The 545 People Responsible For All Of U.S. Woes
This really isn’t new, and Charlie Reese may not be THE conservative voice in some things, but I can’t find a single flaw with this position. I really don’t care if Mr. Reese actually said this.
I give you a reality check from one convenient source.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don’t write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don’t set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don’t control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices – 545 human beings out of the 235 million – are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I really can’t add much. Except – I wish I’d said that.
[Edit to Add] NSOM reminded me of a probative quote:
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
H. L. Mencken
And the logical next question. Now What?
Category: Pointless blather, Politics
Precisely.
I’ve never bought this argument. People, almost universally, get the government they deserve in a democracy. When a politician gets out in front and says “we have to cut this and that” or “we have to raise taxes” he losses his next election. The American people over the past 60 (230?) years have conditioned their politicians to be liars. It’s the ones that tell people what they WANT to hear instead of what they NEED to hear who win election after election after election. This disaster didn’t happen overnight, it’s the result of decades of fiscal neglect and bad economics baked in a warm, flaky crust of patronizing bullshit.
Just another reason for term limits
NSOM #2: First I’ll remind you of this: “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.”
H. L. Mencken
So I do agree with yer point.
Now what?
re#4
Ah, a Mencken quote, good man. Probably the only guy who lived with his mom that I’d ever take advice from.
At this point I simply have to say I fear it’s going to take a reckoning. For a republic to work its people must be enfranchised civically, financially, culturally and physically. The majority of American people don’t fit that criteria anymore and the peanut gallery is running the show. I’d say to divert disaster is to get people involved again, make them understand what community means and what it means to lose it.
#5 NSOM,
How do you propose to go about overcoming the institutionalized inertia of the people?
@ # 4, 5, & 6…..The “Now What” and other two are answerable with this: Now, is the time for all of us veterans to stand up and walk point. Leaderless people won’t do anything but bleat, wring their hands and stick their head in the sand. The cool part of it is, you ‘Nam vets have the lead like it or not.
The American public now understands and honors your service a whole lot better now. We are looking at communism nothing more here, the majority of Nam vets stared it in the face and kicked its butt on the battlefield and off. I tell you something else too. The counter-protests in DC and the looks on civilian faces when they caught on (from my position) was priceless, as some may know my job was paying attention to to what the crowd was doing.
garryowen!
[…] The 545 People Responsible For All Of U.S. Woes […]
re #6 DaveO
I don’t really have an adequate answer. Fiscally enfranchising people by making everyone pay SOMETHING into federal income taxes is a start, even if it’s a token amount. Too many Americans look toward tax day as “refund day”. This divorces them from the reality that federal services don’t just magically appear, they cost money, fungible, real money.
I like the idea that everyone did some sort of federal service, even if it was one weekend a month thing for community service like picking up trash or working at nursing homes or VA hospitals or whatever. Anyone who gets a Pell grant or any other federal subsidy should do something. No service no federal aid. On the other hand I’m always leery of the government compelling people to do things they don’t want to and what if they’re paying into the system but not getting anything in return? What about religious exceptions?, etc, etc.
I wish I had better answers.
#9 NSOM,
The ways to get people enfranchised is to deregulate the nonsense, and introduce certainty. There are five areas that would accomplish those two tasks.
Area One is getting rid of the many regulations that exist (some of them are laws, too) that prevent entrepreneurship and cottage industries. Most of these are well-intentioned, and very well-intentioned to eliminate competition. For example, the requirement to test for lead in any product that could be handled by a child. This law was passed due to kids dying from Mattel toys that were imported from China. The law shut down grannie from knitting sock monkeys, but Mattel is exempted from following the law.
Second area would be to simplify the tax code to a flat rate on consumption. Third area would be to wean folks off of minimum wage, and hook them on the drug of value.
Fourth area would be to open the insurance industry: allow folks to buy policies they need and want without respect to borders. If someone in Oregon can sell you what you need wherever you live and work for less, that should be your option.
Are Five is tort reform. When someone goes and dumps hot coffee in their lap because they were too stupid not to drink while driving over the federally-mandated speed bump, you should not lose all that you have, could have, and your children’s children could ever have.
If you get to Area Fifty-one, turn around. The MiB don’t like visitors.
If people can enter the marketplace essentially unfettered and sure, they will be enfranchised.