People think government is too big, only when they don't need it.

[richardhutnik]

Mr Khan said:

Kasz216 said:

DraconianAC said:

richardhutnik said:

BradleyJ said:
Hypocrisy is rampant in all things, politics even more so than most.

People usually get the government they ask for in a society where the government is based upon democratic principles and attempts to respond to the will of the people.  So, if politics is particularly hypocritical, it is because the citizens of a nation make it so.

OMG, I couldn't have said it any better.

Let me just add that complaints over the status quo is usually done by those that don't completely comprehend everything about a certain situation, but tell an American that he/she is ignorant about something and it is considered as an insult. Ignorance should not be considered an insult in a sociaty that trains us to specialize into some type of carrier and work (Gaps of information are bound to happen).

And another thing, a Government (big or small) CANNOT satisfy everyone. If one is really pissed about some injustice, get off the iphone/ipad. couch, chair, etc., and protest.

Protesting doesn't do shit.  The only way to make actual change is to... well make actual change. 

Don't like corporate culture only maximizing profits?  Found a company and become a different kind of CEO. 

Examples being Ben and Jerrys and Starbucks.  Or just buy from such places.

Want more help for the poor?

Help the poor.  Volnteer or start up your own programs, get others to join in.

 

Protests are nothing but places to gather socialize and feel good about yourselves while accomplishing nothing because you generally don't have a cohesive point or plan outside of "I'm against this."

Protesting does work, so long as you meet three conditions

1: Your movement has coordinated leadership, e.g. someone the government can turn to to answer to the movement, or do something
2: You have enough people protesting (a lot)
3: The people protesting actually mean it

Hell, protests are what stopped the Soviet Union

A reason that can be argued why protesting is ineffective in America, is that, once polling numbers show an issue gets enough interest for people to protest, politicians will end up speaking to it. to get votes.   So, there isn't a reason to protest.  You see now jobs, jobs, jobs popping up everywhere politically and in political adds, because it is an issue that is polling heavily.

As far as what stopped the Soviet Union, it was glastnost and there ending up a hole in the Iron Curtain which ended up making the Berlin Wall useless.  Then came German reunification.

I am not saying what you said can't work, just that the system is rigged to prevent it from getting too much anywhere.  If you want to see full effect, look to the Miami Model of law enforcement.

Occupy was abotu as successful as one can get with protests today.  But it got shut down, and was so open-ended, it ended up getting sufficient numbers to offer a basis for a formation of public opinion in regards to issues with Wall Street corruption, money in politics and income inequality.  You seldom get anything like that, to shift public and political opinion.  You do have Tea Party, which ended up rallying a political base in the GOP.  But that is it.

And you need a perfect storm.  If things go real bad, people will not work together, and seek to fend for themselves (aka, I do not have enough gas to go anywhere to meet and protest).  If they are well enough, they won't feel a need to protest.  So, it is tough to get something going.

On the leader angle, people do not want to follow leaders.  You can get some spokespeople, but usually people with charisma and organizational skills will be working in political parties and get fast tracked through things.  And it is to help bring people together to follow them.  The government doesn't need to bother with leaders, as politicians use polling numbers to get a pulse on things.