# "Get the government off my back"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [November 30, 2024, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973 "2024-11-30T14:46:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/1 "2024-11-30T14:46:00Z")
I have seen this opinion lately from time to time, from individuals. Does anyone (e.g. average Joe) have a specific example of the gov’t as a burden? Is this cross bearing? Can people absorb the government by the people for the people… “ensure tranquility… promote general welfare of the people”
I hate taxes? Really? Thats it??
This is an old thread
> [@"Get government off your back and out of the way!" Is it still 1988?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-government-off-your-back-and-out-of-the-way-is-it-still-1988/463717/58):
>
> What he said.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/2 "2024-11-30T14:50:14Z")
I was hanging in a bar a few months ago in the afternoon (slow time in the bar) and chatting with the owner.
She had an amazing list of bullshit she had to put up with. E.G. She got a fine because the light on her tavern sign were on the building and not on the sign itself.
This is local politics but there is not shortage of crap.
It’s less bad for Joe Citizen since they will vote people out of office if just living in the city sucks.
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### Author:  [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/3 "2024-11-30T15:06:20Z")
Ideally, locally, things would not be a racket. If you’re part of the community, then take it that way.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/4 "2024-11-30T15:30:23Z")
Get the government off my back! Kill those consumer protection laws! Eliminate the FDA, let the market decide! We parents own the children\*, so no vaccine mandates! I should be able to dam that river running through my property!
But keep your grubby paws off my Social Security.
\*as eloquently stated by Rand Paul.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/5 "2024-11-30T15:35:21Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> She had an amazing list of bullshit she had to put up with.
A friend was fined by Liquor Control for mentioning on Facebook that mixed six packs were buy 5, get one free. Can’t give away alcohol. Has to be buy five the sixth is a penny.
There were other extreme bits they picked also.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/6 "2024-11-30T15:42:18Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> Get the government off my back!
Indeed.
Meanhoo, you _never_ see **anybody** saying “Get corporations out of my f. life!” Funny how government is seen as “burdensome”, but corporatism is always seen as keen and peachy and hunky dory. Nope, no issues with private businesses invading our privacy, trying to change our views, trying to sell us crap we don’t need.
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### Author:  [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/7 "2024-11-30T15:54:07Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Funny how government is seen as “burdensome”, but corporatism is always seen as keen and peachy and hunky dory.
This, this, this.
I feel WAY more oppressed by various business entities than the government. In the end, even when they don’t do a stellar job of it, government is generally there to be of service - I’m thinking the DMV and such. And BTW, the DMV where I live is excellent and was wonderful in helping me through some complicated transactions last time I was there.
Then there’s the fact that I work in aviation - one of the most heavily regulated industries. So I don’t have much patience for people who complain about having to follow rules. I’ll certainly sympathize if the rules could be communicated better or are applied whimsically, but governmental regulation is a big reason for my industry’s excellent safety record. I’d like to see the same energy applied to food, roads, medicine, law enforcement, etc.
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/8 "2024-11-30T15:54:51Z")
I think a lot of it is – “The very rich man says he could create more jobs if it weren’t for all the government regulations. I would like a better job, I should be a very rich man too. The government should get off the backs of us very rich men. We are the job creators. Hey who’s been leaking mercury into my water supply? It’s the very rich man! But he says he didn’t mean to hurt me, it’s actually the government’s fault because they won’t let him dump it into the ocean. I hate big government, it’s so hard on us very rich (or almost rich) men”.
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### Author:  [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/9 "2024-11-30T16:18:07Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> no issues with private businesses invading our privacy, trying to change our views, trying to sell us crap we don’t need.
There is a difference between taking your money (via fines) for violating meaningless regulations, and trying to sell you stuff or trying to change your views. The city doesn’t have to “try” to take your money, they just take it. Maybe someone will get voted out of office, if you try really hard maybe a law might get changed.
I can live without a lot of the stuff corporations try to jam down my throat, and in at least a lot of cases I have that choice. With a government rule or regulation it’s obey or be punished. That’s what government means.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/10 "2024-11-30T16:22:42Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> She had an amazing list of bullshit she had to put up with. E.G. She got a fine because the light on her tavern sign were on the building and not on the sign itself.
>
> This is local politics but there is not shortage of crap.
I work for county gov. And we do have sign codes (mostly size and setback from the roads). That though is absolute bullshit. This person should not be fined for NOT advertising her business more clearly.
The light on the building may have made it safer.
@Whack-a-Mole I question if you got the entire story there.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/11 "2024-11-30T16:27:51Z")
I am only telling you what she told me. Maybe she was lying. I do not know.
Chicago is prime for petty shit like this though. Inspectors taking payouts is kinda standard in the city. Chicago may have perfected graft.
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### Author:  [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/12 "2024-11-30T16:38:02Z")
see Ohio, where you can’t give away alcohol even at gallery openings, etc without a special one-time permit
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### Author:  [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/13 "2024-11-30T17:01:59Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Funny how government is seen as “burdensome”, but corporatism is always seen as keen and peachy and hunky dory.
not sure who you are talking to, but I see a LOT of people complaining about big corporations, how Walmart is killing small businesses, and trying to quit Amazon. There is quite a bit of distrust for corporations (for good reason).
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/14 "2024-11-30T17:04:49Z")
The barber I go to in Colorado has a fridge stocked with beer. Ya got to serve yourself though. I’ll grab one while I’m waiting. I don’t know if they have a special permit. I sort of doubt it.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/15 "2024-11-30T17:07:12Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> Get the government off my back! Kill those consumer protection laws! Eliminate the FDA, let the market decide! We parents own the children\*, so no vaccine mandates! I should be able to dam that river running through my property!
>
> But keep your grubby paws off my Social Security.
I remember [the story from July 2009](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/opinion/31krugman.html) of someone who stood up during a town hall meeting to tell a Republican member of Congress to “keep your government hands off my Medicare.”
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### Author:  [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/16 "2024-11-30T17:33:05Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Funny how government is seen as “burdensome”, but corporatism is always seen as keen and peachy and hunky dory. Nope, no issues with private businesses invading our privacy, trying to change our views, trying to sell us crap we don’t need.
Coca-Cola is free to tell me that they’re offering a new banana-flavored soda, just like I’m free to say “uh, no, thanks.” If they know where I live, they’re free to mail me coupons so I could buy that stuff at half-price; I’m free to — not bother. They’re free to explain that they (a) have figured out which TV shows I watch, and that they (b) will air commercials for Banana Coke during them in an effort to change my views — and I’m free to cheerfully reply that, oh, hey, I’m just not interested, is all. _It’s still crap that I don’t need,_ I can add, with a grin and without reaching for my wallet.
Coca-Cola has to take “no” for an answer. The government doesn’t. I can shrug off the former; I can’t shrug off the latter. One isn’t really an issue for me; the other is.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/17 "2024-11-30T17:35:32Z")
How often is the government forcing something on someone? Even things like vaccines are highly recommended but no one is coming to your house and forcing them upon you. I think raw milk is still available.
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/18 "2024-11-30T17:36:13Z")
In the wake of labor unions’ decline, there’s also the fact that employers wield just about all the power.
When they pay the wages they _want_ to pay, allowing them to make the money they’d _like_ to make, it’s quite often the rest of the country (ie, taxpayers) who have to subsidize their choices.
So, I don’t think it’s quite so neat.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/19 "2024-11-30T17:44:03Z")
I have a certain amount of empathy for the comment in the OP, simply based on my experience with our local village’s regulations.
I live in a suburb of Chicago, in Cook County. The local regulation requires the issuance of a building permit by the village – and one or more inspections – for even basic home-improvement and repair projects; my understanding is that they require permits for projects which rarely, if ever, require permits in other nearby suburbs.
This past summer, our central air conditioner died, and needed to be replaced. The HVAC company, which regularly does projects in our village, advised us that yes, indeed, a permit would be required before they could begin work. It took the village over a week to process and issue the permit request (which was also the hottest week of the summer).
After the new AC was installed, the village then had to send out an inspector to look at the work, in order to consider the project “approved.” The guy showed up at the house, spent no more than 20 seconds looking at the exterior unit, handed me an “approved” sticker, and left.
I have no doubt that building permits are a revenue source for the village, and that the buddies of the guys in the building department get nice payments for doing the perfunctory “inspections” afterwards.
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### Author:  [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-the-government-off-my-back/1010973/20 "2024-11-30T17:44:46Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> When they pay the wages they _want_ to pay, allowing them to make the money they’d _like_ to make, it’s quite often the rest of the country (ie, taxpayers) who have to subsidize their choices.
>
> So, I don’t think it’s quite so neat.
How is that not _my_ point? If a business wants to do X or Y instead of Z, that makes no difference to me — I don’t have to pay up, I can ignore them — until the government gets into the act, at which point I _can’t_ ignore the fact that I now _do_ have to pay up.
Seems pretty, uh, neat.
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