As Murphy’s Laws on Justice puts it, “If the first person who answers the phone can’t answer your question, it’s a bureaucracy.”

Recount experiences (positive as well as negative) that you have had with government agencies (e.g., the agencies that grant driver’s licenses, offices that administer student loans, the Postal Service).

How have these experiences shaped their views about the delivery of public services?

How do your experiences with government agencies compare with the experiences your have had with organizations in the private sector?

Do you think that privatization would result in a more efficient, effective government?

Take a look around at the bumper stickers you see while out and about this week. Then post a description of one or two and consider what kind of political view or ideology might be behind the sticker (political perspective based on interests).

Do you believe policies of preemptive war or preventive war against “rogue” nations helps prevent terrorists from obtaining and using weapons of mass destruction? If one presidential administration adopts a policy of unilateralism in the war on terrorism, do future presidents have their options narrowed when it comes to asking other countries for help in preventing terrorist attacks?

People have different expectation of government. What do you believe is the general feeling in the United States on the role of government in our lives (what are our expectations)? Do you think “we” believe our expectations are met by government today? How do we view government and our political leaders (do we “like” them)? Are Americans realistic in their perceptions? (Isn’t the U.S. Government really the best there is?)