What kind of issues could the government spend their money on to improve society?

Question

What kind of issues could the government spend their money on to improve society?

Answer 1

That's the problem now. Government spending! In the early 60's the government had so many 'do good for us' programs going and not enough revenue to support them AND the Nam war going at the same time that they started printing money to pay for all of it. That's when the dollar lost back up from the gold standard. Nixon had to drop the gold backing of the dollar on August 15th 1970 because there was so much money printed that gold could support only 22% of it. The government went baknrupt over night when all the other countries of the world cashed in the dollar.Why do you think gas prices are so high today?  Because we are doing the same thing today. We are indebt to the tune of 7 trillion (not billion but trillion) and the presses are still cranking out almost worthless dollars AND we are in another unessasary war. History does indeed repeat it'self!

Answer 2

The government does not have money. We have money which the government takes from us.

Money would best be spent on alternative energy sources; nationalized medicine; national proof of identification and citizenship; crushing big oil with a release of the 'war' reserve of fuel; ending the many conflicts the US is involved in worldwide and bringing all of our troops home; revamping the prison system so that it no longer represents big business; prosecuting and taxing churches and religious organizations for entering into politics; ending domestic privation; finally, nationalizing higher education.

Answer 3

It is not the job, duty, or responsibility of the government to "improve society". It is the government's job to protect the citizens, that's it. It is up to the people to improve society.

Answer 4

Alternative energy and energy exploration.

Answer 5

First of all, it's not 'their' money. It's OUR money.

Secondly, it's not the government's job to improve society. Almost 90% of what the government does today is either unconstitutional, illegal, unnecessary or unimportant.

"We the people" could address all kinds of issues that would improve society:

a) Demand term limits for all elected officials and government appointees or bureaucrats;

b) Destroy the stranglehold our corrupt, monopolistic two party system has on our electoral process, which gives voters little voice - and choice - in whom we want to serve as our leaders;

c) Fight 'til the death to eliminate all special interest groups, corporate influence, lobbyists and power structures that dictate the activities of our government without public input - and sometimes, without public knowledge or consent;

d) Reduce wages for members of Congress, federal judges and all other government officials so that they come to understand that they are public servants, NOT privileged royalty;

e) Demand that Congress and Presidents follow the U.S. Constitution 'to the letter';

f) Return our currency to a sound system backed by a gold or silver standard;

g) Assign top priority to environmental issues, especially in areas of alternative energies and global warming;

h) Outlaw 'benchmarks', 'earmarks', and other wasteful spending;

i) Abolish the IRS as it exists today and begin taxing only those individuals with incomes of $150,000 or more AND tax all corporations a hefty 50% of their gross profits;

j) Outlaw corporate welfare in the form of tax incentives, abatements, grants and tax deductions;

k) Establish means of ensuring that every legal American citizen never goes hungry or becomes homeless;

l) Return America to a society which embraces moral integrity, human respect and decency and a sacred regard for all life (including plants and animals that have just as much right to be on this planet as we do);

m) End all involvement in wars, military conflicts or political disputes;

n) Abolish the death penalty as cruel and unusual punishment;

o) Cap all corporate executive salaries;

p) Revamp Social Security so that everyone pays into the 'pool' (just as in any insurance plan), but only those in need ever get to receive benefits;

q) Rebuild America's infrastructure to include more mass coast-to-coast rail transportation;

r) Pass legislation demanding that auto manufacturers build highly fuel-efficient cars that get 100 mpg and will last 500,000 miles;

s) Restrict corporate profits;

t) Insist that every judge, attorney, prosecutor, police officer or other representative who works in our 'justice' system spend at least one month in the catacombic labyrinths of h**l-holes we call a prison system;

u) Remain neutral in all political conflicts other than to help provide basic food, clothing and shelter to victims caught up in the chaos;

v) Make it a treasonable offense, punishable by death, for any elected official convicted of taking even the smallest bribe;

w) Insist that every high school student serve one year in community service before going on to college or getting a 'real' job;

x) Demand that any politicians who support any kind of a war effort pledge to send their own children to the front lines before any other soldiers are drafted;

y) Take back our free airwaves from millionaire propagandists that spread hatred, filth, lies, bigotry and political prejudice and pass it off as 'commentary';

z) Simplify the government bureacracy so that it becomes more REactive in times of emergency and more PROactive in terms of preparing for those emergencies.

-RKO-  06/20/08

Answer 6

I'm afraid it's a moot point.  The Constitution does not give government authority to legislate in this area, which means no money can be spent for such things, as "improving society".  

Unfortunately, this has not stopped them in the past.

Society can, however, improve itself.