Government is not Broken

"Congress is broken." Many people's favorite words. But oh so wrong when you don't say what, why, when, who, etc. So to that I respond with the following.

Please distinguish what you mean. Government is the many agencies under the Executive Branch which provide you and America the products and services which enrichen your life. They are following the mandates and work specificed by Congress and with the funding also specificied by Congress in Appropriation bills.

So when you talk about how "government is broken", please specify what part of government you're talking about. Politicians and pundits love to bash "the government" when it's really Congress or the President they're bashing. There are nearly 4 million government employees, not counting the military forces (only DOD civilian employees) and millions more contract employees working under contracts or directly for the agencies.

They're not broken. They're just doing their job. I spent nearly 28 years (additional 4 in the USAF) and I can tell you, we weren't broken and they're not broken. I know the government employees are dedicated and hardworking. So they don't deserve your criticism, or worse, you anger, when you won't be specific as to what you're talking about a broken government.

And I won't argue with you about Congress. It's long been broken and is the worst example of good government, only an example of a corrupt government. But we elected them. On promises for our votes, which they knew were lies and know won't be done because they're bought and paid for by corporations and tutored by their lobbyists.

And it's not about wasteful spending. Those agencies, excluding the DOD and military spending, are only about 5% of the annual government budget. The rest are interest on the debt, entitlement programs, military spending (personnel and operations) and equipment (ships, planes, weapons, vehicles, etc.) purchases and the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Five percent. That's all what the agencies have for the year, allocated and defined by Congress. The agencies don't get to use the money outside the programs specificed by Congress. They don't have that luxury. So, arguing they're misspending money isn't true, they're spending what Congress mandated in the agencies' requests or with earmarks.

And to those pundits and politicians who want to dissovle the IRS, It would help the argument if you offer an alternative that works, and not simply argue against the IRS. We need to have taxes to make goverment work for the people, and that requires enforcing tax laws, which by the way aren't written by the IRS, but again, Congress. They write the laws, the IRS only write the administrative code and enforces the laws.

They're not the problem with the tax system, so venting against them is erroneous and wrong. And yes, I've met and known many in the IRS, and they're just like any other dedicated and hardworking government employee, doing their best within the rules set by Congress. Congress did this, not the IRS.

And if you abolish the IRS what will you propose in its place to ensure tax are being collected? You will need a government agency, so what don't you understand? If you're angry at the income tax system, it's not the IRS, again, it's Congress. Blame them, not the IRS for enforcing the laws Congress writes and passes.

If you don't like the tax laws, and some in Congress don't, you should know better than anyone, the problem is you. Yes, you're your own problem and your own enemy. Not a pretty picture huh? So, when I hear it from elected representatives, I only need to tell them to look in the mirror for the problem and the solution.

So, don't bitch about government unless you tell us what you're angry at and why, with factual information, and not political rhetoric or simply bullshit. I didn't spend a career to hear that crap from anyone.