Why I am Incompatible with Liberalism/Progressivism

I should start out saying I am not a Republican or a Democrat.  I don't like either of those two options.  They all do the same things, but justify them differently.  I don't care who you support, what your agenda is, get out and vote.  Vote for anyone.  Anyone you want.  Just not someone with an (R) or a (D) after their name.  That being said, here's the meat.

Liberals/progressives seem to think that you can solve problems of inequity by involving the government.  Think everyone should have health care?  Federal government should provide it to the people.  Too many people dying in car crashes?  Federal government should pass legislation the make cars safer.  Think people don't make enough money?  Federal government should pass legislation to increase wages.  Think corporations are acting against the interests of their employees and customers?  Federal government should create a regulatory framework to make sure the corporations act responsibly.

Here is the thing.  Forget for a second that I am a cold, heartless SoB.  I'll give you that one.  Forget that I believe in personal responsibility and working to solve your own problems instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you.  Maybe I'm wrong on that one.  Forget that I believe that the government should look to the people for direction instead of the government telling us how to live our lives.  Let's put those things aside.  Answer me this question.  Do you trust your government?

You see, I wouldn't have so much of an issue with the government handling some of the aspects of our day to day lives if I trusted them.  There are a couple levels of trust.  Trust that they tell the truth, that they have our best interest at heart and that they are sufficiently knowledgeable/capable.  Can you honestly sit there and tell me that you trust the people that are running this country?  Opinions on the Congress, both houses, are abysmal.  The Supreme Court isn't even trusted anymore. The President?  I'm not going to count that one.  Presidents are always a lightning rod of scrutiny.  We don't trust the institutions that are supposed to regulate industries.  We don't trust the people who make the laws.  We don't trust the people who enforce the laws.  We don't trust the people who interpret the laws.  You sit there and tell me that the Congress is bought and paid for by corporate lobbyists.  The President is bought and paid for with corporate donations to political actions committees (PACs).  Even the Supreme Court is bought and paid for because their family owns stock in medical companies.  So THESE are the people you want making the big decisions.  The people who are owned by the very organizations that you think the government should be protecting us from.  Yup.  That makes sense.

But wait.  I'm sorry.  Your guy/girl/group is different.  They are incorruptible.  They said XYZ.  They would never do ABC.  They said they wouldn't.  If we elect them, everything will be different.  They wouldn't maintain the same policies that the previous administration held and that you abhorred.  Yup.  That's never happened.  We're still in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We added Libya.  We're eyeballing Syria and Iran.  Gitmo?  Still there.  Surveillance on our own population?  Patriot Act, so check.  Indefinite detention of U.S. citizens without Due Process?  Thank you NDAA.  The government didn't fall apart when the Republicans captured the house.  It wasn't ruined when the Democrats captured the presidency and maintained control of the Senate. It wasn't ruined when the previous president was Republican.  It wasn't ruined when the previous House and Senate were controlled by Democrats.  It wasn't ruined in the previous administration.  Or the one before that.  It has been a steady decline.  Over time, politicians from our two perceived options for parties have proven, time and again, that they have the moral fortitude of overcooked pasta.  They lie, they cheat (both their constituents and on their spouses), they hold other politicians' legislation hostage unless they get what they want (even when it's unrelated) like they are 3-year-olds.

Let's also not forget that we are letting people with backgrounds in law, business and politics craft legislation about education, transportation, medicine, environment, energy, the Internet, cyber security, defense, the economy, trade, foreign policy.  Fields they have ZERO experience in.  The people they get their information from to make these decisions?  The lobbyists.  The ones nobody trusts.

Now let's say that you get all your people in.  And they do exactly what they say they will do.  And they are experienced enough to make intelligent decisions regarding the topics above.  What happens when they are not in there anymore.  What happens when the other guys are back in.  And now you have to live with their ideas on the above topics?  Oh, now it doesn't seem like such a good idea, does it?