Maggie's Farm

Those who love government seem to do so for one or a combination of a very few reasons.

One reason is because the government gives them something valuable to them - money, cheese, employment, etc.

A second reason is because they want government to control other people - must generally be those they disagree with since government seems unwilling to control illegal aliens, inner city gangsters, corrupt politicians or unions, etc.

Yet another reason, and I suppose it could be virtually the same as the second reason, is because they can "feel good" about themselves knowing that The Government is "doing something" about things they consider evil, like "poverty", "pollution", etc.

The last one that comes to mind quickly is that they were raised to love government - sort of like sports team affiliation. Mom and dad loved government therefore they must. Mom and dad rooted for the loathsome Red Sox or Patriots, therefore they must. That sort of thing. This is particularly strong among union families.

I rarely get anything but a perplexed look when I ask people why they want more government. They sputter about something or other and how "at least something is being done!" and it matters not the slightest how ineffective or inefficient let alone whether or not "doing something" is a good idea in the first place.