for those who want to reduce government services - what country is your model?

[Anonymous]

The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

Actually Enlightenment ideas fomented in Europe, primarily France, influenced the American revolution which in turn influenced the French Revolution. Nothing happens in a vacuum and it would be foolish to assume to freedom is some sort of American invention when Americans were influenced by European thinkers and vice versa.

But don’t let facts and history get in the way of your mentality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

Actually Enlightenment ideas fomented in Europe, primarily France, influenced the American revolution which in turn influenced the French Revolution. Nothing happens in a vacuum and it would be foolish to assume to freedom is some sort of American invention when Americans were influenced by European thinkers and vice versa.

But don’t let facts and history get in the way of your mentality.

Also, they had over a century's worth of experience in self government with Colonial legislatures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

Actually Enlightenment ideas fomented in Europe, primarily France, influenced the American revolution which in turn influenced the French Revolution. Nothing happens in a vacuum and it would be foolish to assume to freedom is some sort of American invention when Americans were influenced by European thinkers and vice versa.

But don’t let facts and history get in the way of your mentality.

+1. Would add that the principles popularized by the Enlightenment are what made/makes America truly great. A belief that human progress is only possible if we embrace truth, reason and accept that we all have an inalienable right to freedom.
Truth and reason are currently under siege by populist politicians here and in other countries and without the ability for people who might have different values/ideologies to come to agreement on the basis of common facts and through the use of reason, liberal democracies are under severe threat.

As Ben Franklin told delegates in Philadelphia we have "a Republic if we can keep it"
As Ronald Reagan reminded us more recently:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

[Anonymous]

I am from Asia. The United States has been the model. We lead not follow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

Actually Enlightenment ideas fomented in Europe, primarily France, influenced the American revolution which in turn influenced the French Revolution. Nothing happens in a vacuum and it would be foolish to assume to freedom is some sort of American invention when Americans were influenced by European thinkers and vice versa.

But don’t let facts and history get in the way of your mentality.

+1. Would add that the principles popularized by the Enlightenment are what made/makes America truly great. A belief that human progress is only possible if we embrace truth, reason and accept that we all have an inalienable right to freedom.
Truth and reason are currently under siege by populist politicians here and in other countries and without the ability for people who might have different values/ideologies to come to agreement on the basis of common facts and through the use of reason, liberal democracies are under severe threat.

As Ben Franklin told delegates in Philadelphia we have "a Republic if we can keep it"
As Ronald Reagan reminded us more recently:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

so please vote on Nov 6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

Actually Enlightenment ideas fomented in Europe, primarily France, influenced the American revolution which in turn influenced the French Revolution. Nothing happens in a vacuum and it would be foolish to assume to freedom is some sort of American invention when Americans were influenced by European thinkers and vice versa.

But don’t let facts and history get in the way of your mentality.

+1. Would add that the principles popularized by the Enlightenment are what made/makes America truly great. A belief that human progress is only possible if we embrace truth, reason and accept that we all have an inalienable right to freedom.
Truth and reason are currently under siege by populist politicians here and in other countries and without the ability for people who might have different values/ideologies to come to agreement on the basis of common facts and through the use of reason, liberal democracies are under severe threat.

As Ben Franklin told delegates in Philadelphia we have "a Republic if we can keep it"
As Ronald Reagan reminded us more recently:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

so please vote on Nov 6

Please limit your exhortation to Dems. Republicans care enough to vote without creating boogeymen and red herrings. But if that’s what it takes to get a Dem to vote so be it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The original question is misguided. It suggests that we need a model state in order to make a nation based upon self-reliance work. This is as crazy as someone in 1775 asking what country was the model for allowing citizens to be free. There wasn't one then. That did not prevent the US from becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

It's misguided to want major policy decisions to be made using evidence about what works? That's ... not good governance, to say the least. But you did answer my question: you're guided by ideology and not by actual sound policy ideas.