics at the EPA can wreak. Look how the IRS can be used as a weapon, and of course only against those who should be immune. See how important Washington is? Oh, they meant important in a GOOD way??? Oh, please!

8 posted on 03/13/2014 10:41:00 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Pitt’s Borough


9 posted on 03/13/2014 10:42:13 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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