There are few differences between the governing of King Louis XVI of France and of todays Federal administration in Washington, D.C., in the United States.
Both acted with little concern for public wishes. Both acted to benefit their own interests. Both ignored the fact that they were acting disrespectful toward the majority in their country. And both had fair warning about the possible consequences of continued unresponsiveness: in France there was the convening of the Estates-General followed by members of the Third Estates proclaiming the Tennis Court Oath; here in the United States we have had the spontaneous rise of the various (and numerous) Tea Parties, followed by an election that clearly sent a cautionary message to the United States General Government.
Will history show that the parallel continued? I do not know. But, the actions of the current Administration to date show the same degree of disregard that was shown by Louis XVI. Perhaps someone in the White House and in Congress would be well served by going to their windows and recognizing the fast-vanishing patience and already aroused anger of the populace...their survival might depend on it.
Wonder what kind of odds a British Bookmaker might give me?
Showing posts with label Government Power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Government Power. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Is Government too big?
"Is Government too big?" is a question asked over and over ad nauseum. It is a good question, but it misleads the brain into discussing and focusing on a symptom of failure, not the cause of government excess. The size of government is the result of it assuming tasks that are not it's responsibility and should not be made the job of government.
Government should guard our borders. Government should build and maintain roads, power lines and water supplies. Government should maintain a means of addressing injustice in local communities when it occurs. That is ALL.
Leave citizens free to chose their definition of happiness, and allow them to attempt to achieve it. Don't define happiness for them...that is a personal freedom. If someone choses to be homeless and not work, that is their right. And it is also their right and obligation to endure the consequences of their choices...both good and bad. It is most assuredly NOT the job of government to relieve anyone of the consequences of their personal actions. This country became strong on the philosophical foundation of self-responsibility. And it's current problems are primarily a result of it's abandonment of that philosophy.
Local towns and communities can and should regulate themselves: decide what type of laws work for them; if police are needed and, if so, how many; determine if someone in distress is deserving of neighborly assistance, or is a neer-do-well that never has tried to solve their own problems and deserves nothing more than benign neglect (remember the Community Chest and local Church organizations?). And if some community mistreats it's citizens, have the Supreme Court available to be an objective arbiter.
Stop all Foreign Aid. It accomplishes nothing. Stop funding the United Nations...what little it accomplishes is 10 times more expensive that if the same services were done by any other entity; its primary purpose is to take money from poor and middle income people in America and transfer it to rich people in other countries while simultaneously supporting those who are enemies of America. Expel the United Nations from New York and let them relocate it...Afghanistan seems an appropriate choice.
Require Congress to make sure our military can and does protect us and our borders. Let the President and Congress determine how best to provide transportation, power and water nationwide. Let the President negotiate treaties...as long as those treaties don't weaken our military and limit our choices, and do not require that our troops defend other nations...that is for those other countries to do for themselves. We are neither the policemen nor the Community Chest for the rest of the world.
Stop all subsidies...if you cannot succeed in a free market, such supported "success" is NOT success at all...it is robbery of the taxpayers.
Congress should be required to pass, and the President required to sign, a bill that declares Congress, the IRS and all government agencies subject to the tender mercies of the RICO statutes. Perhaps then we can eliminate corruption in government, and allow States Attorneys-General to sue any federal government officials and any federal agencies for violation of those statutes...that will keep the U.S. Attorney-General and the Department of Justice from practicing self-serving benign neglect.
Do this and the size of government will not be at issue. But our focus will remain on the proper goals of government and the efficiency with which it pursues those goals.
Government should guard our borders. Government should build and maintain roads, power lines and water supplies. Government should maintain a means of addressing injustice in local communities when it occurs. That is ALL.
Leave citizens free to chose their definition of happiness, and allow them to attempt to achieve it. Don't define happiness for them...that is a personal freedom. If someone choses to be homeless and not work, that is their right. And it is also their right and obligation to endure the consequences of their choices...both good and bad. It is most assuredly NOT the job of government to relieve anyone of the consequences of their personal actions. This country became strong on the philosophical foundation of self-responsibility. And it's current problems are primarily a result of it's abandonment of that philosophy.
Local towns and communities can and should regulate themselves: decide what type of laws work for them; if police are needed and, if so, how many; determine if someone in distress is deserving of neighborly assistance, or is a neer-do-well that never has tried to solve their own problems and deserves nothing more than benign neglect (remember the Community Chest and local Church organizations?). And if some community mistreats it's citizens, have the Supreme Court available to be an objective arbiter.
Stop all Foreign Aid. It accomplishes nothing. Stop funding the United Nations...what little it accomplishes is 10 times more expensive that if the same services were done by any other entity; its primary purpose is to take money from poor and middle income people in America and transfer it to rich people in other countries while simultaneously supporting those who are enemies of America. Expel the United Nations from New York and let them relocate it...Afghanistan seems an appropriate choice.
Require Congress to make sure our military can and does protect us and our borders. Let the President and Congress determine how best to provide transportation, power and water nationwide. Let the President negotiate treaties...as long as those treaties don't weaken our military and limit our choices, and do not require that our troops defend other nations...that is for those other countries to do for themselves. We are neither the policemen nor the Community Chest for the rest of the world.
Stop all subsidies...if you cannot succeed in a free market, such supported "success" is NOT success at all...it is robbery of the taxpayers.
Congress should be required to pass, and the President required to sign, a bill that declares Congress, the IRS and all government agencies subject to the tender mercies of the RICO statutes. Perhaps then we can eliminate corruption in government, and allow States Attorneys-General to sue any federal government officials and any federal agencies for violation of those statutes...that will keep the U.S. Attorney-General and the Department of Justice from practicing self-serving benign neglect.
Do this and the size of government will not be at issue. But our focus will remain on the proper goals of government and the efficiency with which it pursues those goals.
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