I'm anti-government (except when I'm not): September 2011

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Biking on Uncle Sam's dime...

I love biking, and multi-use trails are one of the better community enhancements. So the gripe certainly isn't about the paths/trails, but once again the hypocrisy of mindlessly repeating talking points about "small government" and "reducing spending" but then holding out your hand for a $1 million grant ("Federal Transportation Enhancement Program") when the beneficiary is you and your's, rather than someone else... (story from Scottsbluff Star-Herald here)

About this blog

Being against "the government" is a time-honored tradition here in the US. But in the last few years, calls for "smaller government" and getting the government "off my back" and "out of my pocket" are becoming more and more strident. Here in western Nebraska--like much of the American West--such calls are part of a mythic American West in which rugged individualists tamed an unforgiving wilderness without any help--much less government help.

But this is a lie, and most of these people are hypocrites. "Big government" is often an integral--and welcomed--part of their lives, but one which is conveniently ignored in their "anti-government" rhetoric. This blog is an attempt to expose this hypocrisy for what it is by collecting examples of government aid, largesse, pork, assistance, etc. that people in my community and region gladly accept with one hand, while carrying Tea Party signs and "Don't Tread on Me" flags in another.