Almost everyone realizes that big money influences politics today.
Politicians need votes to get elected, and they need money to reach
out to the voters.
Special interest groups need access to politicians in order to push
their private agendas onto the general public...and are more than
willing to offer money or bloc votes to gain that special access.
It can be a marriage made in Heaven, as it was when it helped
correct the days of child labor, unfettered pollution, and other
human, ethical, and environmental problems.
It can be a marriage made in Hell, when it is used to prevent the
correction of injustices, or when it continues to push further and
further beyond a solution of fairness and common sense on problems
that have already been solved.
The problem today is that most Federal politicians are so wedded
to the special interest money that they spend scant, if any, time
worrying about Constitutional limitations, State's rights, or individual
rights and liberties, or the fiscal impact of their promises.
Republicans and Democrats alike spend the majority of their time
raising campaign money by promising tax or regulatory breaks for
their favorite constituencies, while playing lip service to the
"middle-class American", who continues to get shafted.
The career Republicans and Democrats both know that their key to
remaining in power is to use the tax system as a tool to fund the
promises they make to their supporters, or as a method to threaten
their detractors. They are virtuosos at playing the existing system to
their benefit.
But now, this system of tax increases and increasing exemptions
has expanded and expanded so much over so many years, it has
become bloated and unmanageable. It is close to burying the nation
in debt.
Who pays for all this? You do, if you work for a living. The
Federal Government alone withholds income taxes, social security
taxes, and medicare taxes out of your pay stub, as well as
additional social security taxes from your employer for you.
And if they don't take enough money from you to pay for the
promises they make, they'll go ahead and borrow the money, so
you, or your children, will be paying it back later.
You may think you're making out on this deal. You're a union
member and you've got political friends who are covering for you.
Or, you're a Wall-Street banker, or, a farmer. Maybe you're a
manufacturer, or a small businessman. You might be interested
in protecting the environment. You could be in the one percent,
or in the ninety nine percent, or in the middle-class.
If you're in any of these groups, or any other group, you may
think the politicians are looking out for you. True, they're giving
your group something. They're also promising all the other
groups something...and they're taking all of it out of your pocket.
If you work for a living, your family is paying for the promises
they make. It doesn't matter if you earn $20,000 a year or
$2,000,000 a year...you are paying for it. You are the individual
working person, and you are paying for ALL the special interest
groups the politicians are favoring.
So, the first lesson learned is to start thinking of yourself as an
individual who is paying for all the special interest groups, and
start demanding that politicians justify how they are spending
your money and where it is going.
Use your influence to support candidates that promise to
support a simpler tax plan with lower tax rates and fewer
deductions. My preference would be a plan similar to that
described in my "Tax Overview" and "Five Ten Begin Again"
posts.
With any plan, the general idea should be to simplify the tax
code and prevent politicians from using the code to reward
or penalize individuals and/or organizations, and to force
them (the politicians) to live within a budget, just like the rest
of us do.
Even if you think that tinkering with the tax code was justified
in the past, it has gotten so bloated and inefficient that it has to
be reset before we implode in the future.
If you work for a living, you're being played, one against another.
In order to distract you from asking why anyone who earns less
than $20,000 should pay any federal income tax, or why anyone
at all should pay almost a 40% tax rate, they have you arguing over
which rich guy should pay more than you or which special interest
group should get a special tax break.
The question should be "Why should politicians take so much
money from my family, and give so much of it to other people?".
Even the Social Security Trust Fund is used as a piggy bank to fund
government spending through special issue treasury bonds at low
interest rates.
A simpler, fairer tax code at lower rates would help impose fiscal
discipline in Washington, would help discourage social tinkering and
political cronyism, and would help prevent politicians from using
the threat of tax consequences to extort political contributions and/or
to silence political opposition.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Complex Problems
The original purpose of the Federal Government was to protect the
rights of the individual from the over-reaching tyranny of an
all-powerful federal executive AND from the tyranny of an
all-powerful majority vote.
That's why it was set up as a democratic republic and not set up
as a pure democracy. That's why the Federal Government had its
powers limited by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That's
why competing power centers were created to diffuse the central
accumulation of power.
The members of the House were elected by popular vote to represent
the people's will.
The Senators were appointed by state politicians to represent state's
rights in Washington. The election of Senators has since been
changed to popular vote, with the effect of lessening the influence
of state's rights in Washington.
The President was elected by Electors appointed by representatives
of the states, to carry out constitutional duties and to enforce proper
laws and regulations. The Electors have since been chosen to
represent the popular vote for President in the states.
Finally, the Supreme Court was created to adjudicate the
Constitutionality of Federal laws and regulations.
Over the years, the increasing reliance on the popular vote has
increased the political importance of achieving majority vote and
decreasing the importance of state's rights or individual rights.
The country has moved closer to a pure Democracy and further
from a Republic.
At first blush, most would think this shift has been a good thing,
but there's a darker side as well. Power has been gradually
shifting away from States and individuals to the centralized power
of the Federal government...the polar opposite of what the founders
intended.
To get elected in Washington, one has to deal with power centers
that are more concerned with the welfare of their members than
with the welfare of the Country, the individual States, or any
individuals outside of their membership.
Eisenhower once warned about the rising influence of the
Military/Industrial Complex. Today we've progressed to the
Federal Government Complex, the Banking, the Public
Union, and the Environmental Complexes, as well as the
Healthcare and Welfare Complexes...and who knows how many
more?
There used to be many competing car companies and banks. Now,
maybe two or three US car companies, and maybe five or six giant
banks, all becoming bigger and bigger until they become "too big to
fail"...protected by the federal government and feeding off taxes paid
by working American citizens.
Millions of Americans wonder "how we ever got in this mess"?
Others wonder "how we're ever going to get out of this mess?'. It
started with the well-intentioned shift towards centralized Federal
control.
Some suggestions for getting out of this mess will follow.
rights of the individual from the over-reaching tyranny of an
all-powerful federal executive AND from the tyranny of an
all-powerful majority vote.
That's why it was set up as a democratic republic and not set up
as a pure democracy. That's why the Federal Government had its
powers limited by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That's
why competing power centers were created to diffuse the central
accumulation of power.
The members of the House were elected by popular vote to represent
the people's will.
The Senators were appointed by state politicians to represent state's
rights in Washington. The election of Senators has since been
changed to popular vote, with the effect of lessening the influence
of state's rights in Washington.
The President was elected by Electors appointed by representatives
of the states, to carry out constitutional duties and to enforce proper
laws and regulations. The Electors have since been chosen to
represent the popular vote for President in the states.
Finally, the Supreme Court was created to adjudicate the
Constitutionality of Federal laws and regulations.
Over the years, the increasing reliance on the popular vote has
increased the political importance of achieving majority vote and
decreasing the importance of state's rights or individual rights.
The country has moved closer to a pure Democracy and further
from a Republic.
At first blush, most would think this shift has been a good thing,
but there's a darker side as well. Power has been gradually
shifting away from States and individuals to the centralized power
of the Federal government...the polar opposite of what the founders
intended.
To get elected in Washington, one has to deal with power centers
that are more concerned with the welfare of their members than
with the welfare of the Country, the individual States, or any
individuals outside of their membership.
Eisenhower once warned about the rising influence of the
Military/Industrial Complex. Today we've progressed to the
Federal Government Complex, the Banking, the Public
Union, and the Environmental Complexes, as well as the
Healthcare and Welfare Complexes...and who knows how many
more?
There used to be many competing car companies and banks. Now,
maybe two or three US car companies, and maybe five or six giant
banks, all becoming bigger and bigger until they become "too big to
fail"...protected by the federal government and feeding off taxes paid
by working American citizens.
Millions of Americans wonder "how we ever got in this mess"?
Others wonder "how we're ever going to get out of this mess?'. It
started with the well-intentioned shift towards centralized Federal
control.
Some suggestions for getting out of this mess will follow.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Strange New World
One day, in a school yard, a little boy and a little girl got angry at each
other. She called him a "booger". He called her a "double slimy booger".
They argued.
A teacher came to break up the disagreement, and wondered "how do I
best turn this difficult situation into a teachable moment, so the children
will learn, and no-one will suffer irreparable damage"?
A child psychologist postulated that, in order to avoid self-esteem issues,
children should not call each other names.
Then, the same situation happens at two other schools. A TV station
picks up the story and starts referring to it as a "booger epidemic".
And, in a completely unrelated incident, the Child Suffrage Movement
succeeds in its hard fought efforts to lower the voting requirement to
five years of age...in order to ensure that the rights of children are
protected in the political system.
And, Washington politicians do become involved in the "booger
epidemic," with Congress identifying children as a protected class,
and identifying "booger" as hate speech under its new "Snot Crimes"
legislation.
Not to be outdone, the President notes that studies have found it
unfair that some children have more Kleenex than others, and
proposes new taxes to invest in a "Kleenex Redistribution Bill,"
as a part of a social justice agenda.
And then, I woke up. It was all a bad dream. We still teach our
children about "sticks and stones". Our children still learn to be
tough enough to stand up to bullies and others who don't like them,
or attempt to intimidate them.
We don't really attempt to limit free speech with politically correct
speech. We don't really try to over-legislate to score political points
with lobbyists or special interest groups.
Our children know that there will always be someone who dislikes
them because they have too much, or too little, or look too good, or
too bad, or are the wrong religion, or the wrong color, or are too smart,
or too stupid, and on, and on.
We have taught our children not to expect a perfect world, but to stand
up and deal with an imperfect world, and make the best of it, all with
minimum help from the Feds.
They can "man-up" on their own. Sorry...that should be "child-up" on their
own. I don't want to offend gender or age demographics.
'
other. She called him a "booger". He called her a "double slimy booger".
They argued.
A teacher came to break up the disagreement, and wondered "how do I
best turn this difficult situation into a teachable moment, so the children
will learn, and no-one will suffer irreparable damage"?
A child psychologist postulated that, in order to avoid self-esteem issues,
children should not call each other names.
Then, the same situation happens at two other schools. A TV station
picks up the story and starts referring to it as a "booger epidemic".
And, in a completely unrelated incident, the Child Suffrage Movement
succeeds in its hard fought efforts to lower the voting requirement to
five years of age...in order to ensure that the rights of children are
protected in the political system.
And, Washington politicians do become involved in the "booger
epidemic," with Congress identifying children as a protected class,
and identifying "booger" as hate speech under its new "Snot Crimes"
legislation.
Not to be outdone, the President notes that studies have found it
unfair that some children have more Kleenex than others, and
proposes new taxes to invest in a "Kleenex Redistribution Bill,"
as a part of a social justice agenda.
And then, I woke up. It was all a bad dream. We still teach our
children about "sticks and stones". Our children still learn to be
tough enough to stand up to bullies and others who don't like them,
or attempt to intimidate them.
We don't really attempt to limit free speech with politically correct
speech. We don't really try to over-legislate to score political points
with lobbyists or special interest groups.
Our children know that there will always be someone who dislikes
them because they have too much, or too little, or look too good, or
too bad, or are the wrong religion, or the wrong color, or are too smart,
or too stupid, and on, and on.
We have taught our children not to expect a perfect world, but to stand
up and deal with an imperfect world, and make the best of it, all with
minimum help from the Feds.
They can "man-up" on their own. Sorry...that should be "child-up" on their
own. I don't want to offend gender or age demographics.
'
Sunday, December 16, 2012
A Cynical Trip Over the Fiscal Cliff
I wish I was a better man. I try to look on the good side of human nature.
I do believe that most people will try to do the right thing, given a chance.
So why do I have this nagging suspicion that all the talk during the 2012
election, and after, regarding the fiscal cliff has been an elaborate dance...a
political gavotte, mesmerizing the public and pundits, setting the stage
for a political kabuki play.
President Obama, the Democrats, the Republicans, all appear to be
aghast at the tragic consequences for our country if we go over the "cliff".
All parties are jockeying for position to blame the pending tragedy on
the other side. No-one wants to admit that they might be the cause
of such an unthinkable event.
But, what would happen if (or when) we do go over the fiscal cliff?
First, the Bush tax cuts would expire, and taxes would go up dramatically
on ALL Americans, not just the top 2%. In addition, drastic spending
cuts would be SLATED to occur. The Apocalypse has begun!
Then, President Obama and the Democrats will blame the Republicans. The
Republicans will blame the Democrats. Independents will blame all politicians.
Same old, same old...and their true believers will will continue to follow their
lead.
Who gains? Now, BOTH Democrats and Republicans will have all that extra
tax money to spend. They can blame each other for their good fortune.
And God knows, it's important to the Republic that we avoid letting those
drastic spending cuts destroy the country. Republicans can save the defense
budget, etc., etc. Democrats can save entitlements, etc., etc. Magically, the
money has arrived in the nick of time.
The rate of growth of the debt has slowed a little, but the debt has not been
reduced. The red ink continues to flow.
So, in the end, Big Government gets the money and the taxpayer (and the
private economy) get the shaft.
The politicians even get to pretend to be statesmen, doing what needs to be
done to save life as we know it.
I know. I know. I feel guilty. A guy that could come up with such a
devious scenario involving such treacherous politicians must have had a
terrible childhood. Washington can't really be that bad, can it?
Let's hope not. I'm sure they'll do the right thing.
I do believe that most people will try to do the right thing, given a chance.
So why do I have this nagging suspicion that all the talk during the 2012
election, and after, regarding the fiscal cliff has been an elaborate dance...a
political gavotte, mesmerizing the public and pundits, setting the stage
for a political kabuki play.
President Obama, the Democrats, the Republicans, all appear to be
aghast at the tragic consequences for our country if we go over the "cliff".
All parties are jockeying for position to blame the pending tragedy on
the other side. No-one wants to admit that they might be the cause
of such an unthinkable event.
But, what would happen if (or when) we do go over the fiscal cliff?
First, the Bush tax cuts would expire, and taxes would go up dramatically
on ALL Americans, not just the top 2%. In addition, drastic spending
cuts would be SLATED to occur. The Apocalypse has begun!
Then, President Obama and the Democrats will blame the Republicans. The
Republicans will blame the Democrats. Independents will blame all politicians.
Same old, same old...and their true believers will will continue to follow their
lead.
Who gains? Now, BOTH Democrats and Republicans will have all that extra
tax money to spend. They can blame each other for their good fortune.
And God knows, it's important to the Republic that we avoid letting those
drastic spending cuts destroy the country. Republicans can save the defense
budget, etc., etc. Democrats can save entitlements, etc., etc. Magically, the
money has arrived in the nick of time.
The rate of growth of the debt has slowed a little, but the debt has not been
reduced. The red ink continues to flow.
So, in the end, Big Government gets the money and the taxpayer (and the
private economy) get the shaft.
The politicians even get to pretend to be statesmen, doing what needs to be
done to save life as we know it.
I know. I know. I feel guilty. A guy that could come up with such a
devious scenario involving such treacherous politicians must have had a
terrible childhood. Washington can't really be that bad, can it?
Let's hope not. I'm sure they'll do the right thing.
Friday, October 26, 2012
A Commencement Redress
Congratulations! At last you're here...at the culmination of years of
academic effort...after forming lifelong friendships and relationships...
you've earned your degree and the right to be proud of it.
Enjoy it! The key to your future success is in your hands. Use it to
open doors that lead to places where you may never have dreamed
of traveling. Party tonight and celebrate with family and friends.
You've reached one of the key turning points in life.
But keep perspective. You've just won your first race on the way to
the Olympics. There are many races and competitions to go, and you
have to make it to the finals to win the gold.
You've proven you can complete the course work. You have proven
you have a good memory. You understand and use language and
mathematics well. You can follow directions, and you have shown
you can think, organize, plan, and prioritize your time well enough to
succeed in academic work.
In short, you have proven a lot, and you have a right to be proud,
but you haven't won the gold medal yet.
Most likely, though, you still have yet to prove that you can deal with
some of life's more difficult challenges, such as...
1. Are you brave enough to stand up to life's difficult
challenges, and persevere when all goes wrong?
2. Are you wise enough to know when to hold 'em and when to
fold 'em...or when to go all in or all out?
3. Are you strong enough to stand up for the honorable thing, even
when it is not to your personal advantage to do it?
4. Are you are smart enough to recognize the right thing, when
it appears in front of you?
5. Are you generous and unselfish enough to sacrifice some of
your personal ambitions to benefit your family, your loved ones,
or the community, if necessary?
6. Are you resilient in the face of persistent day-to-day frustrations?
7. Can you listen to others and learn from their perspectives,
even if they are not as "educated" as you are?
Hundreds of thousands have sat where you sit today, proud of
their achievement, and sure that they, and their generation, will
solve the problems that bedevil our society and the world. Same
as you, they were trained by professors, who also teach and advise
corporate and governmental leaders, special interest groups, quasi-
governmental organizations, and politicians.
Their solutions have always been pretty much the same. One, take
money from individuals and businesses so that it can be spent on
government programs. Two, take more money from individuals
and businesses so they can spend it on expanded or new programs.
Finally, three, put your trust in well-educated bureaucrats to make
the wise decision for you.
The solutions almost never result in a choice to eliminate unnecessary
or inefficient programs, to apply new technology to substantially
eliminate waste and graft, or to spend less in tough times.
The bad news is, the money is running out, and the old solutions
aren't working. The good news is, you're going to be part of the
generation that will have to find new solutions to old problems.
I know, you've just earned your way into the "well-educated
bureaucrat" (or corporate, or professorial) class. Am I trying
to tell you that you're the problem?
If you can't come up with better solutions, you WILL become part
of the problem, and the future for your generation looks dark. If you
CAN come up with better solutions, your future can be bright
and shining. You control your destiny. You control the country's
destiny.
Lyndon Johnson started the "War on Poverty" almost fifty years
ago. After spending billions (trillions?) of dollars on program after
program, have we eliminated poverty? After years of spending
billions on the "War on Drugs", have we eliminated the drug problem?
Did the "best and brightest" manage Vietnam well?
How about business? Have all those MBAs done right by Wall
Street...or in Washington? Did all those well-educated regulators
and Wall Street titans foresee or prevent the mortgage market
meltdown, even though it would seem to be a no-brainer to require
proof that a mortgagee has enough income to pay back a loan? Has
greed, corruption, or foolishness been eliminated?
All those people who helped create this world that you may think is
all screwed up; they sat where you sit today and thought they were
going to make the world a better place to live. Hey, Bernie Madoff
sat where you sit today, as happy and optimistic and proud of his
future as you are of yours today. Don't do Bernie.
Remember, you're at the beginning of your road, not at the final
destination. Don't think you know all the answers...hopefully, you
will know to ask the right questions. Keep your eyes and ears open,
and feed what you see and hear into an open mind. You can learn
from the most unlikely sources.
Formal education is not learning. Life experience, simmering within
an engaged mind, over a lifetime, leads to learning and to wisdom.
Question what you've been taught and what you hear. Believe in
yourself and don't be afraid to speak your truth.
I envy you today. A page is being turned, and your life is starting
anew today. You have a new beginning, and you are free to choose
what you make of it. Live it. Enjoy it. Revel in it.
Make this world a better place.
academic effort...after forming lifelong friendships and relationships...
you've earned your degree and the right to be proud of it.
Enjoy it! The key to your future success is in your hands. Use it to
open doors that lead to places where you may never have dreamed
of traveling. Party tonight and celebrate with family and friends.
You've reached one of the key turning points in life.
But keep perspective. You've just won your first race on the way to
the Olympics. There are many races and competitions to go, and you
have to make it to the finals to win the gold.
You've proven you can complete the course work. You have proven
you have a good memory. You understand and use language and
mathematics well. You can follow directions, and you have shown
you can think, organize, plan, and prioritize your time well enough to
succeed in academic work.
In short, you have proven a lot, and you have a right to be proud,
but you haven't won the gold medal yet.
Most likely, though, you still have yet to prove that you can deal with
some of life's more difficult challenges, such as...
1. Are you brave enough to stand up to life's difficult
challenges, and persevere when all goes wrong?
2. Are you wise enough to know when to hold 'em and when to
fold 'em...or when to go all in or all out?
3. Are you strong enough to stand up for the honorable thing, even
when it is not to your personal advantage to do it?
4. Are you are smart enough to recognize the right thing, when
it appears in front of you?
5. Are you generous and unselfish enough to sacrifice some of
your personal ambitions to benefit your family, your loved ones,
or the community, if necessary?
6. Are you resilient in the face of persistent day-to-day frustrations?
7. Can you listen to others and learn from their perspectives,
even if they are not as "educated" as you are?
Hundreds of thousands have sat where you sit today, proud of
their achievement, and sure that they, and their generation, will
solve the problems that bedevil our society and the world. Same
as you, they were trained by professors, who also teach and advise
corporate and governmental leaders, special interest groups, quasi-
governmental organizations, and politicians.
Their solutions have always been pretty much the same. One, take
money from individuals and businesses so that it can be spent on
government programs. Two, take more money from individuals
and businesses so they can spend it on expanded or new programs.
Finally, three, put your trust in well-educated bureaucrats to make
the wise decision for you.
The solutions almost never result in a choice to eliminate unnecessary
or inefficient programs, to apply new technology to substantially
eliminate waste and graft, or to spend less in tough times.
The bad news is, the money is running out, and the old solutions
aren't working. The good news is, you're going to be part of the
generation that will have to find new solutions to old problems.
I know, you've just earned your way into the "well-educated
bureaucrat" (or corporate, or professorial) class. Am I trying
to tell you that you're the problem?
If you can't come up with better solutions, you WILL become part
of the problem, and the future for your generation looks dark. If you
CAN come up with better solutions, your future can be bright
and shining. You control your destiny. You control the country's
destiny.
Lyndon Johnson started the "War on Poverty" almost fifty years
ago. After spending billions (trillions?) of dollars on program after
program, have we eliminated poverty? After years of spending
billions on the "War on Drugs", have we eliminated the drug problem?
Did the "best and brightest" manage Vietnam well?
How about business? Have all those MBAs done right by Wall
Street...or in Washington? Did all those well-educated regulators
and Wall Street titans foresee or prevent the mortgage market
meltdown, even though it would seem to be a no-brainer to require
proof that a mortgagee has enough income to pay back a loan? Has
greed, corruption, or foolishness been eliminated?
All those people who helped create this world that you may think is
all screwed up; they sat where you sit today and thought they were
going to make the world a better place to live. Hey, Bernie Madoff
sat where you sit today, as happy and optimistic and proud of his
future as you are of yours today. Don't do Bernie.
Remember, you're at the beginning of your road, not at the final
destination. Don't think you know all the answers...hopefully, you
will know to ask the right questions. Keep your eyes and ears open,
and feed what you see and hear into an open mind. You can learn
from the most unlikely sources.
Formal education is not learning. Life experience, simmering within
an engaged mind, over a lifetime, leads to learning and to wisdom.
Question what you've been taught and what you hear. Believe in
yourself and don't be afraid to speak your truth.
I envy you today. A page is being turned, and your life is starting
anew today. You have a new beginning, and you are free to choose
what you make of it. Live it. Enjoy it. Revel in it.
Make this world a better place.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Dueling Mind-Sets
For almost all of human history, the mind-set of governance has been that leaders lead,
and all others are either enforcers for, or followers of, laws created by the elite leaders.
This has been true of leaders endowed with power by divine right, endowed by religious
theocracy, by the power of the sword, or by the power of a democratic election.
The basic rule is that powerful elites set whatever rules they want, and, as long as they
have the power to enforce their decisions, everyone else must follow the rules...and, if
another set of leaders takes control, then the new leaders set the rules. Same
mind-set, different rulers.
When America was formed, a different mind-set took hold. The basic idea was that
each individual should have the freedom to choose their own road in life, and accept
the risks and rewards that come with their new found freedom.
No longer would a powerful elite control all individuals, and, to ensure that the
federal government would not have the power to intrude into citizen's lives, the
federal government was limited to specific powers, with other specific powers
delegated to the states.
In addition, individual rights were specified that could not be violated by the federal
or state governments.
Finally, the federal government was divided into three distinct parts, legislative,
executive, and judicial...in order to make sure that no one in the federal government could
achieve enough power to prevent individuals from attaining life, liberty, and their
own pursuits of happiness.
Granted, this is all basics civics, but the difference between the two mind-sets is
still in play in the politics of the current day.
When you listen to politicians, do not pay attention to what they are labeled or to
their political party. They might be Democrats or Republicans, Conservatives or
Liberals.
What matters is their mind-set. What matters is how they think. Listen to what they
say and ask yourself "Do they want the power to control my life, or do they think I'm
competent to make my own decisions?" "Do they look at me as an individual, or
do they look at me as a cog in a demographic group that they can manipulate?"
Actually, a better question would be "Do I look at myself as a competent individual, or
am I just a mindless part of a demographic group?".
There have always been, and will always be, elites that feel they know better than you
how you should live your life. They have always thirsted for power to enforce their will
upon others...always, of course, for your benefit, not theirs. And, it is true that some
limits do need to be in place to prevent individual freedom from turning into anarchy.
But it is no coincidence that somehow, in the history of the world, those elites have never
delivered the freedom and the economic and human progress that the American
Experiment did in just a few hundred years. For all its problems, America is still one
country that has most learned to embrace diversity and live together; a shining symbol
showing the rest of the world what can be accomplished with good will and tolerance.
Even in America, little by little, year by year, elites have slowly been "transforming" the
federal government from its originally intended limited purposes into a gigantic
conglomerate of regulations, entitlements, promises, spending, and power...a
conglomerate that is well on its way to bankruptcy or to oppressive taxation for
future generations.
Before you vote, listen. Listen hard to what politicians are saying, and ask yourself, "Am
I voting for a safety net, or am I voting for a way of life?
Look. Look hard, not only at what they are saying, but at the effects of what they are
doing. Whether by good intention, or not, the effect of much of the federal legislation
over the last hundred years has been to curtail individual freedom and initiative, and to
replace it with regulation, intimidation, and favoritism.
Its a good thing to have control enough to prevent anarchy...but too much control is a
vice, not a virtue. Do not throw away that which has made us great for that which will
make us mundane.
The greatest gift mankind had ever been given was the freedom our founders
bestowed on this country.
The burden of history has fallen upon this generation. We will either be remembered
as the generation that gave that freedom away, or as the generation that took it back.
I don't know how this story will end. I hope we'll fight to take it back, but I fear
we'll give it up.
Each individual will have to take a side. I hope you pick the right side.
and all others are either enforcers for, or followers of, laws created by the elite leaders.
This has been true of leaders endowed with power by divine right, endowed by religious
theocracy, by the power of the sword, or by the power of a democratic election.
The basic rule is that powerful elites set whatever rules they want, and, as long as they
have the power to enforce their decisions, everyone else must follow the rules...and, if
another set of leaders takes control, then the new leaders set the rules. Same
mind-set, different rulers.
When America was formed, a different mind-set took hold. The basic idea was that
each individual should have the freedom to choose their own road in life, and accept
the risks and rewards that come with their new found freedom.
No longer would a powerful elite control all individuals, and, to ensure that the
federal government would not have the power to intrude into citizen's lives, the
federal government was limited to specific powers, with other specific powers
delegated to the states.
In addition, individual rights were specified that could not be violated by the federal
or state governments.
Finally, the federal government was divided into three distinct parts, legislative,
executive, and judicial...in order to make sure that no one in the federal government could
achieve enough power to prevent individuals from attaining life, liberty, and their
own pursuits of happiness.
Granted, this is all basics civics, but the difference between the two mind-sets is
still in play in the politics of the current day.
When you listen to politicians, do not pay attention to what they are labeled or to
their political party. They might be Democrats or Republicans, Conservatives or
Liberals.
What matters is their mind-set. What matters is how they think. Listen to what they
say and ask yourself "Do they want the power to control my life, or do they think I'm
competent to make my own decisions?" "Do they look at me as an individual, or
do they look at me as a cog in a demographic group that they can manipulate?"
Actually, a better question would be "Do I look at myself as a competent individual, or
am I just a mindless part of a demographic group?".
There have always been, and will always be, elites that feel they know better than you
how you should live your life. They have always thirsted for power to enforce their will
upon others...always, of course, for your benefit, not theirs. And, it is true that some
limits do need to be in place to prevent individual freedom from turning into anarchy.
But it is no coincidence that somehow, in the history of the world, those elites have never
delivered the freedom and the economic and human progress that the American
Experiment did in just a few hundred years. For all its problems, America is still one
country that has most learned to embrace diversity and live together; a shining symbol
showing the rest of the world what can be accomplished with good will and tolerance.
Even in America, little by little, year by year, elites have slowly been "transforming" the
federal government from its originally intended limited purposes into a gigantic
conglomerate of regulations, entitlements, promises, spending, and power...a
conglomerate that is well on its way to bankruptcy or to oppressive taxation for
future generations.
Before you vote, listen. Listen hard to what politicians are saying, and ask yourself, "Am
I voting for a safety net, or am I voting for a way of life?
Look. Look hard, not only at what they are saying, but at the effects of what they are
doing. Whether by good intention, or not, the effect of much of the federal legislation
over the last hundred years has been to curtail individual freedom and initiative, and to
replace it with regulation, intimidation, and favoritism.
Its a good thing to have control enough to prevent anarchy...but too much control is a
vice, not a virtue. Do not throw away that which has made us great for that which will
make us mundane.
The greatest gift mankind had ever been given was the freedom our founders
bestowed on this country.
The burden of history has fallen upon this generation. We will either be remembered
as the generation that gave that freedom away, or as the generation that took it back.
I don't know how this story will end. I hope we'll fight to take it back, but I fear
we'll give it up.
Each individual will have to take a side. I hope you pick the right side.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Money, Property, Contracts, Morality
If you believe in the concept of the "Universal Morality", you must be able
to determine if agreements between individuals and groups are being
forced, or if they are voluntarily agreed upon.
Agreements that are physically forced would obviously be immoral. Less
obviously, agreements secured by lies, cheating, obfuscation, duress, etc.,
would be equally immoral, even though physical force was not used.
But, even if you do not accept immoral agreements, you still need a method
to measure and evaluate agreements that were made mutually, voluntarily,
and morally, between individuals and groups.
Humanity has come a long way since the days of "bartering" services.
Modern society relies on currency and law to regulate relations between
competing, and often conflicting, interests.
If you accept that each individual has the freedom to put a value on their own time
and labor, then, money is one way (not the only way), by which we value our
time and labor. A system of currency aids both individuals and groups in evaluating
decisions they make.
Without the freedom to value our time and labor, we are all slaves. With this
freedom, each of us becomes an agent in control of our own life. One may wonder
IF some individuals are worth what they are paid, but, if no one was FORCED to
pay them, then, obviously, enough others DID think they were worth it.
If an individual has the freedom to own property, then money is the medium
by which we value it, sell it, and buy it. Without this freedom, we are all
serfs, existing at the behest of those politicians that would assign us our living
quarters and possessions.
And, if individuals and groups have the freedom to make agreements and
decisions amongst each other, then contract law is how we enforce those
agreements. Without this freedom, we are all peons, endowing politicians
the political power to decide our conflicts for us...and opening the door to
cronyism and, eventually, to tyranny.
Systems of currency, property rights, and contract law are all intrinsic to human
freedom. To think otherwise is to endanger human liberty.
to determine if agreements between individuals and groups are being
forced, or if they are voluntarily agreed upon.
Agreements that are physically forced would obviously be immoral. Less
obviously, agreements secured by lies, cheating, obfuscation, duress, etc.,
would be equally immoral, even though physical force was not used.
But, even if you do not accept immoral agreements, you still need a method
to measure and evaluate agreements that were made mutually, voluntarily,
and morally, between individuals and groups.
Humanity has come a long way since the days of "bartering" services.
Modern society relies on currency and law to regulate relations between
competing, and often conflicting, interests.
If you accept that each individual has the freedom to put a value on their own time
and labor, then, money is one way (not the only way), by which we value our
time and labor. A system of currency aids both individuals and groups in evaluating
decisions they make.
Without the freedom to value our time and labor, we are all slaves. With this
freedom, each of us becomes an agent in control of our own life. One may wonder
IF some individuals are worth what they are paid, but, if no one was FORCED to
pay them, then, obviously, enough others DID think they were worth it.
If an individual has the freedom to own property, then money is the medium
by which we value it, sell it, and buy it. Without this freedom, we are all
serfs, existing at the behest of those politicians that would assign us our living
quarters and possessions.
And, if individuals and groups have the freedom to make agreements and
decisions amongst each other, then contract law is how we enforce those
agreements. Without this freedom, we are all peons, endowing politicians
the political power to decide our conflicts for us...and opening the door to
cronyism and, eventually, to tyranny.
Systems of currency, property rights, and contract law are all intrinsic to human
freedom. To think otherwise is to endanger human liberty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)