It is too bad that, these days, so many citizens seem to hate “the government.”
If one remembers from Lincoln’s famous address, we have a government of, for, and by the people. Human beings decided long ago to save themselves from the elements, and from themselves, by joining together into societies governed by means of a mutually beneficial social contract.
The hate mongers of modern “conservative” press, radio, and television decry, discredit, and demonize “the government.”
One is reminded of Oliver Perry’s famous wartime dispatch, “We have met the enemy and he is ours,” which was later modified by Walt Kelly to “We have met the enemy, and he is us”!
Those who do not like their own democratically elected government need to make it better, and not dismantle it.
They would do well to remember that their government is performing those services which they wanted done, but which they were not willing or able to perform by themselves.
Those who claim to want total freedom must first abrogate and nullify the social contract.
George Johnson
Chandler
Cerulean posted at 7:06 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Very good letter George Johnson.
You’ll notice that those same “big government” critics say very little about Arizona state Republican government intrusion on municipalities ability to tax developers for infrastructure costs or laws that remove women’s reproductive freedoms or our right to vote, or our ability to petition for citizen initiatives. The list goes on and on . . . .
Rich posted at 7:11 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Well, I didn't sign the contract in the first place, and I really don't think that mass ignorance guiding anything is the greatest notion mankind has ever come up with. Democracy begins deteriorating almost as soon as it formed. Our system was never meant to degenerate into this form, which isn't even close to the original aim or system. Originally voting was limited to property owners, stake holders, the government held more power in the areas it was specifically given to handle. Still, it bordered on anarchy, as it always should, for the object is to give everyone enough room to fulfill himself, or rope to hang himself, whichever comes first.
Rich posted at 7:12 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
"The greatest good for the greatest number", "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." are philosophies that have been tried and seen to constantly fail.
Rich posted at 7:12 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Our government is among the most corrupt on Earth. Imagine, in plain terms they are forcing everyone to buy a product they may not want, or even need, pure extortion. That's not pure evil? To enrich their friends, and themselves. The contract was broken on the other end decades ago, sold to the rabble, going, going, gone.
Rich posted at 7:16 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Buy only low sodium Spam, and only ACME products or the coyote will get you. Filter that!
Not Leon the Loon posted at 7:24 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Right On..well said....we are battling conservative crazies who won't be happy until there is no government and no help for the less fortunate. These people only care about two things...how much money they have and how they can hang on to every last penney of it!! Helping anyone else is the furthest thing from their small brains!
They are simply incapable of ever considering that for a society to be great, all of it's citizens need to be doing well or that Kellogs and GM are not going to educate our kids, build new bridges or high speed rail. They obviously believw these things grow on trees I guess?
30 years of Reaganomics speaks for itself.... no one but the top 1% can honestly say they are better off today than 30+ years ago when America was respected around the world and the American middle class was the envy of the planet!
Today the middle classes in Europe, Asia and Canada all do better than the shrinking American middle class. Such a shame!!
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:33 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
What planet has the Letter Writer been living on?
The Democrats are the ones who are not following the Law.
Look at all the Laws against ...."possession, sale or manufacture of Marijuana", a Schedule 1 Substances that the Obama Administration (Democrat...the last time I looked)........are not enforcing.
Look at all the Laws against....."Aliens entering the United States illegally" as per the US Code of Law, Title 1, Chapter 12, Sub-chapter II, Part VIII, Section 1325.......that the Obama Administration (ditto) are not enforcing.
Republicans enforce the Laws of America.
Democrats ignore the Laws of America.
onerebel posted at 8:22 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
George is right about the fact that Right wing media should not be discrediting or demonizing anyone, I believe the Liberal media holds ALL rights to these techniques! [wink]
downtownresident posted at 8:26 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Leon,
Never disappointing, you speak the straight party line talk.
Get a life of your own.
bubba posted at 9:52 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
Don't like government and taxes? Move to Somalia, start your own country. You can call it Dumbassistan, and Leon can be your King.
valleynative posted at 10:18 pm on Thu, Feb 21, 2013.
The role of the federal government, according to the founders and as described in the Constitution, is to govern the interactions of the states with each other and with foreign nations. The only authority they have over the citizens of those states are related to taxation, conscription, and the regulation of interstate commerce.
When the federal government violates the Constitution, the citizens should be outraged, not grateful.
DonMey posted at 10:32 am on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
Someone seriously needs a history lesson on the philosophy of our government. It is based on what is best for the individual is best for society, not the other way around.
Accuracy posted at 10:35 am on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
George Johnson mentioned Walt Kelly’s quote; “We have met the enemy, and he is us”!
Now we have U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s quote; “The greatest threat to American foreign policy is not the unrest in the Middle East or even an emerging China. It's Congress.” First quote, as he addressed the self-imposed federal budget sequester ($85 billion in automatic spending cuts).
frank66 posted at 10:50 am on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
If "We have met the enemy, and he is us” is true, then shouldn't we worry more about the tyranny and destruction of democracy, "we the people"?
Rich posted at 10:55 am on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
"Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy." -Franz Kafka
chatmandu002 posted at 11:18 am on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
George,
You lost all creditability when you mentioned the conservative hate mongering media. Where was your angst at the liberal/progressive hate media?
I signed on to protect, defend and live by the constitution. I didn't sign on the support a big government that determines who gets the "social contract" benefits and who pays for these "social contract" benefits. If we are a country of equals then we should all be paying and receiving these benefits equally.
When the big government changes the rules and goes against the constitution do the people have a right to fight or argue against this big government? Remember when the big government takes over your responsibilities in the name of a "social contract" it also takes away your liberties.
Bluepoet posted at 1:16 pm on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
Total freedom is a myth. Freedom comes with a price, just as surely as servitude puts us in chains.
Even the pioneers of our old West had to band together to survive the journey through the unknown.
Unless somehow it is to be believed that there can be a nation comprised of hermits, eking out a survivalist dystopia, we remain the closest experiment in history of proving that a nation can have freedoms, while caring for the least among us, in the absence of a benevolent dictator, focusing absolute power over our lives.
Some of you may think we have that dictator now, but I submit that you are mistaken. There may be some validity in the perception that things are headed that way, but we aren't there, quite yet...and, if/when it does get there, it will only be coincidental which party will be in "power".
Bluepoet posted at 1:18 pm on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
...or, conversely, what form the tyranny will encompass--the enslavement of our bodies, or our minds. Which brings us back to Freedom, which only exists in our minds, after all...
valleynative posted at 2:29 pm on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
Bluepoet, you seem to consider the federal government as being responsible for caring for the least of us, etc. That's not any sort of role for the federal government.
At its core, it's a role for individuals contributing to charities. When that's not enough, then state and local governments have a duty to step in to the degree that their voters decide.
The federal government's job has nothing at all to do with taking care of the citizens.
Rich posted at 8:22 pm on Fri, Feb 22, 2013.
Leaving aside Lovelace, bluepoet, enslavement encompasses both, or attempts to, and inevitably fails at one or both. When I have a government that deals in extortion for the enrichment of people who control 20% of our GDP through overcharging and outright fraud, when any developed nation only goes 10% for better services in the same sector, it doesn't take a genius to tell you that you are the Titanic on a collision course with the ice burg of reality.
You government is a criminal cartel, do something about it.
Arizona Willie posted at 9:18 am on Sun, Feb 24, 2013.
Has someone highjacked Rich's identity on here? Athough I < usually > disagreed with his thoughts, his posts were grammatically correct and had correct spelling.
Lately, I've noticed a difference in his language and his posts have deteriorated language wise.
They seem to have been written by someone else using Rich's name.
Bluepoet posted at 11:18 am on Sun, Feb 24, 2013.
valleynative,
You seem to have jumped to quite a few conclusions about my take on Federalism vs State-ism. I wasn't necessarily speaking about that, but about the role of government in a general sense. As far as taking care of those who are in need, I think it takes charity, local, state, AND Federal governments to accomplish the task. Choose to think in provincial terms, if you wish, but that is a fading light which illuminates only those who can't see beyond the campfire.
We do not exist in a vacuum, where we each have autonomy over our lives. That is a myth, unless one is living on a desert island, and good luck to those that can do that. For the rest of us (99.99%), we must learn to live together, in a balance of freedom and responsibility.
valleynative posted at 12:07 pm on Sun, Feb 24, 2013.
Bluepoet, twice now, you've responded to people saying that the federal government should have no role in taking care of people by criticizing the speaker for believing that they live in a vacuum. How do you reconcile that with my having jumped to the wrong conclusion. If life without the feds is a vacuum, then the feds would seem to be all.
The federal government should not be taking on the rightful roles of the States.
Rich posted at 7:41 pm on Sun, Feb 24, 2013.
Willie,
The techniques are Dialectic and just plain ol' fun. Dialectic is designed to learn, it gets half short circuited by the stupid filter here. However I think it is the best thing you can do here. Life is a learning experience.
Plain ol' fun is seeing how many literary allusions I can slip by the august teacher of literature, and now Bluepoet. For example Lovelace could mean the cavalier poet Richard ("Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." , from " To Althea, from Prison") or Linda star of "Deep Throat". I meant both, an allusion I slipped by him and yet one which answered all his points. Do it to Mike all the time, and I am sure people who read a lot get a kick out of it, I know I do. The style fits the function. Writing is my profession and has been since I was 17, and I am past retirement age, In the past month I have used six different styles here, not just two and three of those play with both grammar and spelling.
Bluepoet posted at 8:38 am on Mon, Feb 25, 2013.
Rich,
Oh, I got the Lovelace reference--just wasn't swallowing it...
[wink]
Interesting though, that you admit to slip-sliding you way through discussions, with a twist-in-the-wind sub text...I admit that I have not retained much of the classic literary imprints--I found them mind numbing, in my earlier years, and haven't revisited them often enough for them to make any but a fleeting impression...
Agree on the limitations of the filter here...frustrating, even for a devotee of brevity.
I enjoy your posts, even when I don't agree, and even when you're baiting the hook, I don't feel the need to lose a leg to your harpoons...
Bluepoet posted at 8:51 am on Mon, Feb 25, 2013.
valleynative,
My criticism of your position is that it is irrelevant. You insist on thinking in terms of state vs federal, with regard to social issues. It is an arguement that has no practical basis, in this day and age. We have instantaneous communication, we have a consumer-based economy, and we have an ever-widening gap between those who have, and those who have not. The Federal part of the government is waxing in power, in response to this...states are clearly overwhelmed, when it comes to dealing with these issues, and they lag behind, which has a negative effect on other states, as well.
The spam filter is hovering over me, so I will stop here...let's just say we disagree, for now, ok?
Abstract01 posted at 11:37 pm on Tue, Feb 26, 2013.
Rich, You signed onto the social contract when you registered to vote!