Comments on: What is Government’s Role? http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/ Exploring the New Values of the 21st Century Citizen Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:59:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: David Alexander http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1864 David Alexander Sat, 13 Oct 2007 11:54:19 +0000 http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1864 Sure the government should be involved. Lack of any government authority leads to failed states - we may not be exactly like Somalia in that case, but their warlords would be our corporations and uncontrolled, aberrant capitalism. Perhaps government's primary mission is to protect the common good, whether that is national defense, transportation, or clean air and water. The law recognizes that preponderance of good must decide the issues. For that reason, if you feel that cars and buses idling needlessly is a triviality, then perhaps legislation in that area could be considered meddling. However, if you feel, and know from studies, that air quality and asthma (and other illnesses) are directly affected by idling of vehicles, if you know that temperature increase is also caused by the volume of fossil fuels burned, and so on, then it should not be considered meddling by any government, whether city, state, or federal, to take action to protect the common good. Sure the government should be involved. Lack of any government authority leads to failed states - we may not be exactly like Somalia in that case, but their warlords would be our corporations and uncontrolled, aberrant capitalism. Perhaps government’s primary mission is to protect the common good, whether that is national defense, transportation, or clean air and water.

The law recognizes that preponderance of good must decide the issues. For that reason, if you feel that cars and buses idling needlessly is a triviality, then perhaps legislation in that area could be considered meddling. However, if you feel, and know from studies, that air quality and asthma (and other illnesses) are directly affected by idling of vehicles, if you know that temperature increase is also caused by the volume of fossil fuels burned, and so on, then it should not be considered meddling by any government, whether city, state, or federal, to take action to protect the common good.

]]> By: toasterhead http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1834 toasterhead Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:06:19 +0000 http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1834 I see no problem with this. Nobody has a right to drive a motor vehicle. This is a privilege granted to qualified citizens with the understanding that they will obey all the applicable laws. The government has not only the right, but the duty to create and enforce motor vehicle laws to preserve order, ensure safety, and protect the environment on public roads. Empowering people is a nice idea until you start to think about it. I see no problem with this. Nobody has a right to drive a motor vehicle. This is a privilege granted to qualified citizens with the understanding that they will obey all the applicable laws. The government has not only the right, but the duty to create and enforce motor vehicle laws to preserve order, ensure safety, and protect the environment on public roads.

Empowering people is a nice idea until you start to think about it.

]]> By: anarchyintheuk http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1789 anarchyintheuk Wed, 10 Oct 2007 07:29:28 +0000 http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1789 The less government have to do with anything, the better. Empower people not Government The less government have to do with anything, the better.

Empower people not Government

]]> By: Anitra Freeman http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1777 Anitra Freeman Wed, 10 Oct 2007 02:54:33 +0000 http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1777 If government has the duty to protect your person and your private property from assaults by other people, then government also has the duty to protect public property, the common air and water, and public health from assault. To dump garbage into other people's air is as much an infringement upon the rights of others to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as it is to dump garbage over your fence onto their lawn. If government has no right to control individual behavior, no matter what its impact on other people, then wipe all law of the books and declare anarchy; that is at least a consistent stand. If government has the duty to protect your person and your private property from assaults by other people, then government also has the duty to protect public property, the common air and water, and public health from assault. To dump garbage into other people’s air is as much an infringement upon the rights of others to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as it is to dump garbage over your fence onto their lawn.

If government has no right to control individual behavior, no matter what its impact on other people, then wipe all law of the books and declare anarchy; that is at least a consistent stand.

]]> By: Matthew Murphy http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1770 Matthew Murphy Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:13:10 +0000 http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1770 The question of how far legislation should be allowed to extend into our personal lives is always difficult. I think that in this case, yes, governments should be allowed to pass laws that protect the environment, even if they seem dangerously close to interfering with our personal freedom. If we expect that our government should regulate large corporations and enforce trade restrictions on nations that don't meet our environmental standards, it's only fair that we make a few sacrifices ourselves. Our planet is our home. I think that it's worth changing the rules a bit to keep it in order. The question of how far legislation should be allowed to extend into our personal lives is always difficult. I think that in this case, yes, governments should be allowed to pass laws that protect the environment, even if they seem dangerously close to interfering with our personal freedom. If we expect that our government should regulate large corporations and enforce trade restrictions on nations that don’t meet our environmental standards, it’s only fair that we make a few sacrifices ourselves. Our planet is our home. I think that it’s worth changing the rules a bit to keep it in order.

]]> By: pauldwaite http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1766 pauldwaite Tue, 09 Oct 2007 08:34:30 +0000 http://www.21st-century-citizen.com/2007/10/08/governments-role-in-global-warming-no-idle-vancouver-9344-2/#comment-1766 “it’s purpose” Perhaps “its purpose”? “it’s purpose”

Perhaps “its purpose”?

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