Democracy's catch-22j
The "J" is for Jefferson. As in Thomas J. TJ was keen on mob rule -- the majority forcing the minority to acquiesce. Don't get the thread wrong, TJ was in favor of the rule of the majority and felt it should always govern ... "or give law." It was Ben Franklin who warned about the "tyranny of the ballot box," although other sources attribute this to Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831. It really doesn't matter.
The difference was in who could vote back then. Franklin was worried about the oppression of minorities and the imposition of a rule of law governed solely by those who were able to vote. Women, then, were right out of it. As were all forms of blacks, hispanics and other minorities ... the Irish, Chinese and others. Voting was for people who controlled the country already and who produced goods and services: white men. TJ though this was only fair and just, although certain of his later writings and reported speech tends to temper this view. Franklin mistrusted the regime that this presented.
Why talk about this now? Because we adhere to Jefferson's ideal and Franklin's warning has never been so important: this is because democracy is finally in a position to fail us. Previously, the shortcomings of democracy mean that laws were enacted to protect those who could not protect themselves -- out of civility, humanity or some other passion. But it was the strong -- largely economically -- who took pity on the weak. Democracy in the American fashion worked -- because those administering it ... worked. We, as a nation, were "all in it together." Sink or swim.
This, in the last election, has changed. The tyranny is upon us. Obama's people have enacted health care legislation without discussion, without debate or any other form of oversight. And as we saw from FDR's New Deal, you cannot undo government handouts. Once in place, they are there to stay, unless circumstances render them irrelevant. What's the big deal about Health Care? It is a symptom of more: the $900 billion in pork -- heck call it an even trillion, as we don't know the final bill yet. In that leviathan pork tab, over $4 billion (that is correct) is going to community stabilization -- previously reserved to states to squander, it is now available directly to not-for-profit organization. Let's be clear about this: this is a pay-off from the Democrats to the community organizations that got them elected. These people committed massive voter fraud to get them elected and when paid off, will continue to skew the electoral process. In effect, Pelosi, Reid and Obama are paying for the future organization that will keep them in power. It is not far different from Red Guards in China.
Only 3% THREE PERCENT of this bill will go to infrastructure spending. $250 billion to "transfer payments" ... giving from those who pay taxes to those who don't. $136 billion ot 32 new government programs. $250 billion more to local and state governments -- to squander in their own pork stew. And another quick handout of $500-$1000 to everyone, whether they work or not -- and likely if they are American citizens or here legally ... or not.
So?
We have reached the point where the majority can AND IS simply voting to take whatever they can get their hands on and giving it to themselves. Confiscation. Pure and simple. You see, in Jefferson's time, those who could vote also paid for the operation of the country: we made it, we get to vote on how it is spent. Not very "fair" in one sense, but very practical to be sure. Since those who made the money mostly worked very hard to do so, they were naturally disinclined to lavish wads of it on project and programs with little possible return to themselves or the overall benefit of the security of the nation.
Those of us who pay taxes feel the same. Do I give a rat's posterior if some school program in California wants to teach its pupils that an "alternative lifestyle" is ok? I would not spend one dime on it. Nor, if I am honest, on probably 95% of the programs in this country. I would like to see more spent on infrastructure. I don't want to spend more on raising health care thresholds. I do want to see alternative energy sources developed. I don't want to spend money raising the food stamp family maximum for families 4 generations into welfare. Not a dime. Nothing.
Which brings us to something almost unthinkable: secession from the nation. There exists the possibility -- maybe even probability -- of the nation being torn apart by this democratic theft (I purposely leave that word amibigous). The "blue states" and "blue" areas are largely urban America, and largely confined to the East Coast, urban areas in the Mid-West and the looney Left Coast. Folks around the rest of the country vote differently -- although not all are tax payers, just the vast majority. Those not paying taxes are overwhelmingly centered on the cities -- blue territory.
That Russian who predicted a geographic split of the U.S. didn't understand the possible drivers of a split: it is not ethnicity per se, but the split between doers and workers from those who don't. And that split is largely a political split -- not to say that there are not those who defy the generalization. Take Massachusetts for example: almost everyone is a Liberal Democrat. Really! But there are Republicans and Republican governors have been elected ... but not since the vote machine of the inner cities has shown its muscle. Most elected posts in Massachusetts show an unopposed Democrat on the ballot.
What might happen is this: the tax paying rest of the country will simply cease to play the game. Who are you going to send in to enforce the payment? The troops? Do you think that they are Red State or Blue State? Do you think that they will support Pelosi's gang? Local Sheriffs? They have to be elected ... locally. Are you going to assemble a "people's army" from the cities to go out and quel rebellion? The though makes me choke with mirth -- who is going to lead them? And how are they going to avoid getting their asses shot off: try going to Montana to get some rancher to pay you ... or "Live Free or Die."
There was a swing vote in this last election, some 10% who could have gone either way. That is the margin of sanity. If they fail to move back to common sense "Yes, you can" then we are toast. Give Pelosi and gang enough time, then every illegal alien will be able to vote too, and any GOP votes will be hanging chads. They are playing for keeps this time.
Sensible people need to do the same.
The difference was in who could vote back then. Franklin was worried about the oppression of minorities and the imposition of a rule of law governed solely by those who were able to vote. Women, then, were right out of it. As were all forms of blacks, hispanics and other minorities ... the Irish, Chinese and others. Voting was for people who controlled the country already and who produced goods and services: white men. TJ though this was only fair and just, although certain of his later writings and reported speech tends to temper this view. Franklin mistrusted the regime that this presented.
Why talk about this now? Because we adhere to Jefferson's ideal and Franklin's warning has never been so important: this is because democracy is finally in a position to fail us. Previously, the shortcomings of democracy mean that laws were enacted to protect those who could not protect themselves -- out of civility, humanity or some other passion. But it was the strong -- largely economically -- who took pity on the weak. Democracy in the American fashion worked -- because those administering it ... worked. We, as a nation, were "all in it together." Sink or swim.
This, in the last election, has changed. The tyranny is upon us. Obama's people have enacted health care legislation without discussion, without debate or any other form of oversight. And as we saw from FDR's New Deal, you cannot undo government handouts. Once in place, they are there to stay, unless circumstances render them irrelevant. What's the big deal about Health Care? It is a symptom of more: the $900 billion in pork -- heck call it an even trillion, as we don't know the final bill yet. In that leviathan pork tab, over $4 billion (that is correct) is going to community stabilization -- previously reserved to states to squander, it is now available directly to not-for-profit organization. Let's be clear about this: this is a pay-off from the Democrats to the community organizations that got them elected. These people committed massive voter fraud to get them elected and when paid off, will continue to skew the electoral process. In effect, Pelosi, Reid and Obama are paying for the future organization that will keep them in power. It is not far different from Red Guards in China.
Only 3% THREE PERCENT of this bill will go to infrastructure spending. $250 billion to "transfer payments" ... giving from those who pay taxes to those who don't. $136 billion ot 32 new government programs. $250 billion more to local and state governments -- to squander in their own pork stew. And another quick handout of $500-$1000 to everyone, whether they work or not -- and likely if they are American citizens or here legally ... or not.
So?
We have reached the point where the majority can AND IS simply voting to take whatever they can get their hands on and giving it to themselves. Confiscation. Pure and simple. You see, in Jefferson's time, those who could vote also paid for the operation of the country: we made it, we get to vote on how it is spent. Not very "fair" in one sense, but very practical to be sure. Since those who made the money mostly worked very hard to do so, they were naturally disinclined to lavish wads of it on project and programs with little possible return to themselves or the overall benefit of the security of the nation.
Those of us who pay taxes feel the same. Do I give a rat's posterior if some school program in California wants to teach its pupils that an "alternative lifestyle" is ok? I would not spend one dime on it. Nor, if I am honest, on probably 95% of the programs in this country. I would like to see more spent on infrastructure. I don't want to spend more on raising health care thresholds. I do want to see alternative energy sources developed. I don't want to spend money raising the food stamp family maximum for families 4 generations into welfare. Not a dime. Nothing.
Which brings us to something almost unthinkable: secession from the nation. There exists the possibility -- maybe even probability -- of the nation being torn apart by this democratic theft (I purposely leave that word amibigous). The "blue states" and "blue" areas are largely urban America, and largely confined to the East Coast, urban areas in the Mid-West and the looney Left Coast. Folks around the rest of the country vote differently -- although not all are tax payers, just the vast majority. Those not paying taxes are overwhelmingly centered on the cities -- blue territory.
That Russian who predicted a geographic split of the U.S. didn't understand the possible drivers of a split: it is not ethnicity per se, but the split between doers and workers from those who don't. And that split is largely a political split -- not to say that there are not those who defy the generalization. Take Massachusetts for example: almost everyone is a Liberal Democrat. Really! But there are Republicans and Republican governors have been elected ... but not since the vote machine of the inner cities has shown its muscle. Most elected posts in Massachusetts show an unopposed Democrat on the ballot.
What might happen is this: the tax paying rest of the country will simply cease to play the game. Who are you going to send in to enforce the payment? The troops? Do you think that they are Red State or Blue State? Do you think that they will support Pelosi's gang? Local Sheriffs? They have to be elected ... locally. Are you going to assemble a "people's army" from the cities to go out and quel rebellion? The though makes me choke with mirth -- who is going to lead them? And how are they going to avoid getting their asses shot off: try going to Montana to get some rancher to pay you ... or "Live Free or Die."
There was a swing vote in this last election, some 10% who could have gone either way. That is the margin of sanity. If they fail to move back to common sense "Yes, you can" then we are toast. Give Pelosi and gang enough time, then every illegal alien will be able to vote too, and any GOP votes will be hanging chads. They are playing for keeps this time.
Sensible people need to do the same.
posted by Zaphod at Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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