What is the role of the federal government on urban transportation issues?

Government's role in the economy?

• Recently I've been thinking a lot about politics. I am certain where I stand on social issues, but I cannot make up my mind of economic issues. At certain points, I am a free market capitalist; but at other times, I feel that government should play a role in the economy. So here are my two questions to help me make up my mind: 1. Should the government intervene in the economy for environmental standards and things of that nature? Everyone needs a clean environment, but is that necessarily the government's role? If people want a clean environment, then can't the economy just regulate itself and people won't buy products from a corporation that harms the environment? 2. Should the government provide social programs such as education and health care? These are essential services, but with supply and demand, why should the government be involved? All in all, I believe that human beings should be entitled to INDIVIDUAL liberty. I support gay marriage and all of that stuff. However, is social freedom the same as economic freedom...because if we are constantly worried about where our next meal is coming from, are we really free?

• Answer:

  ENVIRONMENT In theory, people could refuse to buy products from manufacturers who pollute excessively. However in the real world people wouldn’t do it. Firstly it would be difficult to track who is polluting more than the other. Secondly even if it were possible to track such information accurately most people wouldn’t bother to do so. Manufacturers used to be heavy polluters back in the turn of the century. The government HAD TO step in to regulate them because they were doing tremendous harm not only to the environment but also to residents and workers. Sorry but self-regulation does not work. EDUCATION & HEALTHCARE Again, going back in time we can observe that even in the US a free education was not mandatory for kids. Little kids at the age of 10 would have full-time jobs in factories. This would be considered brutal by today’s US standards. Such practice was abolished by government stepping in and regulating. DEREGULATION – LESS GOVERNMENT In theory, humans would conduct themselves properly and with dignity and they would not take advantage of each other. But in reality people can be @ssholes when left at their own volition and it becomes the role of government to regulate and to legislate society’s affairs so that people do not become to brutal and manipulative against each other. Unfortunately it takes the presence of government to maintain a civilized (decent) society. You seem to be leaning toward idealisms of a ‘free-market’ economy. Unfortunately, leaving greedy business-people unregulated will allow them to become manipulative greedy @ssholes who shall do everything that they do based upon the sole motive of making profit and nothing more regardless of how much pain it may cause to others. Unfortunately, regulation is needed to prevent humans from devouring each other. (This, coming from a former anarchist who came to the realization that humans can not be expected to act responsibly.)