# The Government is NOT the source of your happiness or dispair **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834 "2004-11-03T20:15:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/21 "2004-11-03T23:42:42Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I’m certainly no fan of federal mandates, but isn’t education largely a state affair? How about getting the feds out completely and keeping it local…? Just about anyone with a child or in the education industry that I know would take this offer. Where do we start? Oh. Wait. We can’t do shit about it now. Especially now that its been worn like a feather in every senator’s and the President’s fucking cap. Lovely. Sam ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/22 "2004-11-03T23:47:10Z")
I’m not depressed because the government fell to the Republicans. I’m depressed because my fellow Americans voted overwhelmingly for constitutional bans on same-sex marriage in 11 states. I’m depressed because my fellow Americans value a man with “good morals” over a man who isn’t a complete incompetent like the incumbent. I’m depressed because the rest of the world will now rightly be able to place blame for everything we’ve done horribly wrong with our foreign policy on the American people instead of on an Administration that showed no real signs of being a megalomaniacal, powerhungry, faith-based group of people back in 2000. The actual government itself isn’t what’s depressing me, no. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/23 "2004-11-03T23:48:41Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Everyone posting today about how depressed he/she is or how his/her world has come crashing down… you know what? It just isn’t so. > > Even our huge government with its $2,500,000,000,000 budget is just a tiny, tiny part of our everyday lives. You have family and friends to enjoy your lives with. You have endless opportunities to expand your mind, create works of art, make new scientific discoveries, or even just sit on your ass if you want. > > Keep fighting for whatever political goals you have, but in the grand scheme of your lives, the government just isn’t that important, and it’s not worth dragging yourself down over. > > f you’re depressed over this election, you need to sit yourself down and re-evalutate your priorities. Every word of your second paragraph is absolutely true. No matter who is President, I can still listen to the Ramones, eat Cheez-Itz, watch Spirited Away with the missus, dance to Material Issue, snuggle with my dogs, dye my hair and wear black rubber bracelets. Then I go to work and look around, and realize that, more than likely, every single one of my co-workers voted against me out of hatred and fear. I’m not saying that the world is over – it’s not. But it’s a little colder, somehow, and I’m a little sadder, and tonight I did the one thing that I **never** do – I cried a little and thought about how, in some ways, I’m **sick to fucking death** of being gay. That’s what this election made me feel. It made me wish for a moment that I wasn’t who I am. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/24 "2004-11-04T00:03:57Z")
> [@chatelaine](#): > > EThen I go to work and look around, and realize that, more than likely, every single one of my co-workers voted against me out of hatred and fear. I think it’s mosly ignorance. Don’t let ignorant people hold your own happiness hostage. Fuck 'em, and choose your own way. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/25 "2004-11-04T00:14:52Z")
I work with developmentally disabled people who have had their benefits slashed because the current governonr of the state is ravaging social programs to pay for a tax cut for the richest 10 perecent of the state. These are literally the most helpless people in our society whose lives are being directly and tangibly damaged by a state government for completely venal motives. This same state governor has also completely eliminated some inner city day camps and after-school programs that I used to volunteer or. Kids were actually getting homework help and mentoring and a safe place to go after school. Their lives have been dirsectly damaged by their government. Of course, the elected officials of this state like to play up the “Christian” thing quite a bit too. They seem to be fond of that part where Jesus says to steal from the crippled and the children to give to the wealthy. I’ve never actually seen that part but it must be in there. It’s so integral to Republican politics. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/26 "2004-11-04T00:14:58Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I think it’s mosly ignorance. Don’t let ignorant people hold your own happiness hostage. Fuck 'em, and choose your own way. I do, for the most part, but you can see how something like this would get me down, yeah? I mean, I try to be a good person. I always give money to homeless folks and I rescue animals. Never kicked a kid that didn’t kick me first [heh] and I’m cool with almost any personal [read: affecting only that individual] choice that a person makes, even if it’s not what I would do. I’m generous to a fault and am a pretty decent girl on the whole. Then the majority of a country that I love gives me the collective finger. It’s a sour pill, my friend.’ I do see your point, though, and mostly agree. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/27 "2004-11-04T00:18:21Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Because of this election’s results, I expect that several thousand Americans will die. And for every American that dies, I expect that ten non-Americans will die. Say Kerry had won. How would this be one tiny bit different? > [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I expect this president to continue fighting unnecessary wars in ways that continue to alienate us from the rest of the world. I expect his foreign policy to be a Christmas gift to terrorist recruiters. I expect some of those terrorists to launch successful, horrific attacks in the US. And I expect the US response to those attacks to be overwhelming and even more horrific. Again, there is not one shred of evidence that any of this would have been this tiniest bit different under Kerry. John Mace is right. We chose the pot instead of the kettle. Big deal. Oh, and for all of you concerned about health care, on that one issue, thank your lucky stars Bush was elected, because Kerry’s plan would have made something that’s already expensive (health insurance) downright unaffordable for everyone. The last time someone (Clinton) tried something like that, the result was HIPAA, a dog’s breakfast of an act that has been the primary reason health insurance costs have skyrocketed over the last 8 years and the reason over ten million people have lost their insurance because they can’t afford it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/28 "2004-11-04T00:26:13Z")
> [@chatelaine](#): > > I do, for the most part, but you can see how something like this would get me down, yeah? I do. I’ve read a lot of posts about this issue from gays on this board, and for it’s worth, yours probably touched me more than any other. I wish you well! ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/29 "2004-11-04T00:31:49Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I do. I’ve read a lot of posts about this issue from gays on this board, and for it’s worth, yours probably touched me more than any other. I wish you well! As I do you, **John**. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/30 "2004-11-04T02:35:52Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Even our huge government with its $2,500,000,000,000 budget is just a tiny, tiny part of our everyday lives. ``` Lets see if those numbers stay the same... or will Bush stop "deficiting" away ? ``` ---
**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/31 "2004-11-04T06:57:52Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Oh, and for all of you concerned about health care, on that one issue, thank your lucky stars Bush was elected, because Kerry’s plan would have made something that’s already expensive (health insurance) downright unaffordable for everyone. The last time someone (Clinton) tried something like that, the result was HIPAA, a dog’s breakfast of an act that has been the primary reason health insurance costs have skyrocketed over the last 8 years and the reason over ten million people have lost their insurance because they can’t afford it. I want to see some cites for that. I deal with HIPAA on a daily basis and it has nothing (or very little) to do with rising insurance costs. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/32 "2004-11-04T07:21:31Z")
I’m not depressed because of something the government did. I’m depressed because 51% of my fellow citizens have revealed themselves to be ignorant, bigoted, frightened, and gullible kids, who obviously haven’t been paying attention to the events of the past four years. What was that P.T. Barnum said about underestimating the intelligence of the public again? ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/33 "2004-11-04T07:31:58Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I work with developmentally disabled people who have had their benefits slashed because the current governonr of the state is ravaging social programs to pay for a tax cut for the richest 10 perecent of the state. These are literally the most helpless people in our society whose lives are being directly and tangibly damaged by a state government for completely venal motives. This same state governor has also completely eliminated some inner city day camps and after-school programs that I used to volunteer or. Kids were actually getting homework help and mentoring and a safe place to go after school. Their lives have been dirsectly damaged by their government. > > Of course, the elected officials of this state like to play up the “Christian” thing quite a bit too. They seem to be fond of that part where Jesus says to steal from the crippled and the children to give to the wealthy. I’ve never actually seen that part but it must be in there. It’s so integral to Republican politics. This is going on here in Minnesota? ☹ Damn. I was hoping our governor was better than other republicans at least. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/34 "2004-11-04T14:28:08Z")
> [@peri](#): > > I want to see some cites for that. I deal with HIPAA on a daily basis and it has nothing (or very little) to do with rising insurance costs. In what context? I’m talking about the mandates that it put upon insurance companies, not the part of it that deals with confidentiality. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/35 "2004-11-04T15:21:26Z")
> [@peri](#): > > I want to see some cites for that. I deal with HIPAA on a daily basis and it has nothing (or very little) to do with rising insurance costs. I can tell you it has significantly increased capital expenditures for the majority of hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, pharmacies, insurance companies, and anyone else who deals with medical records. See, the law now requires all these places to have patient files locked away. Not just in a locked room, but in lockable file cabinets. Such cabinets are more expensive than regular file cabinets, and most of those places didn’t have them due to that. Now, though, they’ve had to purchase new filing systems if their old ones didn’t meet the criteria. And that’s created several million dollars’ worth of business in the filing industry. I know, because I work for a company that sells office furniture across the country. Our industry has been in a horrendous downturn the past three years. In some cases, the only thing keeping some office furniture dealerships afloat is the business being generated by hospitals buying new filing cabinets. And I got news for you: the hospitals and insurance companies aren’t eating that cost. They’re passing it on to you, in the form of higher premiums, higher prescription fees, higher service costs. HIPAA has helped my industry, and so I can’t complain too strongly. But don’t doubt that it has had an impact on healthcare costs in this country. It has. The Law of Unintended Consequences is the one law government — ANY government — always passes unanimously. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/36 "2004-11-04T15:43:36Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Got a news flash for ya. Wars, even fantastically stupid and unnecessary ones (such as the one in Iraq), have been enjoined by Democratic presidents throughout that party’s history, too. The assumption of Kerry to the presidency wasn’t a guarantee of the saving of the life of one single soldier (or civilian) - American, or otherwise. Kerry, in fact, made no promises to withdraw troops from either Iraq, or Afghanistan. Or keep them at home in the future. Bush has proven himself an incompetent war leader. Incompetent war leaders get people killed. But don’t take my word for it, just read the newspapers in the coming year. But hey, that’s OK for the 51% who voted for him! At least those icky gays will be kept down! ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/37 "2004-11-04T15:48:27Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > Incompetent war leaders get people killed. Competant war leaders get people killed too. That’s kind of the point of war. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/38 "2004-11-04T15:50:50Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#): > > Competant war leaders get people killed too. That’s kind of the point of war. But not in unncessary wars, which is also the point. How you people forgot that Bush let Osama go free in order to target Saddam is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/39 "2004-11-04T16:00:05Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#): > > Competant war leaders get people killed too. That’s kind of the point of war. _In_competent leaders start wars for no reason. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834/40 "2004-11-04T16:04:06Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Keep fighting for whatever political goals you have, but in the grand scheme of your lives, the government just isn’t that important, and it’s not worth dragging yourself down over. I’ll think about this the next time I see people jumping to their deaths from a flaming building. /had front row seats [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-government-is-not-the-source-of-your-happiness-or-dispair/272834.md?page=3)