Does the Government...

[Poisoner]

Do a good job regulating the services it offers? Such as road construction, health care, education, etc?

[Bokks]

I said good, since there's always room for improvement, but all in all they do do a pretty good job. Yeah, you could jump on me about roads and especially health care, but as far as I'm concerned, the majority of road construction and most if not all of health care fall under jurisdiction of the states anyway.
... we are talking about the US... right?
If not, Canada's doing a pretty good job, too.

[Rush Limbaugh]

Horrible . Way too much buracracy

[mocker]

Contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around Washington DC.

[Bokks]

Two guesses on who thinks a day at the government office is a nightmare!!
I'm only kidding Rush... you know I love ya!

And amen, mocker! It only centers around Washington!! Just kidding!

[Rush Limbaugh]

Contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around Washington DC.

Member of S.I.N : "God did it!"

Well I dont know of any other government that regulates services here other than state , county and town. I didnt know it was my opinion of how governments in general do it. Stupid me thought you wanted my opinion on my government.

[mocker]

Well I dont know of any other government that regulates services here other than state , county and town. I didnt know it was my opinion of how governments in general do it. Stupid me thought you wanted my opinion on my government.

The comment was meant for the thread opener. The thread title says "the", not "your" government.

Unless we're talking about some mysterious world-controlling corporation conspiracy, It'd be nice to specify exactly wich government.

[rathelios]

As citizen of a western european country it is difficult to justifying anything other than "very good".

Really? I don't know what Holland is like but in England the government takes our money and uses many ingenious and creative ways to turn it into a steaming pile of ordure. I sometimes wonder whether we should just pile our hard earned moola up and burn it in wild satanic orgies to Gog and Magog. It would have about the same effect.
For me it all comes down to efficiency. Maybe Dutch bureaucracies are amazingly well run and don't waste money hand over foot but round here they pour money down the proverbial drain like it's water. They collect my bins but the price I pay is astronomical.

[Muizer]

I guess the answer to this poll rather depends on where you're from. As citizen of a western european country it is difficult to justifying anything other than "very good". Of course I hope there is room for improvement, but looking back there's not been a time when services were organized better.

[LoZz]

depends.

to get the big important things, like taxing your car, tv licence, NI, Income tax, council tax, driveing licences and passports they have made it easy and simple (most can be done online).

however if you are after something a little more "rare" it can be a nightmere!

[Medicus]

In Australia things are Good.

We gets roads and hospitals and schools. If the Bureaucracy was gotten rid of things would work much faster. Where I live the highway is horrible congested, has been for years, they're only now getting around to fixing it. And it will be another two years before they finish!

[Thanatos]

In Australia things are Good.

We gets roads and hospitals and schools. If the Bureaucracy was gotten rid of things would work much faster. Where I live the highway is horrible congested, has been for years, they're only now getting around to fixing it. And it will be another two years before they finish!

Wow, Medicus, I didn't know you lived in Australia!

You came across to me as more... European...

But at any rate, I feel that my government is like a old man getting more and more tired with each passing day.

[Medicus]

Wow, Medicus, I didn't know you lived in Australia!
You came across to me as more... European...

Say what? Why did you think that?!

[Thanatos]

Say what? Why did you think that?!

I don't know, to be honest with you.

You just seemed the type, Medicus.

[Medicus]

I don't know, to be honest with you.

You just seemed the type, Medicus.

Because of the obvious socialism?

Actually, it was more likely my name. I'm a big fan of British TV.

[Kiljan Arslan]

good when it comes to services bad when it comes to things like the War on Drugs because they shouldn't be doing it.

[Sétanta]

Government does one thing well: Blowing stuff up. And lately they haven't been very good at that either.

Why is it that as soon as a Socialist dictator gets removed from office, the people immediatly start practicing capitalism? Government can't do anything as well as a motivated, independent private sector can.

And Kiljan, whether or not they should be doing it has nothing to do with the ability to do it. Reading comprehension is your friend.

[Mathius]

Do a good job regulating the services it offers? Such as road construction, health care, education, etc?

Depends what you mean by regulating. In the UK the majority of major infrastructure construction and management is done through design/build/finance/operate or PFI/PPP type contracts where a private contractor oversees that majority of any assets lifecycle. The Government essentially acts as contract manager, which its something it has very mixed success with. With 'services', such as state benefits, I think the tax credit debacle last year says plenty.