posted
Why we love government By Walter E. Williams Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Unlike today's Americans, the founders of our nation were suspicious, if not contemptuous, of government. Consider just a few of their words.
James Madison suggested that "All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree."
Thomas Paine observed, "We still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping at the spoil of the multitude. . . . It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without a tribute."
John Adams reminded, "You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe."
Thomas Jefferson gave us several warnings that we've ignored: First, "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." Second, "The greatest [calamity] which could befall [us would be] submission to a government of unlimited powers." And third, "Whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force."
In response to what Jefferson called an "elective despotism," he suggested that "The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
With sentiments like these, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison became presidents. Could a person with similar sentiments win the presidency today? My guess is no. Today's Americans hold such liberty-oriented values in contempt, and any presidential aspirant holding them would have a zero chance of winning office.
Today's Americans hold a different vision of government. It's one that says Congress has the right to do just about anything upon which it can secure a majority vote. Most of what Congress does fits the description of forcing one American to serve the purposes of another American. That description differs only in degree, but not in kind, from slavery.
At least two-thirds of the federal budget represents forcing one American to serve the purposes of another. Younger workers are forced to pay for the prescriptions of older Americans; people who are not farmers are forced to serve those who are; nonpoor people are forced to serve poor people; and the general public is forced to serve corporations, college students and other special interests who have the ear of Congress.
The supreme tragedy that will lead to our undoing is that so far as personal economic self-interests are concerned, it is perfectly rational for every American to seek to live at the expense of another American. Why? Not doing so doesn't mean he'll pay lower federal taxes. All it means is that there will be more money for somebody else.
In other words, once Congress establishes that one person can live at the expense of another, it pays for everyone to try to do so. You say, "Williams, don't you believe in helping your fellow man?" Yes, I do. I believe that reaching into one's own pockets to help his fellow man is both laudable and praiseworthy. Reaching into another's pockets to help his fellow man is despicable and worthy of condemnation.
The bottom line: We love government because it enables us to accomplish things that if done privately would lead to arrest and imprisonment. For example, if I saw a person in need, and I took your money to help him, I'd be arrested and convicted of theft. If I get Congress to do the same thing, I am seen as compassionate.
This vision ought to bother the Christians among us, for when God gave Moses the commandment "Thou shalt not steal," I'm sure He didn't mean thou shalt not steal unless you got a majority vote in Congress.
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I truly admire your founding fathers. They were a group of absolutely brilliant men and brilliant thinkers. But how did it all go so wrong?
Just the fact that your nation is now a democracy would be enough to sicken those fine men, who all knew that democracy is a self fufilling suicide. You should take a few moments to read their writings on democracy's. It is truly spot on stuff and may utimately be the American demise.
Posts: 348 | From: Amsterdam | Registered: Oct 2006
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And you are an arrogant, ignorant idiot. Why do ALL of your leaders, including your president call your country, your government, and your political policies democracy and a democratic form of government?
Posts: 348 | From: Amsterdam | Registered: Oct 2006
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We simply meet the needs of depressed Americans. Why not capitalize on your deep rooted problems, sadness, anger, and depression? We do not care that your business men come here, have sex with whores, get STDs, and bring them back to your families.
And with your devauling dollar it will be even more of a burden to come to Europe, but a burden you will gladly bear just to get stoned and forgot about your American depression.
Posts: 348 | From: Amsterdam | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Nirvana... it is a flawed democracy of the people, for the people, of the "United States". Not a democracy for the world.
We have succeeded in destroying some of the checks and balances inherent in our system that controlled avarice, greed, and special interest which is unfortunate...but it is still for the American people, by the American people. Again I point out that our government is not for the world, but for America.
We were lied to and pursued a course of action that was faulty. We have some programs that have gone too far a field from their initial purpose and now serve themselves rather than America... but that will change.
The American people are more involved in politics now than they have been in a very long time. The pressure is on. Our elected leaders will recognize that and respond or the American people will create a new structure from within our form of government that will force change. We will simplify and reorganize and become stronger than ever.
And we ARE a leader in the world. The scrutiny and attention given to our leaders and their movements by the world proves it. No man is without fault and no government made without man...so flaws are inevitable. But when flaws are exposed so flagrantly as they have been recently it galvanizes a force that can overcome inertia and cause change. The beginnings of a foundation are being laid even now though you wouldn't see it looking within the political landscape. It exists outside of the political world, but it is growing. It has been growing for years now. One place where you can see it is in the explosions of what have been classified as "NGO's". Another place you can see it is the weakening performance of some the largest lobbyist industries. Or the excessive profits of others that are better connected. They are in trouble and they know it, but they can't yet see what will rise to replace them. There will be interesting times in American politics over the next 20 years.
(Oh...and likely it'll get a little dirty too... so you should continue to have plenty of fodder to crow about Nirvana. Enjoy the show bud.)
BF
-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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