AlterNet: Joshua Holland: 'Freedom From a Dead-End Life'

Source:Free State MD

When Religious and Neoconservatives complain about big government, and the dangers of big government, take that with at least one grain of salt, actually you may need a jar.  If you don’t end up laughing after hearing from that, because they believe in big government, just in a different form. And are either not willing to admit that or are unaware of it. Sort of like an alcoholic unaware that they are an alcoholic. Same thing with people addicted to cocaine. Addicted to big government is more accurate, than being against it.

Neoconservatives are the people that gave us indefinite detention, the Patriot Act, the Defense of Marriage Act, constitutional amendments to ban pornography and same-sex marriage, No Child Left Behind, the expansion of Medicare in 2003. The most vocal opponents against marijuana legalization , even for medical marijuana. Would ban adultery and pre-marital sex and perhaps even women being allowed to work out of the house if they could. If Neoconservatives are against big government, than the New York Yankees represent South Carolina and play all of their home games there. 

When you hear Progressives complain about big government or as they would call it big brother, again at least one grain of salt, if you're not laughing. Actually you may need a months supply of salt and salty potato chips, because who the hell are they fooling. These are the people who believe New Deal and Great Society didn't go far enough because they are social insurance systems and not social welfare systems. 

Services that people in need used and not universal services that would be available to everyone to manage all of their economic affairs for them. . And would like to create a welfare state in America to expand on what we have already. And be able to regulate things like hate speech, outlaw gambling, throw out the 2nd Amendment, outlaw private contributions to political campaigns. Even regulate the media with the “Fairness Doctrine”. Eliminate choice in how we pay for our healthcare by eliminating the private health insurance industry. 

Perhaps eliminate private schools including universities and put the Federal Government i  charge of education. Because they say "this is how other countries do it, so this is how we should do it as well". Today's so-called Progressives which is really just a nice way of saying Socialists or even Statists, are champions of big government in America. But not just as it relates to economic policy, but key personal freedom issues relating to what we can eat and drink and even how we can communicate with each other. Where we should get our media. 

What America needs is not less freedom with new things being outlawed. Whether they come from the Far-Right or Far Left. What we need is more freedom across the board, not freedom to abuse innocent people. But the freedom to live our own lives and then regulate how we interact with each other. Better education so people have even more freedom over their own lives, because now they would have the education they need to make the right decisions with their own lives. 

Not some superstate that will do our cooking for us, or buy or groceries, or decide where we should work or live, or what we should say to each other. Or what we should do with our own money. But not try to protect us from ourselves, but laws that are there to regulate how we treat each other. Smart educated people are the true free people in America. Because they have the knowledge to manage their own lives and make their own decisions. That is what America needs more of. Not a super babysitter trying to manage our lives for us.