Welcome to governmentisgood.com

Why a website extolling the virtues of modern democratic government? Because Americans typically hear only one side of the story about this institution:  the negative side.  The news media focus almost exclusively on government missteps – policy fiascos and political scandals.  Successful programs that are improving the lives of millions of Americans are not considered news.

On top of that, conservatives have virtually declared war on government.   For decades now, right-wing politicians and pundits have been disparaging and demonizing government.  "Government is bad" has become the mantra of the Republican Party.  Activists on the right have pushed to reduce government programs to a minimum, except for a few areas like the military and national security. And whenever and wherever conservatives have been in power, they have tried to put their anti-government philosophy into practice by cutting taxes, neglecting social programs, and undermining environmental, consumer, and workplace regulations.

This online resource is a response to these negative images and political attacks.  It sets the record straight about this much maligned institution.  It shows that government is not a scourge on society; it is a valuable and positive force in the life of every American. Government is not the problem; it is actually the only solution to most of the pressing problems we face as a nation – from global warming to our growing health care crisis. If we want an America that is healthy, secure, well-educated, unpolluted, compassionate, prosperous, just, and free, we need a strong, active, and well-funded public sector.

This site challenges the common conservative criticisms of government – that it is massively inefficient, that bureaucracies usually provide poor service, that government is the enemy of economic prosperity, and so on.  An objective examination of the actual record of government reveals that most of these charges are highly exaggerated, misleading, or simply wrong. This is not to deny that American government has its problems. There are incidents of waste, some regulations are poorly designed, and some politicians abuse their power. More importantly, our government is certainly not as democratic and accountable as it could be, and special interests have way too much political power. Such problems need to be fixed, and this site identifies several needed reforms. Nonetheless, whatever drawbacks this institution has right now are far outweighed by the enormous benefits that we all enjoy from a vast array of public sector programs. On the whole, government is good for us.

In fact, democratic government is one of the greatest institutional inventions of modern Western civilization. It allows us to pool our resources and to act collectively to address the serious social, economic, and environmental problems that we are unable to deal with as individuals. The public sector is also how we provide for essential human needs that are neglected by the market – such as a clean air and water, safe workplaces, and economic security. What’s more, government serves as an essential instrument of moral action – a way for us to rectify injustices, eliminate suffering, and care for each other. In short, democratic government is one of the main ways we work together to pursue the common good and make the world a better place.

An increasing number of Americans – and not all of them are liberal – are getting fed up with school budgets being cut, firefighters being laid off, environmental problems being ignored, Social Security being attacked, infrastructure repairs being postponed, and food safety being neglected. And they are getting tired of the constant right-wing effort to demean, de-fund, and dismantle government. This online resource provides helpful information, analysis, arguments, and strategies for people who want to fight back against this assault on our vital public institutions and programs.

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS WEBSITE

"Governmentisgood.com is worth checking out."

                The New York Times Editorial Board

"This web project is a force for good in our fragile experiment in democracy called the USA."

                Cornel West, Princeton University


See more comments and discussion.

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HOW THIS WEBSITE IS ORGANIZED

  • The War on Government. This section of the site chronicles the unrelenting assault on government being waged by conservative forces in this country. Articles describe how cuts in social programs and rollbacks of regulations are harming the health, safety, and welfare of millions of Americans; how these assaults have been taking place on many fronts – in Congress, the administrative branch, and the federal courts, as well as on the state and local level; and how the right’s radical anti-government agenda is out of touch with the views and priorities of most Americans.
  • Why Government is Good. This section describes how government acts as a force for good in society. One piece chronicles a day in the life of an average middle-class American and identifies the myriad and often overlooked ways that government laws and programs improve our lives. Other articles describe the forgotten achievements of government; how government serves as an instrument of “good works;” how public sector policies and institutions protect and enhance our freedoms; how a free market economy would be impossible without the elaborate legal and regulatory infrastructure provided by government; and why we need more – not less –government.
  • How to Revitalize Democracy and Government. There are, in fact, some problems with American government, and we need to address these if we are to restore Americans’ faith in this institution. Right now, the main problem with our government is that it is not accountable and responsive enough to the public. We have a deficit of democracy – with special interests too often winning out over the public interest. Articles in this section describe this problem and how we can fix it. There are several reforms – including public financing of elections – that could help our government live up to its democratic ideals. The final piece discusses several political strategies for rebuilding and revitalizing the public sector. This includes a campaign to “reframe” the way we think and talk about government. We also need to develop a pro-government coalition in this country. Political groups that depend on active and well-funded government – environmentalists, women, minorities, labor, teachers, etc. – need to move beyond their own narrow policy concerns to embrace a wider political vision that promotes government as a good in itself.