Dave Mason - Helping Real People use Real Computers in the Real World!

Whaaa…. Government Ads?? 3/28/00

Am I the only one that sees a real problem with the proliferation of government advertising?

First it was the military. They couldn't get enough "desperate", I mean "good" men without big time ad campaigns. Then the post office. Advertising the mail, are you kidding me?? Are there really people out there unclear on what all those mailboxes are for?

There is an ad campaign for the government information clearing house out of Colorado, too. You know the ones; "Find out how to get the most out of your watermelon patch"..

The heart wrenching census ads on radio and TV are the most recent example. Thank goodness we filled out our census, our future safety and prosperity are now assured! I wonder just how horrible things could have turned out if we hadn't filled it out? Unthinkable!! Thank you oh great, wise fathers in Washington!

The obvious question is: Do we really want our tax dollars spent by our government in this way? Is this really effective, necessary use of our money? More importantly this is quite an expression of just how far out of control our government is. Advertising government services! Many of us believe that these advertised services are unnecessary, wasteful, even unconstitutional. But advertising them?!

This is a clear indication that our government is out of control and has invaded the "private marketplace". Is that where it belongs? The Department of Injustice goes after Microsoft because they're too big, but who goes after the government when it gets out of hand?

Of course most will say that this is just our government doing its job serving us. OK, perhaps. But at whose expense? It's our money not the governments that pays for all of this. The government has no money unless it takes it from us. Other than the "new economy" Internet companies, who would spend millions on advertising to give stuff away? I believe that it is primarily motivated by political and bureaucratic self-promotion. How could we claim wastefulness in Washington? Look at all the wonderful, caring things they're doing for us.

What do you think?