Federal Gridlock

When they carry placards "keep the government's hands off my medicare", then no, they really don't know what they are talking about.

Aren't voter initiatives on the ballots a way of getting that vested interest? I would think that minimum wage laws and equal pay laws would provide incentive to a lot of people with a vested interest in a more just wage than they currently have. For me it comes down to education and the ability to recognize political shinola and distraction propaganda to be able to sort their interests from those of the TV ads.Your parents now know, for instance, that the GOP platform against the ACA was false, misleading and inaccurate.Voter initiatives can address issues and educate voters regardless of party affiliation. You will still have the big companies fighting voter initiatives on things like GMO labels and stopping the XL pipeline ... but it will be corporations against people rather than democrat against republican.Enjoy

Can you name an economically successful and populous nation that has the type of government you say you want?

You forgot the last part, " . . . think the government is doing too much to help the poor, the middle class, and minorities (i.e. people who aren't white straight folk)."The same people who claim they want a small government want the government present in the doctor's office to make sure women don't get abortions, want the government in the bathroom checking on what you are smoking, want the government spending trillions on wars that kill hundreds of thousands of islamic terrorists, and want the government in the wedding chapel to make sure that the two have offsetting genitalia.Edited by Taq, : No reason given.Edited by Taq, : No reason given.

The bumper sticker I thought was ironic was similar than that, but much more out there.It was 'Keep your godless socialist hands off my medicare. ' The Godless, Socialist' addition broke my irony meter.