Why are Americans so scared of their government?

Well maybe scared is too strong word. Something more like paranoid.

Im not American but i have family that live in theUSA and they love their country. They support their government in most decisions. But when discussing certain things such as healthcare, education or w/e its like they're talking about their worst enemy, and would rather (insert something here) than trust them.

Forgive me as i dont know much about American history but did something happen in the that made people like this?

Why do Americans this, Why do Americans that :roll: hmmm I dont fear my government. Don't generalize please

Wrong word. We just like being informed as to where our money is going. A lot of people don't like having their money that they worked for taken from them to be given for a cause that they don't support. You could say it's selfish, but I wouldn't ever imply that selfishness is a bad thing in a case like this.

It's been like that since before the U.S, when the government was ruled by Britain. The reason we're afraid of the government is because we believe that the government can't solve problems like health care or poverty.

"Dissent should not be mistaken for Disloyalty"

Its the same thing here in Canada, for some reason standing up to the government is seen as being disloyal to the country. But standing up to your government is the most loyal thing YOU CAN DO for your country.

you're right in saying that 'scared' isn't the right word. i think maybe we just care a lot but the only way we know how to deal with it is to complain :P i don't know, i'm probably wrong

Not scared of the government, but disenchanted with it, and if there is anyone to be somewhat afraid of, or worried about, it would be those that manipulate the government. Corporate/Banking executives and their policies are the tyranny of many, if not all nations today.

Not scared. Just skeptical of the government's ability to do quality work.

The only thing that scares me is the general lack of competency of those "running" our country

some evidence:
http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/17260182/1610997888/name/ftc-vi26..wmv

(CNN, not FOX)

"Dissent should not be mistaken for Disloyalty"

Its the same thing here in Canada, for some reason standing up to the government is seen as being disloyal to the country. But standing up to your government is the most loyal thing YOU CAN DO for your country.

lil_speedy_rvd

Why do Americans this, Why do Americans that :roll:

Kamekazi_69

It's not that people are scared of the government, it's just that they want to limit its power. Most people want decisions to be made by them not for them.

America was built on the principles of individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government. Bigger government goes against those principles.

Not scared. Just skeptical of the government's ability to do quality work.

Oleg_Huzwog

Because the country was founded by a bunch of no-good liberals!

Because the country was founded by a bunch of no-good liberals!

_BlueDuck_

Government is, by its very nature, hopelessly impersonal and inefficient. A federal government will never be able to effectively solve problems like poverty, education, healthcare, or banking that require a very tailored, personalized approach when dealing with consumers. Only the individual citizens of a society who understand the issues on a personal level will be able to resolve them. They can do this through localized, collective action in the private sector, and that is what most Americans believe.

Just look at the United Kingdom. They have no bill of rights, no recourse against the government at all. Judicial independence there is non-existent. And accordingly, the UK government walks all over its citizens, especially recently with the national security excuse. Government intrusion in the UK in the name of security is far worse than things like the Patriot Act in the United States. Of course, the people of the UK are so accustomed to having almost no liberies that they are numb to it, and many of them ignorantly try and encourage America to go the same direction.

If you don't respect the autonomy of the human individual, you have no democracy at all- no republic at all. That is the underlying rationale in America.

In most countries, governments grant freedoms to their people. In the US, the people grant freedoms to the government. When we feel the government is trying to overpower our rights to individual choice, we get a little shifty.

[QUOTE="_BlueDuck_"]

Because the country was founded by a bunch of no-good liberals!

aransom

Nah, liberal still means the same thing; just those who call themselves liberals aren't really liberal, and those who call themselves conservatives aren't really conservative. At least not completly.

It's because loud wing of the conservative party is under the impression that the government can't ever be helpful. Acemaster27

I beg to differ :|

i dont think americans are sacred of there government but simply waiting for it to do something

i dont think americans are sacred of there government but simply waiting for it to do something

hiphopballer

I always fear people that have too much power and too little intelligence at the same time.

Nobody should 100% trust their government with out question, remember these are our employee's ;) its our job to keep them in check.

People are usually scared of things that they don't fully get or understand well.

I'm not scared of my government. I just prefer to have less of it.

See: Nixon/Watergate

I'm sure it's been longer than that, but no one really has much faith in our politicians for a while now.

Well maybe scared is too strong word. Something more like paranoid.

Im not American but i have family that live in theUSA and they love their country. They support their government in most decisions. But when discussing certain things such as healthcare, education or w/e its like they're talking about their worst enemy, and would rather (insert something here) than trust them.

Forgive me as i dont know much about American history but did something happen in the that made people like this?

error_202

See: Nixon/Watergate

I'm sure it's been longer than that, but no one really has much faith in our politicians for a while now.

metroidfood

Actually it was precisely that. It caused the massive change in the way the country views government as before that event happened we lived under a system of cooperative federalism, where the federal and state governments worked together (with the feds suggesting what should be done, creating a plan and funding it for the states to do it). Although cooperative federalism had been on the decline since Johnson, it was Watergate that ultimately caused that major change although currently it seems like the trend is reversing itself. Although this is somewhat expected as the US operates on a cycle of party switching every 36 years or so, and the two parties cater to two different ideological views, one somewhat generally pro fed and the other pro state, although this cycle has stalled too as parties slowly lose power to the issues and candidates and this could be resolved by either a return to the 36 year system or it could replace it entirely, i personally support it replacing the old system as voters should be guided by issues and candidates and not blind partisanship.

[QUOTE="_BlueDuck_"]

Because the country was founded by a bunch of no-good liberals!

Americans are armed. That's a good thing right now. And some of them are aware and armed.
In europe the people are even more cautious i think, but aside from some minor protests they let them do whatever they want, and should be on their toes for they might end up as one undemocratic european state.

Americans are armed. That's a good thing right now. And some of them are aware and armed.
In europe the people are even more cautious i think, but aside from some minor protests they let them do whatever they want, and should be on their toes for they might end up as one undemocratic european state.

KungfuKitten

I'm curious about the Armed American stereotype. I always read reports that right wingers/conservatives make up most of the military personnel, militia groups and the typical armed civilian. Do you think if there was mass civil unrest against the government, something like pre civil war, would liberals actually be able to win in such a conflict?

I ask, because I always here stories about the governments, mainly liberals, want to disarm the populace. If thats true, then would it be safe to say both sides fear each other?

Well maybe scared is too strong word. Something more like paranoid.

Im not American but i have family that live in theUSA and they love their country. They support their government in most decisions. But when discussing certain things such as healthcare, education or w/e its like they're talking about their worst enemy, and would rather (insert something here) than trust them.

Forgive me as i dont know much about American history but did something happen in the that made people like this?

error_202

not the place to ask that kind of question mate,

Because our government is too awesome. :?

Its all good when I'm not the target. ;)

[QUOTE="KungfuKitten"]

Americans are armed. That's a good thing right now. And some of them are aware and armed.
In europe the people are even more cautious i think, but aside from some minor protests they let them do whatever they want, and should be on their toes for they might end up as one undemocratic european state.

majwill24

I'm curious about the Armed American stereotype. I always read reports that right wingers/conservatives make up most of the military personnel, militia groups and the typical armed civilian. Do you think if there was mass civil unrest against the government, something like pre civil war, would liberals actually be able to win in such a conflict?

I ask, because I always here stories about the governments, mainly liberals, want to disarm the populace. If thats true, then would it be safe to say both sides fear each other?

Television is always right.

i simply dont like my gov't. i know they're wasting our money on basically nothing (well by nothing i mean their own salaries and vacations) we didn't go billions into debt because they had a competent accountant. they don't listen to their citizens, which from all my education was supposed to be the founding principle of the country.