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Kudos to you, Veggiebubble. You're right on the mark.
Are WE not "The Government"? Yes! And indictments against the government are self indictments.
"Business makes it simple. The bottom line." Government isn't business. While there may be a few principles from business practices which could be helpful in governing, "the bottom line" isn't one of them.
The government isn't broken, however. The electorate is broken. Citizenship is broken.

Are we not the government?" My answer would be No. I vote but the people who run for office do not share my values and do not represent me. Government is not business but it could learn from it. take health care: what was the goal ? to get insurance to those who do not have it or to have everyone under a national health care policy i believe that was never made clear.If the goal is unclear how do you know if you have achieved it (business management 101) business also works on attempting to improve their internal processes you will hear lip service given too it (like customer service) but nohing gets chnged in government unless thee is a crisis that reveals the ineptitude. Won't even talk about lack of financial capability at the department head level.

WE are most DEFINITELY NOT the government . Our government has become a separate , non-responsive private club that is only interested in stuffing its own pockets and in passing legislation that enriches the big companies that are stuffing all of that money into the politicians' pockets .

WE voted them into office, based on their campaign promises. They make the decisions, pass legislation and control the operation of government. Our only hope is that the political competition between them will hold them in check, as it does in any other business.
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Your right on the mark Veggie. It's not like we import people from another world to run Government. They are our children, our neighbours children, our friends, the kid who lives down the block etc. I have always said that the problem with Government is that " WE THE PEOPLE " can't get together and find common ground. The fact that we have political parties is a testament to that.

WE ARE NOT THE GOVERNMENT. Government today is a function of the financial elite. The candidates for office are beholden to the corporate right wing and religious demagogues who provide the money and the mouthpiece for the candidates. My advice is to forget what you learned in high school and read Chris Hedges, Naomi Klein, Kevin Phillips and like minded authors. I read far and wide but restrict my magazines to The Nation. I listen to Amy Goodman. I read the Progressive Populist and I have even reat Ann Coulter. The American political system has been highjacked and is now broken.

Once we realize that we own the government, that they are supposed to be representing us, the arrogant life timers are in for a rude awakening.

You are so right umac, it has been hijacked and we are getting p'd upon. It's time to wake 'em up and shake 'em up. For all one says about the French, we can take some lessons from our French neighbors across the pond. Their government fears the people because they know that the people can shut the country down if they don't get what they need. Similarly in Canada, Quebec rules! In more ways than one.

Our government is NOT our neighbors from down the street. Take a good hard look at their backgrounds, who contributes to their campaigns. The divisiveness among us now, 'red' 'blue', 'right, left' is allowing them to run away with the store. Trillions have been given the banks and Wall Street -- OUR money, OUR debt and our children's now while the banks without justifiable reason have raised rates on mortgages and credit, cut off the credit supply forcing businesses into bankruptcy and millions out of their jobs and to the streets. "Right" and "Left" have a lot in common. We are all in the same boat and are getting screwed!

Your right Veggie, We Are Not The Government...We just elected the government…

Remember the old rule…”What you see (vote for) is what you get…”

But it’s nice to know everyone (Us armchair quarterbacks) has the solution???

Veggie ... THANK YOU.

A voice of reason, logic and sensibility in a world gone mad.

I believe it was in "All The King's Men" when the power brokers are terrified at the prospect that Willie Stark actually has a chance to be elected. So they advise him to start talking to the people realistically about budgets and taxes and other mundane subjects because "that's what they want to hear". Of course, his audiences are bored stiff and he drops in the polls. Then, he realizes what's going on and starts screaming stuff like what you hear today..."We must do better because we are better and we will be better because we want to be better...blah...blah...god bless America...blah. Of course, he gets elected and we will continue to vote style over substance.